Book Description
In the tradition of Addison Mizner, Maurice Fatio, John Volk, and Howard Major–the early architects of Palm Beach’s great estates and public buildings of the Gilded Age–the architecture of Jeffery W. Smith stands resplendent as a testament to the refined elegance of another time, and is as well a promise of the grandeur that the future holds. Hailed by Town & Country as “the most adept young historicist working in Palm Beach today,” preeminent Palm Beach architect Jeffery Smith is a paragon of exquisite design sense, as is clearly evident in the houses featured here. Smith’s work–a continuation of the classical Mediterranean style characteristic of the town that has come to be known as the “American Riviera”–is showcased in Palm Beach Splendor in seventeen of his most recent projects, in magnificent full-color photographs featuring interiors by such well-known designers as Peter Marino and David Easton.
Customer Reviews:
Pure Glamour.......2007-04-17
This is one of the few books that could be judge by its cover and title. The pictures are excellent and the properties selected are some of the best mansions in FL. I enjoy the many details that are exposed with blueprints and sketches next to their actual pictures. The books include seven of my favorite's houses in FL, an apartment in NYC and other selected properties. If you are looking for a book full of splendor this is the one.
Splendor Indeed.......2006-01-17
Wow, what a book! These estates are just incredible, the images are vivid and first rate and the text is very interesting and easy to navigate. Jeffrey Smith really knows how to design grand homes, his houses though mammoth, really fit Palm Beach, I mean one expects grand mansions in this Vallhalla of the truly rich, but Jeffrey Smith's homes are tastful, they are huge, but they fit their environment and are respectful to the neighborhoods in which they reside. Very nice book on a most deserving subject.
Average customer rating:
- Calculations are only as good as your numbers
- Pants on fire?
- Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
- Very Interesting
- History as Science Fiction
|
History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 2913621058 |
Book Description
Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.
Customer Reviews:
Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03
Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.
Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19
Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09
There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.
For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.
Very Interesting.......2007-03-07
It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.
History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10
Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.
I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.
Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.
Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.
I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.
This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.
Book Description
This magnificent book is the key to understanding one of the world's most important architectural traditions, one that spawned major masterpieces throughout the near east, and particularly in Persia, India, Turkey, North Africa, Southern Russia, and Spain. As human representation is forbidden in Islamic religious monuments, design and ornamentation reach unparalleled heights of expression through mosaics, stucco, brickwood, and ceramic. Brilliant colors are used everywhere to enhance design.
This monumental study is a close collaboration between Dominique Clevenot, a distinguished scholar of art, and Gerald de George, a renowned photographer. Together, they visited and photographed hundreds of monuments, selecting their most noteworthy features. Unlike other books, which divide the subject geographically or chronically, the authors have approached this complicated topic from four different and interconnected angles: the history of Islamic architecture, materials and techniques, ornamental design, and the aesthetics of ornamentation.
Each of these topics is presented through a number of outstanding examples and comparable monuments from all over the Islamic world. Travelers overwhelmed by the Taj Mahal or the Alhambra will gain greater understanding. Architects and designers will find endless inspiration and ideas. Historians will be illuminated. Anyone interested in the vast world of Islam will find new knowledge in this magnificent full-color publication.
Customer Reviews:
Discovery.......2007-09-28
This is a thorough and scholarly exploration of a fascinating subject - the world of Islamic Design. The work covers all the main areas of the field, from al Andalus to India. The text is clearly written, yet scholarly in its approach, while still being accessible to the amateur. The excellent photographs serve to illustrate this magnificint work well.
Terrific Photography; Turgid Prose.......2007-03-28
The 325 photographs in this book--all in color--merit every superlative reviewers have given them. And the subject is indeed presented in a unique way. However, the text is so grandiloquent that I, a seasoned English teacher who is also well read in the field of Islamic architecture, had to spend far too much time trying to decipher it. So why did I pay $40 for a used copy of this book? Quite simply because none of the many other books I examined taught me nearly as much about the decoration and design of Islamic architecture. So illuminating are the photographs, in fact, that one can learn much even without plodding through the prose.
For those unable to find a copy to preview, what follows is a more specific summary of its contents.
SECTION 1--which focuses on the variations in Islamic architecture in one part of the world--devotes 8 to 10 pages of text and photographs to each of the following: the Dome of the Rock, the Alhambra, the Taj Mahal and Persia's Shah Mosque. Eight pages of smaller photographs of other significant monuments from the Arab lands, Turkey, India, Iran and Central Asia follow.
SECTION 2 focuses on the use of brick, stucco, mosaics and ceramics in design. Additional photographs illustrate the use of bronze, wood and painted wood.
SECTION 3 focuses on the decorative use of mathematically defined forms (e.g. stars/hexagons), vegetation, calligraphy and even occasionally the human figure.
SECTION 4 focuses on how the elements in Sections 2 and 3 combine to create surfaces that resemble textiles. Specifically discussed are a) the division of flat surfaces into panels and bands, b) the multi-layering of textures and c) the use of repetition to create geometric designs. The use of ornamentation to disguise supporting forms and embellish supported ones is also well covered.
The APPENDIX has been detailed in Library Journal's review.
A must companion.......2001-02-16
If you are someone who is involved in arhitect or interior decoration, this book is a must to guide you in creating something splendor from the Islamic culture, and it's a good refrence on a cofee table top.
Four different approaches to Islam architecture.......2001-02-15
Islam expanded quickly within a few centuries, embracing a wide area and altering the political and cultural heritage of the entire region. Splendors of Islam examines the visual effects of Islam, considering the structures in contrast with other architectural traditions and examining the role given to various decorative choices and styles. Four different approaches to Islam architecture provide an exceptionally well-rounded view, with color photo examples packing an oversized coverage.
Book Description
The elegant châteaux, luxurious estates, and grand private residences built in France over the past centuries are spectacularly presented in this lavish volume. Covering more than forty properties scattered throughout France, from Brittany and Normandy to Aquitaine and Provence, this volume captures their diverse architecture, rich interiors, priceless furniture, painting, and sculpture collections, and fabulous gardens in all their glory.
These historic residences, often built over long periods of time, have been expanded and redecorated according to the whims of the day, scarred by revolution and war, and restored by the best-known architects and artists of their epochs. Together they represent a tangible record of the French lifestyle of the past and the present, as many of these houses are still in private hands. Some of the most famous and beloved houses of the French nation, as well as some that are impossible to visit, are included-Château-Lafite, Vaux-le-Vicomte, Hôtel Lambert, Château d'Or, and Le Marais. The Splendor of France provides an important record of the grandeur of the French style and its contributions to the history of architecture and design through the centuries.
Customer Reviews:
The Best of Chateaux Books.......2007-03-28
A great and large collection of huge impressive photos for any Francophile that loves the French countryside and it's haute-couture architecture. A super reference for artists and travelers.
Splendor Indeed.......2005-05-13
This is a nice book on an amazing subject. Maybe I expected too much from this book, I don't know, but though I liked it very much indeed, it did not blow me away. Something was missing, I think it was Versailles and Fountainbleau and maybe Sceaux. I just thought most of the greatest chateaux where absent, although I loved the section on Vaux le Vicomte, now that is a spectacular chateaux by anyones definition; maybe the most beautiful in France...Louis XIV thought so. The photographs where first rate and I did enjoy the book, I just wanted more. Having said that I do recommend it to anyone who in interested in this subject; for those it really is a book worth owning.
A nice picture book on France's Chateaux.......2003-12-01
I got this because I really missed France after studying architecture there for a semester. This book really captured the same feeling of many of the historical sites I visited. My favorites are Chenonceau and Vaux-le-Vicomte, the French chateaux with formal garden.
This paper back version is only 287 pages much shorter then the first hardcover that was about 400-500 pages. I don't quite remembered, but I think there were some lesser chateaux taken out. I found the hardcover for $130 at a local architectural bookstore. So, this definitely a steal at Amazon price of $28.
The pictures are very big; every other page is a full page photograph. Some pages have a smaller picture and a written summary. This is more of a picture book with very little written texts, so you can't really use it for writing a resource paper. The picture of the building or site is very clean, since most of these places are full of tourist and it is funny seeing it empty. There are photographs of Chateaux, garden, interior design with furniture, and sculpture.
If you like France and garden after the Baroque period, this is a nice book. It would be a five star if they didn't condense the book from the in-depth first edition.
The Splendor of France.......2000-02-16
This book is an absolute treasure to anyone who loves French architecture and decoration. It contains spledid photographs of French Chateaux inside and out. While expensive it is worth every cent and then some. A Must!
Book Description
This is a lavishly illustrated tour through fifty magnificent villas and palaces built by the Italian aristocracy. From peaceful country retreats in Tuscany and the Veneto and impressive urban residences in Rome and Siena to fortresslike castles and grand villas in Trieste and Sicily, this book showcases the works of some of the most famous artists and architects of all time. Palladio, Raphael, and Veronese, among others, each contributed to create the most divine and otherworldly atmospheres ever to grace Italian art and architecture. In these pages, one is permitted behind the often imposing gates and facades to get a glimpse of a lifestyle that seems almost unimaginable in the twenty-first century.
Customer Reviews:
A beautiful book to enhance any library!.......1998-05-17
Italian Splendor is simply splendid, and much more than just a coffee table show-off. It is a beautifully produced book, dominated (as it should be) by the wonderful photography of Roberto Schezen.
The descriptions by art expert Ralph Toledano are succinct and respectful and contain some interesting anecdotes. Best of all, they are short enough to just whet the appetite for the photographs.
This book takes you into the fabulous homes of the rich and aristocratic families of Italy and Sicily. From the exquisitely simple La Rocca Pisana, Lonigo to the amazingly rich Palazzo Doria Pamphilij in Rome, each house is different and interesting. Some are astonishing, like the Palazzo, Panza di Biumo, which has a peculiar mixture of ancient frescoes and abstract modern art that works in an odd sort of way. Many are private homes not open to the public, and therefore not able to be viewed in any other way except through this book. Unless you happen to be royalty yourself, of course!
The book was researched over 18 months by Jack Basehart, who must be incredibly lucky to have had the opportunity to get to know all of these marvellous houses. Thanks for sharing them with us, Jack....
...And how about turning this book into a documentary series?
PS. If you can get hold of it, I think the hardback is well worth the extra money. This is a book you're going to want to keep.
Book Description
Between 1868 and 1912, Japan's leaders built a constitutional nation-state, developed an up-to-date industrial infrastructure and won major wars against China and Russia. They also preserved and nurtured their country's art traditions, inspiring the creation of works whose beauty and quality astonished the nations of the civilized world. From 1873 onwards, Japan's ceramics, metalwork, enamels, lacquer and other decorative arts were presented at domestic and international expositions, while in the United States remarkable objects like those in the collection of Dr. Nasser Khalili helped define the American image of Japan's national character at a formative time in the history of both countries. The three largest expositions held in America during Japan's Meiji Period were the Centennial Exhibitions at Philadelphia in 1876, the World's Columbian Exposition at Chicago in 1893 and the Louisiana Purchase Exposition at St. Louis in 1904. This comprehensive catalogue is taken from the collection of Dr Khalili and covers the 44 years of this period from 1868 to 1912. It is organized both chronologically and by subject and document some of the finest pieces from the Early, Middle and Late Meiji Period with six special sections on Metalwork, 'Satsuma' ware, Lacquer, Enamels, Textiles and Porcelain.The Khalili Collection
Customer Reviews:
Real Splendor.......2006-03-21
It would take a much larger book to do justice to all the works of Trumbauer. Wish there is one on public buildings by him. However, it is the best one out so far.
They don't build them like this anymore........2006-02-27
I love this book. Found it by accident in my local library. Was suprised to discover many of Trumbauer's buildings still standing and in my area in PA. All except Whitemarsh Hall, which
is pictured on the cover. I still get sick to my stomach when I think of this masterpiece being demolished. One of his other grand estates, Lynnewood Hall, is also in ruins. Please everyone, support restoration of historic buildings. We spend millions of dollars to travel to Europe to see 800 year old castles, but tear down our own grand estates. I also bought a book called "Great American Mansions" which tells you state by state what places are open to the public. I love old homes and
"American Splendor" is a must read for anyone who appreciates great architecture and preserving it's past. I bought my own copy and plan on visiting as many sites as I can.
Excellent Architectural Book!!.......2005-10-05
This is a very fine architectural book and would be a great addition to anyones collection. The only down side is that I bought this book hoping that one of Trumbauers lesser known houses would be in it. It's the Benjamin C Allen House, in my hown town of Colorado Springs CO. It actually has a funny story to why it was demolished too. Mr allen built the house for his wife, but twenty years later, ran away with her chamber maid. She couldn't bear to live in the house he had had built for her, so she had it demollished and a local architect had a near replica built in its place. Other than not having any information on the Allen House, this is a fine book.
Absolutely Fabulous.......2005-01-15
As someone who loves books like this, I can honestly say this is perfection. Anyone who thinks Delano and Aldrich, or dare I say McKim, Mead, and White designed the most lavish Guilded age mansions need, no must, buy this book. Horace Traumbaur would give Richard Morris Hunt a run for his money, as a Beaux Art master. I had no idea he designed so many beautiful mansions, I knew he was a great architect and I knew about his masterpiece Whitemarsh and it's disgusting demise, but I didn't grasp the depth of his range nor the breath of his work. I thank the authors for honoring him with this great book and as an admirer of his work I am thrilled to get the chance to own such a great book. The quality of this book is superb and the photos are outstanding. I can only hope that this book saves the rest of his buildings in particular the Widener mansion, let's not allow it to meet the same fate as Whitemarsh, who needs another bland housing tract, what we need are reminders of special talent and amazing buildings, mansions like this will never be built again. The Guilded Age is long over and the talented masons and the great architects who honored the past are all gone, replaced by the likes of Frank Gehry and Rem Koolhaus.
A Great Book on a Great Talent.......2003-09-06
This is a superior book, and for three reasons.
First, the obvious: Well researched, beautifully presented, excellent high quality images, lots-o-plans, and an engaging text.
Many readers may not consciously notice the second reason, but it makes all the difference in the world. Most architectural monographs (and many books in general) scatter images throughout a book, and it is difficult if not impossible to develop a clear understanding about individual projects. Various rooms will be many pages (and many projects) apart, and with plans grouped together (or not even included). Also, captions will be brief to the extreme, forcing one on a hunt through the text to access more information. Is there anything more irritating? Not so with American Splendor. Author Michael Kathrens and his graphic designer (and editor?) should be applauded for the clarity offered the reader - like an unexpected gift. Each house is presented on concurrent pages, with beautiful (often full page) images, and concluding (mostly) with clear plans. Ahh! Plans! While the captions are short, the relevant text is always nearby. No hunting!
The third reason is another highly useful (even thoughtful) gift to readers, yet also rarely offered. When one concludes reading about each Trumbauer creation, its current status is articulated! One is never left hanging with those two terrible, dreaded, lingering questions: Was this beautiful creation destroyed? (If yes, one wants to weep.) Or is it well loved and maintained? (If yes, a grin spontaneously ensues.) I cannot count the books that don't answer these important questions, or, again, sadistically force the reader to search and search for an answer.
So, American Splendor should be applauded for the usual reasons. But it should also be applauded for reasons that too few authors (and designers and editors) pay attention to.
Michael, thank you for these many gifts.
Book Description
The first in-depth look at Waterdeep, the shining jewel of the Forgotten Realms setting, in many years.
City of Splendors: Waterdeep offers an in-depth examination of the great city of Waterdeep in the Forgotten
Realms setting. An overview of the city includes history, a who's who, information on laws, and rules for
running and playing in a Waterdhavian campaign. Information on the people of Waterdeep covers non-player characters, arcane schools, armed forces, guilds, nobility, prestige classes specific to the city, and more. Also included in the book are discussions of specific Waterdeep locales, adventure locales, and new monsters. An extensive appendix gives information on new equipment, magic items, psionic powers, poisons, spells, and more.
Customer Reviews:
Delightful Book.......2007-05-10
Wizards of the Coast has released a book concentrating on Waterdeep, the ultimate adventuring city in the Forgotten Realms. And why not? The city is one of the most beloved locations in the gaming world, finding its only real competition in the City of Greyhawk. Plus, if RPGNOW stats are any indication, there's good money in a well-done city book.
So does Waterdeep hold up?
I wish I could say no, at least this review would be funnier, but I enjoyed it quite a bit. There's a wealth of material in this book and you get the feeling that it just scratches the surface. In fact, I think the only complaint most readers will have is the low page count (at 160). There just isn't enough room in this book for everything that one might find in Waterdeep.
Still, the material is interesting and the author (Eric L. Boyd) has a delicate hand for how much is just right. I didn't feel like he rambled on too long and for the most part I felt like he gave me enough to build a game in the City of Splendors. Heck, I could probably build a whole campaign there, using just this book.
Chapter One begins with an interesting history of the city. This chapter actually captured my attention (whereas usually histories are just text you have to get through). It's hard to point out exactly why this appealed to me, but I think that it has to do with the many iterations of settlement the city passed through before becoming the place we all know and love. It took me back to certain real world histories I've read, and where an author's usual instinct is to say, "The city was founded in ," Waterdeep has lived under different names, guises and rulers over the years. It just felt . . . rich.
The book then moves on to a brief who's who and then a treatise on laws and culture. It then tackles all the ways to get to and from the city . . . including teleportation. It was refreshing to have a high fantasy world deal with an issue that almost everyone ignores . . . how the casual use of magic could kill people in the streets. Finally, the book tackles the defenses of the city, both magical and mundane.
Chapter Two deals with People of Waterdeep (I'm not sure why the Who's Who wasn't here.) This chapter is long an complex, taking about a third of the book. In it they cover everything from guilds to monsters to the underworld to secret societies to the nobility and much much more. This is where the book really sold me, the level of detail just enough to fill me with the maximum number of colorful characters while giving me just enough information to run them properly in the game. As a game designer, I can only say this chapter must have taken five times as long to write as the rest of the book put together (characters can take forever, even when many of them aren't statted). I can only tip my hat at Mr. Boyd for not losing sight of the prize and becoming sloppy. Still, I think there are too many dragons detailed for a city with a ward against dragons.
Chapter Three handles presitge classes. You know what? I'm gonna give the book a pass on this one (and it's not the same pass I gave DMG II). This book needed prestige classes, and while I thought that four was probably a bit excessive, this is the perfect use of the game mechanic: defining a particular organization and their unique and often mystical abilities. The Gray Hand Enforcer, for instance, can tap into the dragonward of the city, accessing its power. I don't mind using a prestige class to simulate this.
Chapter Four is the obligatory sites-of-the-city chapter. I don't have much to say about this. It got the job done.
Chapter Five is a section on adventure opportunities in Waterdeep. This section contains everything from single encounters (a disturbing amount of haunted locales) to mini-adventures, to a small section on Undermountain. I think that a DM could build a good campaign, starting with this chapter.
The final chapter covers more rules-oriented materials. Starting with feats, it then covers magic items, poisons and a section on spells. The section on spells is mercifully short, and I can't begrudge it. People in Waterdeep will make spells. This, like the Prestige Classes, is a much better place for new material like this than 90% of the books WotC produces.
I do have to give one qualification on this review. I haven't done more than skim most of the past material on Waterdeep, so I don't know how much of this book is recycled materials. Still, I found what was here to be interesting, useful and well presented. This is one of the better books WotC has produced since 3.5 released. If you adventure in the Realms, it's probably a must-have.
Excellent Guide.......2005-10-09
This book adds substantial information on one of the key role-playing locations in all the Realms, and also reveals a lot of plots that are going on there. It is written with very easy cross-referencing with other FR material, while also giving some background on the referenced characters. And of course, you get adventure hooks, history background and some very interesting NPCs. This product is a must have for the FR campaign setting!
pleased with waterdeep but..........2005-09-16
i was generally pleased with the waterdeep exercise but i would have liked to see revision stats for the important people.
the book had tons of 411 in it so you could not be displeased with it. i just felt that i needed a bit more if it was to stay in my usage crate and not on my storage shelf...
A decent disappointment.......2005-08-16
I have played forgetton realms but over a decade and I have always loved Waterdeep as a campaign setting. Given that, I was very excited to hear about a 3.5e revision of the city of splendors. However, when I got the book I was very disappointed to find that it did not come with a pull out map. That was one of the greatest appeals of 2e TSR products, they always had such large beautiful maps. This edition only included a split up map mixed among the pages of the book.
Like the reviewers have mentioned it doesn't have much info on Undermountain if that is your interest. Although the Wotc website does have an undermountain article that works perfectly with this book. What this book DOES offer is a great new taste of recent events as well as a fairly revolutionary guild system including magical colleges. The book does not contain very detailed descriptions of the locales in waterdeep. For that, I'd recommend the 2e Volo's Guide to Waterdeep.
This book is most useful for combining with and/or updating existing 2e products. For much more detailed and useful content on the subject of waterdeep, you should really get your money's worth with some .pdf downloads of the old 2e waterdeep products like Volo's Guide to Waterdeep, City of Splendors box set, and Ruins of Undermountain. Overall the book is a decent addition but not wonderful enough on its own for five stars.
THE BEST CITY JUST GOT BETTER!.......2005-08-09
After more than fifteen years, gamers in the Forgotten Realms campaign are finally getting a new and updated version of the campaign's most famous and notorious city, Waterdeep. The Forgotten Realms has always been my favorite campaign to adventure in and run. It is supported by dozens of supplements as well as dozens of novels set within the realms. No campaign the kind of source material that the Forgotten Realms can. In this new, 160 page hardcover by Eric Boyd, the City of Splendors gets a makeover to update it to the current system and provide greater depth and detail than the original supplement.
Boyd provides a thorough history of the city and provides background information on major characters, rulers, laws, trade and much more. There are literally hundreds of organizations and guilds operating within the city, and many of them are outline in the book which includes the guild type, alignments of members, dues, salary, class requirements, and leadership. The same elements are also provided for all of the various churches and temples found within Waterdeep. Then there are a wide array of ruffian and rogue gangs such as the Black Boar Tribe, a group of fighters and barbarians who run protection rackets in the Dock Ward and the Shadow Thieves who were banded long ago but are now re-emerging as a threat. In addition, Boyd provides information on noble houses that includes their histories, key members, and plots and intrigues which can be starting points for adventures for player characters.
Four new prestige classes are included and unique to Waterdeep: The Knights of the Blue Moon, Moonstar Agents, Sun Soul Monks, and the Gray Hand Enforcers. The latter is the most intriguing, being they are basically the shock troops of the Lords of Waterdeep. Enormously powerful, non-evil aligned fighters who gain attack bonuses and resistance to damage and spells. People tend to get out of the way of these guys as they have a reputation for causing a great deal of collateral damage when dealing with a threat.
Boyd covers each of the 6 main districts of Waterdeep which are referred to as "wards". Each ward has a corresponding map and legend which details some of the more important buildings to be found but much is left for the DM to fill in as he or she best sees fit. Each of the buildings has a class rating which designates it's size and scope. Besides the main 6 wards information is provided on the notorious haven for smugglers known as Skullport.
While Waterdeep works as a great city it also works as a great dungeon as there are many different dungeons that can be explored from inside of the city including the Dungeons of the Crpyt built by the vampire Artor Morlin, The Cliff Watch Ruins, Citadel of the Bloody Hand, and many more. The Sewers of Waterdeep are vast and connect many of these dungeons and crypts and a full map of the sewers is included. Along with the noting the tunnels which connect to these other areas, a random encounter table is available to the DM. The most famous dungeon in Waterdeep and in all the Forgotten Realms can be found here, too. The Ruins of Undermountain were covered exhaustively more than ten years ago with two outstanding boxed sets. Hopefully WOC will do an update on that as well but if not, try and find those on the secondary market. Boyd does give some details on the Underhalls but refers to these products as the primary source or for the DM to create his own dungeon if these cannot be located.
The Waterdeep sourcebook features 9 new monsters, a half dozen new feats, over three dozen new magic items including new artifacts, and a couple of dozen new spells. The full color illustrations throughout the book are all uniformly good and it's the kind of quality book you expect from Wizards of the Coast. My only complaint is that I wish they had included a fold out map of Waterdeep. The Maps of the various wards are all on separate pages and kind of small. A pull-out map would have been a great extra perk. As it is Waterdeep is a great update on a classic Forgotten Realms city.
Reviewed by Tim Janson
Book Description
This beautiful volume explores eight European estates that, despite war, taxes, and the passage of time, have remained in the same families for centuries. The photographs are redolent in atmosphere and the text is revealing, due to the author's long friendships with the owners of these great houses. Offering an inside view of a highly refined way of life, Private Splendor reveals the secrets that kept these homes in private hands. The houses include Seville's Casa de Pilatos, owned by Spain's most illustrious grandee; Harewood House in Yorkshire, owned by a cousin of Queen Elizabeth; Germany's Schloss Regensburg, occupied by the flamboyant Princess Gloria von Thurn and Taxis; and the Palazzo Sachetti near Vatican City, whose enormous Sala dei Mapi is entirely frescoed by Francesco Salviati (1510-1563).
Customer Reviews:
Excellent!.......2007-06-13
This book is excellent! If you've ever wondered what it must be like to live in grandeur like the British nobility and some European Royal Families, then this is the book for you!
Buy it today!
Amazing book with private views of fabulous splendor .......2007-02-05
This is a fabulous book. I bought the book because of my connection and time spent at Harewood House in England. The photographs are so fantastic and the text very competent. Which in the case of Harewood is quite an accomplishment since the history is long and quite complicated. Alexis Gregory is to be congratulated on getting all the facts right. I know this home intimately and the photos show Harewood just as it is in all its glory.
I was also fascinated with St. Emmeram Palace in which I have also spent much time. Again the images and the accompanying text are best examples of their craft.
But the best part of the book was discovering other stately homes and palaces that I did not know about. It was exciting to get a look inside these private spaces. A more beautiful book will be hard to come by. I could not put it down. The only complaint with the whole book is that there was not more of it- more photos and more homes included!
I am often disappointed by such photography/history books, but this is the exception to that rule.
My highest compliments!
Some stayed away.......2007-01-29
Beautiful objects, great architecture, photos show dark inhospitable living conditions of a time gone by. I would have liked more photos of living areas and brighter conditions
Good subjects ruined by photography.......2007-01-27
The author has arranged to enter some of the oldest, most ornate historical family residences in Europe -- homes we would not otherwise be able to see or tour, in many instances -- thereby providing an opportunity to see what generations have accumulated in these grand mansions. Unfortunately, the photographer is, like so many French photographers of interiors, incompetent.
Virtually all of the images have deep shadows over much of the interior, allowing very little to be seen. We see this repeatedly in French publications focused on interiors, leading us to believe that perhaps French photographers have never learned how to use any supplemental lighting at all, certainly not effectively. This is usually essential in allowing one to actually look at the detail of the decor. Only Naudin and Bardlay, among French architectural photographers, are generally able to make the "available lighting only" approach work and when their work is paired with that of a Skrebneski (as in the Givenchy book), it pales by comparison. Why would the publishing house have accepted these photographs?
A further, minor observation: in two of the homes, the owners are shown. Aside from Princess TNT, (and this is a bit nasty, but what the hell, these books are supposed to be fun to look at) showing the owners in these cases was not a wise editorial choice. When a Conde Nast publication shows a homeowner in an interior, you can be certain he (or far more often, she) will be highly photogenic. If, when showing a home, the resident duchess could, at best, be described as having an "unfortunate" visage, Slim Aarons could usually find a comely young housemaid going about her duties to include in the photos instead.
Poor photography results in a waste of unusual access.
Book Description
Out of the clash of genius and the caprice of popes came the most glorious monument of the Renaissance
It was the splendor—and the scandal—of the age. In 1506, the ferociously ambitious Renaissance Pope Julius II tore down the most sacred shrine in Europe—the millenniumold St. Peter's Basilica built by the Emperor Constantine over the apostle's grave—to build a better basilica. Construction of the new St. Peter's spanned two centuries, embroiled twenty-seven popes, and consumed the genius of the greatest artists of the age—Michelangelo, Bramante, Raphael, and Bernini. As the basilica rose, modern Rome rose with it as glorious as the city of the Caesars. But the cost was unimaginable. The new basilica provoked the Protestant Reformation, dividing the Christian world for all time.
In this swift, colorful narrative, R. A. Scotti brings to life the artists and the popes, the politics and the passions behind this audacious enterprise. Gothic cathedrals reach up to heaven, but the basilica brings heaven to earth, and the new St. Peter's was the defining event of the high Renaissance.
In the tradition of Brunelleschi's Dome, Scotti turns sacred architecture into a spellbinding human epic of enormous daring, petty jealousy, and staggering genius.
Customer Reviews:
Read it before you visit St. Peter's.......2007-10-07
I will defer to the judgment of other reviewers who have found fault with some of the "facts" Scotti relates in BASILICA. This is a popular, not an academic, history of the building of St. Peter's in Rome. I found Scotti's depiction of the sequence of events and of the personalities at play to be consistent with what I've read elsewhere. And she does a good job of demonstrating how all actions have a multiplicity of consequences--good and bad. If she's a little guilty of playing a "what if" game (What if the popes had not committed themselves to building the grandest church in Christendom and used the selling of indulgences to help finance it, and what if a certain Augustinian monk had found less combative ways to voice his concern about the shortcomings of his church, and what if New World civilizations hadn't been pillaged and destroyed to provide silver and gold for the church's ornament...), at least she conveys a clear sense that history is a complex and intertwined thing. Also, her descriptions of the popes, artists, and architects who had a hand in bringing about an amazing worship space that took generations to complete are pointed but unelaborated (she does no "The Agony and the Ecstasy"-type of filling in the unknowable details). Everything she asserts about them can likely be supported from letters and diary accounts (even if incorporated via secondary sources).
My regret is that I read this book AFTER visiting the Vatican. I'm sure I would have had a more meaningful visit if I had read Scotti's history beforehand. And as lively as her writing is, most people could easily finish this 269-page book during a 9-hour trans-Atlantic flight. Perhaps Scotti's final sentence sums up one's mixed feelings about a building that cost the world so much: "Gothic cathedrals reach up to heaven. St. Peter's--muscular, sublime, irrevocable--brings heaven to earth."
Awesome Alliteration..........2007-09-03
Scotti's ability to tie the present to the past is impressive and instructive. I listened to the audio book and was both educated and inspired. Scotti built an understandable timeline and an understated history of popes and painters (and sculptors). My only complaint is that the alliteration was both constant and contrived.
Too many popes, not enough building.......2007-08-06
I very much anticipated reading a history of the building of St. Peter's. I was dismayed to learn that this book is a thinly-researched effort that is too pope-bio focused, with very little concentration on the building itself.
Full of anachronisms, full of misinformation. If you can keep your lunch down when reading chapter titles like "The Knaves of Saint Peter's", you are a better man than I am.
Thank God that I borrowed it from the library as opposed to buying it!
The Sacred and the Profane - a Grand Enterprise.......2007-07-23
Saint Peter's Basilica is at once a magnificent place of worship and a symbol of both the best and worst in the hearts, minds and souls of its human designers. A wondrous architectural and engineering achievement, the logistics and financial excesses and abuses contributed in no small way to the fracturing of the Catholic Church, sparking the Protestant Reformation and leading to the counter-Reformation at the Council of Trent.
BASILICA chronicles the story of this unique structure, spanning decades of human tumult and artistic controversy. Author R.A. Scotti (whose works include the fascinating SUDDEN SEA: THE GREAT HURRICANE OF 1938) offers the reader a lively portrayal of the strategies and machinations of artists, clerics, politicians and others. BASILICA is filled with gripping drama, expansive egos, and enough plot twists to keep the reader engaged the 320-some pages.
Some of the reviews, particular those from "scholars," refer to historical inaccuracies. As I am not a Renaissance scholar, I cannot comment upon them. The only complaint that I would have about the book is when the author editorializes on the Catholic faith itself. Although infrequent, these criticisms seem to be based on issues other than the subject matter of the book. Nevertheless, the book provides a fascinating look into the [arguably] crowing achievement of Renaissance architecture.
Exciting, Interesting Tale - but what was left out?.......2007-03-19
Very well written and apparently balanced account of the"space program" of the middle ages. Would have been 5 stars but the word "Cluny" does not appear in the book. With an omission that huge one wonders what else of great significance also was lost along the way.
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