A first class study of the background to the Case Study Houses project created by the southern Californian Arts & Architecture magazine. This book was originally published in conjunction with an exhibition of the program at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles in 1989-1990. It has plenty of photos and plans (though some the photos are just a little too dark) to illustrate the eight main essays. Editor Elizabeth Smith and Amelia Jones devote forty-two pages to the actual houses with succinct descriptions, plans and photos. The rest of this marvellous book has a huge amount of information relating to housing and the post-war environment and how the thirty-six prototype houses had a wide influence on the domestic architecture that followed.

I particularly enjoyed the two essays by Thomas Hines and also Dolores Hayden's essay 'Model Houses for the Millions: architects' dreams, builders' boasts, residents' dilemmas'. The back of the book has six contemporary architects ideas and plans for housing in 'Extending the Case Study Concept', followed by biographies, chronology, bibliography and index.

Was the project worth it? Architectural writer Esther McCoy summed it up as... 'Perceived as a prototype that was to be enacted on a mass scale, the Case Study House program was a failure. Perceived as a prophetic statement, however, as a demonstration of trends and influences that would in one way or another achieve realization, the program must be judged a success. Perceived as art, finally, an approach suggested by their presence in The Museum of Contemporary Art, the Case Study Houses have won the right to be recognized and respected in the history of American design'.

You might think that everything about the CSH was included in this book but Elizabeth Smith has just edited another one called (you guessed it) 'Case Study Houses', a beautiful, very expensive ... very heavy (twelve pounds) very big (opens up to over thirty-two inches wide) 440 page visual history with hundreds of photos (especially from Julius Shulman) plans and drawings. What was missing from this sumptuous volume was all the information in 'Blueprints for Modern Living' so if you go for both books you really will have the COMPLETE CSH experience.

Nuetra, Soriano, Ellwood, Koenig - Blueprints for moder living is the catalogue for a major exhibit at the LA MoCA in the late 80's. It is an excellent sourcebook for those intersted in post war residential architecture. Modern Architecture (with a capital A) was going to change the world, as these bold case-study house designs show. This book contains a great deal more than just documenting the Case Study Building Program of the 50's. There are essays by noted historians Esther McCoy, Thomas Hines and Reyner Banham and others as well. These essays provide the background for the case study program and the mood of the public (especially in Califonia) after WW2. There is also an essay on publisher Joh Estnza and the Arts and Architecture Magazine that sponsored the program. The last chapter "Extending the Case Study Concept" documents the exhibit of six new designs (1987) commisioned by the Museum for a multi family housing project. Architects include: Eric Owen Moss, Toyo Ito and Hogetts & Fung. Lastly there are bio's on the architects, a timeline of events for the program and resourcefull bibliography. As always, the Julious Shulman photographs are stunning. This is a must have for the student of Modernism.

I use recipes from this book over and over again. This ranks right up there with "The Joy of Cooking" in terms of practicality and ease and taste. I've never had one recipe fail, they are all delicious and easy to make. If I go on an out of town trip, I make something from this book to take along for breakfast, for example the oatmeal raisin scones are delicious and easy to take along in a tupperware container tucked in a suitcase. Or if I go camping with friends I'll make some muffins. One time when some friends had a moving party and we met early in the morning, I made "Eggs for a Crowd" and it was a big hit! Great idea for a cookbook, as who knows more about breakfast foods than B&B's?! Plus, they need to have recipes that are original yet easy to make. I highly recommend this book!

I love this book! Not only is it full of some wonderful breakfast ideas, but the book is lovely to look at as well. The next best thing to staying at a B&B is having a meal prepared for you from this cookbook.

If you have looked for great muffin, coffee cake, cobbler recipes, this book has them. I'm pretty picky about recipes but I have found some great ones in here. I made the blueberry coffee cake and it was so easy and delicious. The banana bread was great and I can't wait to try others. I'm going to check out her other one!

Carol Frieberg continues to find the most delicious, and easy to prepare, breakfasts in town. There are so many good recipes, this book makes it easy to celebrate the morning! I cannot wait until Carol's next B&B adventure.

I think Escape From Alcatraz Island was a great book because it had alot of adventure,and I could picture in mind what was going on.also I think it must have been really hard getting chased by a gang through san fransisco near the dwarfs pier,I could probably imagine what it was like locked up in a cell at night in Alcatraz, having to find away to get back home during the morning.

This book is a great read for people of all ages. Whether your interested in learning more about "The Rock" or need some background information on it, this is the one book for you.

From the colorful pictures scattered throughout the pages to the easy to read layout, you will find yourself immersed in the horrific atmosphere that is Alacatraz.

Few books manage to capture so many elements that make a book sucessful like Breakout! Escape From Alcatraz does. I guarantee you will feel as if you've actually walked through Alacatraz and know exactly why they call it, "The Rock".

I was scared and upset when I finally realized what the title of the book meant. I am a mexican-american, born on the U.S. side of the border. This book reminded me just how far away America is from Mexico, even though we are neigbors, we are worlds away. This book is blunt. Although it was a harsh reality check for me, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.

We, as United States citizens take for granted all that we have and this book is a solemn reminder of all that we do have to be thankful for. Urrea gives character sketches of sorts on the impoverished families and orphaned children that live unseen by the world in their own world of the Mexican garbage dumps. A very sad tale about the suffering in Mexico that goes unnoticed. Thank you Urrea for opening my eyes and my heart to these children.

This book is a seminal piece of work documenting the California Abalone Industry. This is a must- read for marine enthusiasts and divers alike. The author obviously put considerable effort in collecting factual historical data, events and photographs to produce this one-of-a-kind book.

With the declining population of Abalone in California, the book captures the many personalities of the diving and abalone industries and clearly explains the equipment and techniques used from early days to modern times.

A great addition to any diving or maritime library, we continue to use the text as a reference in our teaching and training of Marine Diving Technology at Santa Barbara City College.

-Don Barthelmess

Director, Marine Diving Technology Department Santa Barbara City College

This book is very special because the author has recorded the firsthand stories of many of the key people that played a roll in this fascinating industry. Hundreds of photos, some dating back to the nineteenth century, compliment the text.