Peter Walker And Partners Landscape Architecture: Defining The Craft

Book Description

Best known as the firm chosen to work on the World Trade Center Memorial, the landscape architecture projects of Peter Walker and Partners vary both in scale and program: urban design and planning, corporate headquarters and university campuses, parks, plazas, museums, and gardens. Exploring the relationships of art, culture, and context, Walker and the members of the firm re-form the landscape challenging traditional concepts of design. Through drawing, model-making, computer graphics, and full-size mock-ups, the office moves from defining the program to experimenting with materials and forming the space. The design process, therefore, faithfully reflects the constant exchange occurring with clients, architects, and consultants. A knowledge of history and tradition and an understanding of contemporary needs and patterns of living, allow the firm to produce landscapes that are both timeless and unique. This extensive monograph opens with a short essay about the organization and history of the office, the importance of apprenticeship in landscape architectural education, and the particular way that PWP artfully practices the craft of landscape architecture. It features nearly 300 images (with 3 gatefolds) of the firm's work since 1997, including 16 built landscape projects in the United States, Europe, and Asia. Seven projects in progress include the American Embassy in Beijing, several university campuses, and the World Trade Center Memorial. The 10 site-planning and urban design projects include Millennium Parklands in Sydney, Australia, and the Novartis Headquarters in Basel, Switzerland. Each section begins with a brief introduction by Walker, and the book concludes with four competition entries, including one for 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Customer Reviews:

An expression of interest .......2005-12-05

Peter Walker and Partners.
Landscape Architecture: Defining the Craft.
Thames and Hudson
531 Illustrations and diagrams 431 in colour.
2005 London
ISBN-13 978-0-500-34207-7

Based in Berkeley, Peter Walker and Partners (PWP) is, in conventional terms, a fantastically successful practice and this book documents their signature projects since 1997. Although with only three open competition wins to their name, the practice has received an extraordinary 110 industry awards since 1960. Not only that, everyone knows Peter Walker is a champion of quality, a leader who has bridged academic and professional spheres and networked the world to his practice. In Australia, as elsewhere, Walker is greatly admired; indeed, he is called upon to preface our books and help us design things like the Sydney Olympics. That we couldn't do this alone is not his problem. These are the halcyon days of Walker's career.

As described in his first monograph "Minimalist Gardens" (1997), Walker somewhat unconvincingly indebts his work to the mid to late 20th century art movement, Minimalism. He also acknowledges the influence of Japanese gardens and (environmental) artists such as the late Isamu Noguchi as well as drawing a line between himself and the 17th century French master, Andre Le Notre but anyone buying this book out of interest in these connections or Walker's intellectual or creative maturation in general will be disappointed.

Despite this being implicitly his book, Walker, insofar as one can tell, doesn't contribute a single reflective word. Like a corporate annual report, this book has no identifiable author except the generic entity, PWP. Perhaps, as an established figure, Walker feels he no longer has to speak too much about the work. Maybe he has nothing new to add to his well publicised views. Or perhaps, after years of arguing for landscape architecture to be appreciated as a meaningful art he's changed his mind and concluded that- as this book's title suggests -it is now craft that really matters; and craft, unlike art, speaks for itself. But he (i.e, PWP) couldn't have played into the old squabbles between art and craft unconsciously, and yet such things are not addressed. There is, in fact, only one theme in this book and that is that PWP delivers quality. Accordingly, this book looks and feels like an Expression of Interest, in other words- an ad, albeit one with the imprimatur of Thames and Hudson. Having said that, what text there is, is relatively lighter on spin than we have become accustomed to.

There are 37 posh projects collected in this volume and they are categorised into: Recently Completed Projects; Projects in Progress; Site Planning and Urban Design; and Competitions. The projects are prestigious, big and lush, an extraordinary range of work amassed over just a few years. Accompanying each project is a straightforward (if not reductive) explanation of the brief and PWP's subsequent design strategy. This is where the consumer of this book, if he or she unpacks each design, stands to learn something of value because, irrespective of whether you like or dislike their styling, PWP projects are exemplary in terms of accurately responding to a project's priority needs.

Typical to the corporate monograph there is a perfunctory essay up front by Jane Brown Gillette. Rather than engaging with Walker's oeuvre or matters aesthetic, her essay is essentially a cursory description of the mechanics of the practice. She toasts PWP's loyal workers (apparently the best students from the best universities) and lauds its diplomatic project managers. Her essay reads not as if written for the international landscape community that PWP has so effectively used as it's global conduit, rather, the essay seems directed at prospective clients. She forewarns but also allures them to the culture of excellence that is PWP and makes that excellence seem user friendly. Apart from a brief notation of the firm's position in North American landscape architecture and the occasional but typical landscape architectural inanity such as telling us that PWP can make "nature visible and meaningful" there is nothing critical, analytical, theoretical, insightful or even polemical in this book. In this regard, academics or anyone interested in the intellectual "craft" of landscape architecture will have no use for this book.

In Gillette's essay there are references to, and quotes referring to "ideas" in the designs, but for mine they are not actually ideas; they are solutions. More often than not these solutions rely on a somewhat formulaic geometric elegance which creates structure, followed by superimpositions of pattern to form surface. To be "ideas" they need to have meaning, not just efficacy, and meaning is a question this book ignores. For Walker, minimalism has been a way around the problem of representation, but, at some level, there is no way around representation, no way around meaning. Since the text in this book is so lazy, the images of the PWP craft have to do most of the talking. Hence, the book is literally stuffed full of super gloss photos, 531 to be exact. But many are cliché's, relatively vacuous images of greener-than-green trees, sparkling water, and an awful lot of nice people generally looking content in PWP's sanitised, high-resolution Arcadia.

Although they have reason to be, PWP doesn't come across as smug. As Gillette says, if there is one word that describes the practice its "earnest". Be that as it may, one also gets the feeling that despite having a studio full of the best people the office culture of PWP might lack internal critique. Of course, it is an exceptional achievement to have created a global practice and maintained such high standards; but, the book, in failing to offer anything but promotional material, feels disingenuous. Apart from an excess of photos the book doesn't really explore or zoom in on the details of construction and project management that PWP are so good at. In other words it doesn't deliver what it promised - a `definition of the craft". So, whilst it will no doubt bring in more work, it wont go down well in history and therefore I think we can expect a third monograph on Mr Peter Walker et al.

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classic still life painting: A Contepoary Master shows hown to Achieve old master effects using today's art materials

Classic Still Life Painting: A Contemporary Master Shows How to Achieve Old Master Effects Using Today's Art Materials
Jane Jones
Manufacturer: Watson-Guptill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Painting | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Painting | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0823034488

Book Description

Classic Still Life Painting shows artists how to create paintings of sparkling brilliance and jewel-like color that look like they have been lit from within-just like the exquisite paintings of the Renaissance masters of the 16th and 17th centuries. Artists learn techniques similar to those used by Rembrandt, Raphael, Rubens, and other master painters of the past, including using glazing with colors over a subtle underpainting of tones to achieve the effect of sunlight passing through stained glass. Through the advent of fast drying mediums artists learn that they will be able to achieve the same richness and luminosity found in the works of the old masters.

Customer Reviews:

classic still life painting: A Contepoary Master shows hown to Achieve old master effects using today's art materials.......2007-09-21

This book is for anyone wanting to learn step by step how to paint with oils. Written with the beginner in mind, there is still plenty of information for the more experienced painter. Must have for any painting library.

Book Description

• All the tools a photographer needs to craft licensing agreements, price licenses, and negotiate fees

• Real-life examples, sample agreements, Q&A section, plus legal advice in layman's terms

Today, photographers can make every image pay and pay again by controlling and pricing the rights to their work. In Licensing Photography, a veteran photographer and a respected attorney team up to present the complex subject of licensing in clear, understandable terms. With this step-by-step guide, readers will be able to forge successful. Legally sound, and profitable agreements. Digital image and internet technology mean the market for licensing is bigger than ever—and Licensing Photography helps every photographer get a piece of the pie.

Customer Reviews:

Like Having A Lawyer In Your Pocket.......2006-12-20

While there is absolutely NO substitute for a good lawyer, this book offers sound legal advice, detailed sample contracts, and so much more. I am so glad I purchased this book!

A resource that helps photographers price and control their work.......2006-07-09

Photography pursuits blend well with business in Licensing Photography, a resource that helps photographers price and control their work. With all the photography books on the market, surprisingly few address the issues of licensing as a way of making or managing works. Here a veteran photographer and an intellectual property attorney team up to examine the issues, explain how licensing photography works, and survey related issues from copyright protection and identifying infringements to release forms, agreements and negotiating tactics for both print and online media.

Bunnies in turmoil: Photographing customers with animals may require licensing.(Business & Marketing): An article from: Photo Marketing

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Bunnies in turmoil: Photographing customers with animals may require licensing.(Business & Marketing): An article from: Photo Marketing
Steve Noble
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Photo Marketing, published by Thomson Gale on September 1, 2006. The length of the article is 860 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Bunnies in turmoil: Photographing customers with animals may require licensing.(Business & Marketing)
Author: Steve Noble
Publication: Photo Marketing (Magazine/Journal)
Date: September 1, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 81 Issue: 8 Page: 27(1)

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Images, images everywhere: the rise of stock photography, convergence, and the ensuing challenges. (Viewpoint).: An article from: Photo Marketing

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Images, images everywhere: the rise of stock photography, convergence, and the ensuing challenges. (Viewpoint).: An article from: Photo Marketing
James West
Manufacturer: Photo Marketing Association International
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Photo Marketing, published by Photo Marketing Association International on November 1, 2002. The length of the article is 1363 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Images, images everywhere: the rise of stock photography, convergence, and the ensuing challenges. (Viewpoint).
Author: James West
Publication: Photo Marketing (Magazine/Journal)
Date: November 1, 2002
Publisher: Photo Marketing Association International
Volume: 77 Issue: 11 Page: 40(2)

Distributed by Thomson Gale

LIGHT-EMITTING DISPLAYS Kodak Licenses Opto Tech.: An article from: Display Development News

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LIGHT-EMITTING DISPLAYS Kodak Licenses Opto Tech.: An article from: Display Development News

Manufacturer: Business Communications Company, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B0008FO1SO
Release Date: 2005-06-01

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Display Development News, published by Business Communications Company, Inc. on October 1, 2002. The length of the article is 365 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: LIGHT-EMITTING DISPLAYS Kodak Licenses Opto Tech.
Publication: Display Development News (Newsletter)
Date: October 1, 2002
Publisher: Business Communications Company, Inc.
Volume: 7 Issue: 8

Distributed by Thomson Gale

National Park Service: Revenues Could Increase by Charging Allowed Fees for Some Special Uses Permits.: An article from: General Accounting Office Reports & Testimony

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National Park Service: Revenues Could Increase by Charging Allowed Fees for Some Special Uses Permits.: An article from: General Accounting Office Reports & Testimony

Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Conservation | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from General Accounting Office Reports & Testimony, published by Thomson Gale on August 1, 2005. The length of the article is 494 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: National Park Service: Revenues Could Increase by Charging Allowed Fees for Some Special Uses Permits.
Publication: General Accounting Office Reports & Testimony (Newsletter)
Date: August 1, 2005
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 2005 Issue: 8 Page: NA

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

The Armored Avenger blasts through the second arc of his solo title in the critically-acclaimed, best-selling Marvel Adventures line! Tony Stark shows off some of the various incarnations of his armor, including the Deep-Sea Armor and Space Armor as he fights the Techno-pirates, the Living Laser, and more! Collects Marvel Adventures Iron Man #5-8.

Book Description

A history of the mindbending sixties from a social historian who lived through it. While chronicling the exhilaration, hope and enthusiasm of the decade, Sheila Rowbotham reflects her younger self's dithering between principle and vanity.

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Do not read this if you are a Serb......

Revision Of Second Hand History Writing

Objectivity? or the Truth!

Coming from an "objective" military historian

Wanting to become a Croat!

The Muslim-Croat Civil War in Central Bosnia: A Military History, 1992-1994 (Eastern European Studies (College Station, Tex.), No. 23)
Charles R. Shrader
Manufacturer: Texas A&M University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Bosnia and Herzegovina | Europe | History | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1585442615

Customer Reviews:

Do not read this if you are a Serb.............2005-09-24

Obviously the truth would hurt.
About time some light was shed on what actually happened, and the process that Croatia played in actually saving Bosnia, though to their dismay, getting back stabbed for their hard work.
The Muslims should be greatful.
Interesting read, from an Ex-Crni Gorac, and here's to our Independance.

Revision Of Second Hand History Writing.......2004-11-12

Denying that there took place a military offencive cooperation between Bosnian Muslims and mujahedin troops in Central Bosnia (from 1992 onwards) is not a clever way of argumenting the facts built up steadily in this work of recent military history. That fact is too well documented to be questioned. Besides, this book is about the warfare in Bosnia from 1992, not about the Ustashe killing some Serbs during WWII. But of course, some people wouldn't want to see this book written. Rather another propagandic book about the niceness of all Serb actions (or Bosniak for that matter). Slowly, very slowly, well documented books about the war in Bosnia are starting to be published, written by historians rather than journalists with second hand oral information at disposal.

When the Serbs attacked Bosnia the first people to resist were the Croats through the Croatian Defence Council (HVO). Had it not been for the HVO, Bosnia would have been overwhelmed almost immediately. Charles Shrader's superlative new history establishes that it was the Bosniak side that started the war in order to cleanse Central Bosnia of its Croats. Shrader also points out the transit of arms via Croatia to Bosnia and the continued co-operation of HVO and Bosnian forces throughout the Muslim-Croat conflict.

Shrader is a respected American military historian. Further, his book is published by American Texas A&M University press's Eastern European Studies. These studies have an editorial board which contains people sympathetic to the Bosnian state, and who were critical of Tudjman. In other words, this is a book that is credible and cannot be dismissed as Croat propaganda.

Thousands of Bosniaks were accepted as refugees in Croatia. If Croatia were an aggressor on the level of Serbia why would Bosniaks seek refuge there? And why would Croatia accept them - especially when it had its own refugees to contend with - if the intent of the Croats was to establish a Croat state on Bosnian soil?

The Muslim-Croat war was over in 1994 - with many Croats ethnically cleansed from Central Bosnia. Croat and Bosnian forces then devoted all efforts against the Serbs. In 1995, Croatia launched Operation Storm. Croat forces recaptured last swathes of its territory. In the process, the beleaguered Bihac pocket in Northwestern Bosnia was saved from a Srebrenica style fate. Serb forces were rolled back and peace in Bosnia was achieved. And then 49% of BiH was given to the Serbs by the international community!! Incredible.

If you compare the population consensus of 1991 to the post-war 1999, you will quickly see that the proportionate number of Croats in Central Bosnia is dramatically lower. And that the number of Bosniaks living in Western Hercegovina is almost the same as the pre-war level. The number of Bosniaks living in Western Hercegovina was never great. Someone well versed in the history of Bosnia should know that very well. Why don't you mention anything about the large number of ethnically cleansed Bosniaks (and Croats) from Serb-held territory? Makes me wonder...

Objectivity? or the Truth!.......2004-05-06

It continually amazes me when people criticize Croats in Bosnia Herzegovina for protecting there interests. Prior to reading this book, it was obvious to me that the Bosnian Muslims never wanted want an ally in Croatia and the Bosnian Croats, which supplied them with arms, food, and took in refuges before they turned on them. Strategic error on there part that they will never overcome. This is from someone who defended there actions for a long time, but no more.

It always seems that the Yugoslav propaganda about Ustase killing hundreds of thousands of Serbs comes out. But the Fact remains, Hitler formed 2 divisions of SS from Bosnian Muslims who also were in Ustase (Pavelic's Vice President was a Croat-Muslim from Herzegovina), Serb Cetniks were allied with the Nazi's as well, and the Partisans (Tito) were butchers just as Hitler and Stalin were. Killing hundreds of thousands of Croats and Serbs after the war.

From the beginning of the war when Alija Izedbegovic always thought the Serb dominated Yugoslav army would defend him, a big mistake which he and the people of Bosnia paid for brutally. From a strategic stance this book makes the most sense that i have read to date. No one else has gone as deep to figure out what actually was happening on the ground. I wonder why?

People continually forget that reporters are not Military experts, nor do they have the expertise to assess a situation. This books view of a military point of view is key and understanding what the Bosnian Muslims were doing prior to break out of war between the two sides. This book just makes sense.

You have to also figure, why Dario Kordic received a 25 year sentence for not killing anyone or ordering an attack on anyone. You also have to wonder why The Hague convicts people of genocide for only 25 years. I wonder why Sefer Halilovic has not gone to The Hague for his atrocities when he commanded Yugoslav forces and the Bosnian Army. Doesn't make sense, does it?

I had a chance to attend a lecture given by Mr. Shrader when he was in Chicago, he said that no Bosnian Muslim would ever meet with him nor would the Bosnian government give him assistance in speaking with troops or opening up there archives to see what there actual plans were. Speaking to him shed more light on who was more open to documentation and who wasn't (Bosniaks).

Coming from an "objective" military historian.......2004-04-15

Well, forget about objectivity in this book. All of Shrader's acknowledgements are to Americans and Croats at the beginning of the book. Not a single Bosniac or Serb is acknowledged in helping him write his book (not surprised).

His brief history of the former Yugoslavia at the beginning of the book is quite one-sided and the Ustashe genpcide in the Independent State of Croatia is minimised. He describes the genocide of Serbs from 1941-1945 as Ante Pavelic fighting his "Serbian enemies". When describing the recent Croat war crimes of Bosnia and Herzegovina (1992-1995) there is one instance when he refers to HOS (Croatian Defense Forces), a neo-Nazi paramilitary formation, war crimes against Serbs in the Herzegovinian town of Capljina. He refers to them as "excesses".

How shallow and immoral can you go!? Now, getting back to the conflict in central Bosnia. According to Shrader, the Bosnian Muslims started the aggression against the poor Croats in January 1993, supported by foreign mujahideen. So, he believes that it was the Bosniacs who "stabbed the Croats in the back". Yet, the take over by Croatian nationalists of the town of Novi Travnik in October 1992, and the ethnic cleansing of the town of Prozor of its Bosniac inhabitants in the same month is strangely omitted.

Anti-Bosniac and militant Catholic hard-liners like president of the self-proclaimed "Herceg-Bosna" statelet, Mate Boban, former mayor of Busovaca, Dario Kordic (who was sentenced to 25 years in the Hague, by the way) and others are not criticised one bit. In fact, Mate Boban is presented in a positive light! He only strongly criticises the HVO in the barbaric attack on the Muslim village of Ahmici. He believes that was the only time when the Croats used "disproportionate" force to achieve their military objectives. There was also a group in the Zenica area called the "Jure Francetic Brigade" led by Zivko Totic. For those who are unaware of who Francetic was, he was a fascist butcher during WW2, responsible for the slaughter of numerous Serb civilians. He was kidnapped and his 4 bodyguards were killed. I say: good job! I certainly won't shed any tears over someone who's idol was the cut-throat butcher Jure Francetic.

Also according to Shrader, Croats were completely cleansed from the region of Travnik, Novi Travnik, Vitez and Zenica and attacked in Busovaca, Kiseljak and Zepce. Funny how according to the Repatriation Information Centre consensus of 1999 concerning the Croat population of these areas, proportionately there are alot more Croats living in these municipalities, compared to their Bosniac counterparts in Herzegovina, completely cleansed of its Bosniac population during the war.

(...)Also, unlike mosques in Herzegovina which were all dynamited or burned down by Croat extreme nationalists, the vast majority of Catholic churches were left alone in central Bosnia.

So, there you have it. Shrader's book may well fool those who are not well versed in the history of Bosnia but for those like me who are, this book is nothing more than a lame attempt to prove that the Croats were only defending themselves from Bosniac aggression. How is it that only Mr. Shrader knows the "truth" about the Muslim-Croat war, and all other historians and journalists have managed to get it wrong??? Puh-leeze!

Wanting to become a Croat!.......2004-04-13

What a biased book. I don't know what's agenda behind his writings, but this is of no historical of educational value to anyone. Boy, did we have more than our share of "knowledgeable" people like him. Without his book I would never have known what happened in Bosnia (lol). Please, give this man a candle, don't leave him in total darkness. Maybe a pair of glasses. Just today (04/12/2004), I was reading his interview to a leading Croatian newspaper and was shocked. Biased, anti-islamic, anti-serb, but pro-croatian to the last drop of his blood. I hope they give him the citizenship for this bunch of lies. He'd just like to be a Croat, but he can't.

Book Description

For a long time the Picts were known almost entirely from their mysterious symbol stones, which scholars have tried to interpret and date. Many problems remain unsolved concerning their links with the Scots. This account presents the latest archaeological discoveries and discusses the relationship between these two peoples, tracing their development from raids on Roman Britain to the formation of rival Dark Age kingdoms that produced a unique artistic inheritance.

Customer Reviews:

Outdated.......2006-01-18

In recent years there has been a great deal of work done on the Picts and the Scots, but you won't learn anything about that work here. There's nothing much wrong with the book, it is short and readable, but it is seriously outdated. The consensus of opinion on many questions has changed a great deal since the early 1990s, and much that was taken for granted is now rejected or questioned.

For a more up-to-date picture, the 2004 edition of Sally Foster's Picts, Gaels and Scots is worth considering.

excellent work on the Picts and Scots.......2002-11-07

excellent up-to-date work on the Picts and the Scots of ancient Scotland. For many centuries the Picts have remained shrouded in myth and legend for the only written records - their Pictish stones - have been undecipherable. In 1958 with the discovering of the St. Ninan's Isle Treasure, a new focus has been applied to interpreting what we know. Written record mostly comes from people viewing the Pictish Nation from the outside, which often leads to misunderstanding, if not exaggeration...possibly slander.
In this highly readable account, they present the latest archaeological discovers, and discusses how these two difference races co-existed and ultimately merged of a nation of one through the slaughter of the Pict royal houses. Again, that is the only slight aggravation (as with nearly all books on this Picts) is the ignoring the importance of this and how it was the foundation of the Scottish Highlands.

Otherwise, an excellent work full of photographs, with recommended reading, and is a must for anyone wanting to more about the two races that formed the spine of Scotland.

Average customer rating:
Celts, Picts, and Scots
Charles S Bryan
Manufacturer: Published for the St. Andrew's Society of the City of Columbia by the R.L. Bryan Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0006S2BOY

Average customer rating:
Annals Of The Caledonians, Picts And Scots V2: And Of Strathclyde, Cumberland, Galloway And Murray
Joseph Ritson
Manufacturer: Kessinger Publishing, LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0548327556

Book Description

This scarce antiquarian book is included in our special Legacy Reprint Series. In the interest of creating a more extensive selection of rare historical book reprints, we have chosen to reproduce this title even though it may possibly have occasional imperfections such as missing and blurred pages, missing text, poor pictures, markings, dark backgrounds and other reproduction issues beyond our control. Because this work is culturally important, we have made it available as a part of our commitment to protecting, preserving and promoting the world's literature.

Chronicles Of The Picts, Chronicles Of The Scots, And Other Early Memorials Of Scottish History

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SOURCE DOCUMENTATION IN LATIN OR GAELIC AND MOST NOT TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH.

Chronicles Of The Picts, Chronicles Of The Scots, And Other Early Memorials Of Scottish History

Manufacturer: Kessinger Publishing, LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1432551051

Book Description

Customer Reviews:

SOURCE DOCUMENTATION IN LATIN OR GAELIC AND MOST NOT TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH........2007-09-01

IT HAS 195 PAGES OF PREFACE IN ENGLISH EXPLAINING THE HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE AND EDITORIAL CHANGES FOR ACCURACY AND DATING OF THE COMPILATION OF ANCIENT DOCUMENTS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THE BOOK.

MOST OF THE HISTORICAL DOCUMENTATION IS IN LATIN OR GAELIC AND ONLY SMALL PORTIONS ARE TRANSLATED.

IT APPEARS TO CONTAIN A LOT OF HISTORICAL INFORMATION THAT COULD BE MORE USEFUL IF I UNDERSTOOD THE LANGUAGE.

Early Scotland: The Picts, the Scots and the Welsh of Southern Scotland

Average customer rating:

Excellent view of pre-Medieval Scotland.

Early Scotland: The Picts, the Scots and the Welsh of Southern Scotland
H. Munro Chadwick
Manufacturer: Octagon Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Customer Reviews:

Excellent view of pre-Medieval Scotland........2000-08-30

This history of Scotland was actually finished after the author's death by his widow. The book primarily is about the Picts, giving a great deal of information on them, including an in-depth analysis of the king-lists. Also included are notes on the Irish traditions of Picts living in Ireland(!), the kingdom of Dalraida, and the British kingdoms of southern Scotland.

The first chapters of this book are rather dry, and written in a very academic manner. However, as the book goes on, the author does succeed in grabbing the reader's interest. Some of the details given in this book are out of date, as it was published in 1974, but the depth of information makes this book well worth reading.

As an added bonus, this book contains a large, fold-out map of Scotland, so that you can link up references to places with their actual location.

Customer Reviews:

A good story deserves better writing........2007-05-11

"Mons Graupius", by Robert Clifton-Wallace, seemed, through the first few chapters, to have many of the ingredients of a good tale. I'll never know if it is one, because I got to the sentence "Ullas thought of Urbicus, and no doubt that enraged tribune bewailing archers with the flat of his sword, else they might injure his precious animal, equal to 100 slaves." and could read no further. Mind you, I had already endured the likes of the following:

"Marcellus, unable to move, had bolted upright from his fitful sleep in a heavy sweat."

"Under Cerialus, a new policy erupted."

"But, for those few days, there was an unusual cheerfulness in the air, born on the wings of another, only to be shattered at the winter quarters of Red House."

"Just one quick slit and the pronounced juggler vein that feeds the brain would spout blood like a ruptured fountain."

"...these are but another notch on the road to ultimate goal for Rome."

"With a massive effort, he gathered 2000 calvary and forced-marched to aid the besieged Ninth legion."

"After a long campaigning season, he looked forward to a somewhat leisure ride across the narrow waste of Britain in order to gleam some insight for his next conquest."

Sorry if that was painful for you. If it wasn't, pay me no mind and base your decision about buying this book on the other reviews.

Informative and Generally Engrossing.......2002-06-19

This historical novel tells the story of the Roman incursion into Scotland (before it was "Scotland"), peopled by Celtic tribes known as the Cruithne (or the Picts, as the Romans called them).

The book begins with the battle of Mons Graupius (83 or 84 A.D.), where the Roman general Gnaeus Agricola defeats a numerically superior Cruithne force, led by Calgacus. The Romans view the Highland natives as backward, unwashed, illiterate "barbarians," and they are bent on subjugating and enslaving them. One of the slaves, the beautiful Alecia, is the key figure in the book. Captured after the battle, she gives birth to four children by three different men, all important characters in the book. In turn, one of her sons becomes a key figure (fictitious though he may be) in his own right.

Alecia is brought to Rome by General Agricola and meets many important people, including the murderous, paranoid emperor Domitian, as well as Epictetus, Pliny the Younger, and Tacitus. Alecia (and we) learn about some of the good aspects of the Romans' "advanced" civilization (mainly books, bathing, and fine clothing), but also the bad (slavery, military conquest, and political assassination).

Alecia gets back to her homeland, and an even more aggressive military leader than Agricola conducts a genocidal campaign against the Cruithne, who are now led by a young military genius. By now, we also have discovered that the Highland civilization is to be admired in many respects, in terms of farming, architecture, and even its dying of fabrics. The book culminates in the battle
between the Ninth Legion of the Roman Empire and the Cruithne tribal forces in 117 A.D. in a well described and exciting account by the author.

The novel seems to be fairly accurate and is based largely on the writings of Tacitus. There are a few dull spots, but it kept my interest very well, particularly for the last half of the book (which I read in a day). The characters are developed well, with the Cruithne almost always good, but all the Romans are not evil (there are plenty of decent chaps, with some peacemakers thrown in). The issue of the Cruithne sacrificing humans for religious reasons is not really addressed. In addition, I thought it was a little far-fetched that two characters (one an animal!) died of broken hearts.

All in all, most of this novel was engrossing, informative, and seemed accurate. I recommend it to all readers who are interested in Scottish and Roman history, and in military campaigns. There is also plenty of romance.

Highly readable in the tradition of Talbot Mundy and Howard!.......1998-01-06

This fictional book is set in the historical context of the pre-Scottish people of Scotland known as the Picts, and it is highly readable if somewhat limited in appeal to those readers who may be interested in ancient history, the Romans, Scotland, Britain and the Celts.

The story begins with the famous battle of Mons Grampius, where Roman soldiers, under the direction of Agricola, demolished a hugely superior Pictish horde during the early days of Roman exploration into Caledonia.

Agricola, who is one of the main characters of the book captures a Celtic girl, who happens to be the Queen of the leader of the locals. She is pregnant, gives birth to a son, gets pregnant by the General, goes to Rome, leaves her Celtic heir behind, returns to Britain with her half-Latin son.... well - I better not give it all away.

It is written in the grand manner of Talbot Mundy and Robert E. Howard, who both wrote about the Romans, Picts and Celts, and just like those granmasters of the genre, it is highly readable and entertaining (although my own personal pet peeve is the assumption by the author that the Picts were Celts themselves, a fact which is still hotly debated).

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Our Ancestors: Scots, Picts and Cymry and What Their Traditions Tell Us
Robert Craig Maclagan
Manufacturer: Kessinger Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Genealogy | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0766153681

Book Description

1913. According to their earliest records, the Picts of the British Isles claim a Thracian origin. Herodotus tells that the nobles of the Agathyrsi tattooed themselves, and the claim of the Picts to be Agathyrsi is on record, and shows their acquaintance with Thracian tradition. Orpheus, the bard who made trees dance to his music, was a Thracian, and early Irish story says that the children of Nemed were almost the earliest invaders of Ireland. A dancing grove can only apply to those worshippers who frequented such localities. These topics and many, many more can be found in this work on the traditions of the Scots, Picts and Cymry.

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The Peoples of Scotland

Manufacturer: Canongate Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0862419883

Product Description

An attractive History of the peoples of Scotland; Picts, Vikings, Angles, Scots, published in 1999 and edited by Gordon Barclay.

Book Description

Skeletal Muscle Mechanics: From Mechanisms to Function summarises the variety of approaches used by today's scientist to understand muscle function and the mechanisms of contraction. This book contains research by leading scientists from numerous fields using many different scientific techniques. Topics covered include:
* Cellular and molecular mechanisms of skeletal muscle contraction
* Historical perspective of muscle research
* The newest developments in techniques for the determination of the mechanical properties of single cross-bridges
* Theoretical modelling of muscle contraction and force production
* Multifaceted approaches to determine the in vivo function of skeletal muscle
This state-of-the-art account is written by internationally recognised authors and will be a valuable resource to researchers of biomechanics in sports science and exercise physiology.

"I expect this book to be excellent and timely." Professor R. McNeill Alexander FRS, School of Biology, University of Leeds, UK

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its good.......2003-11-22

it good,its excellent book,i can use it for my assignment

Skeletal Muscle Mechanics - From Mechanisms to Function

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Skeletal Muscle Mechanics - From Mechanisms to Function
W. HERZOG
Manufacturer: JOHN WILEY AND SONS LTD
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000N57F78

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Skeletal Muscle Mechanics: From Mechanisms To Function
Walter Herzog
Manufacturer: John Wiley & Sons
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000N63XLE

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