4 comments about Guided by a Stonemason: The Cathedrals, Abbeys and Churches of Britain Unveiled.

1. An excellent book about the history and construction of medieval churchs,abbeys,and cathderals.

   The author , a working stone mason who has worked on the repair and restoration of these ancient buildings,gives insights into the development and technical details that went into creating these masterpieces.

   The author's admiration for these builders is reflected in his discussion of the problems they encountered and how they arrived at solutions to create these masterpieces which have been handed down to our modern generation.

   In additon, he also gives valuable insights into the history of the ancients times based on his intimate knowledge of the work undertaken by the builders.

   The book is well illustrated with discriptive captions and is easily understood by the layman reader. I would highly recommend this book to any one who is interested in the medieval churchs and cathedrals of Britain.




2. The strength of the book is Maude's hands-on experince, which he uses to illuminate a lot of material. The book could be a bit clearer in places, and could use some labelled diagrams. He does not cover the structural aspects in detail (see the very difficult The Stone Skeleton for that) but explains a lot of stuff I haven't found elsewhere (what for instance is a 'rood'.)



3. Even though the book is very nice and recommendable, it does not go into too much details. What I liked the most is that Mr. Maude covers some aspects in the design of the cathedrals and churches hardly to find in other books related to mediaeval architecture. I would recommend this book for someone looking for learning the basics and one who appreciates the religious lifestyle that prevailed at that time as an important factor for the design and construction of this sort of buildings. The explanations given by Mr. Maude concerning the physics used by the master builders to understand the behavior of walls, flying buttresses, arches, and other construction elements are very easy to follow. Definitely this is a book for a person who has just started into this wonderful subject of medieval construction.



4. Unlike so many books that I have read about churches and cathedrals, one will not need to keep an architectural dictionary or a reference book on the medieval church nearby as one reads. This will enhance both tours of the buildings and further reading. I will definitely keep this in my permanent collection.
   
   Thomas Maude is a British stone-mason, and his love for his craft and the buildings that his fellow masons produced adds to the pleasure of reading.
   
   The text is very well written, thorough and logically arranged. Maude works his way through the main structure of a cathedral, church or cloister in a way that is easy to follow and accompanied by well-chosen illustrations. He begins with Norman building styles and follows carefully through the developments in Gothic architecture. He explains the various types of building materials available in Britain, the daily offices of worship, the changing uses of various parts of the building (weddings used to be on the church porch, for example.)
   
   The photography is all in black and white, except for the cover, and is generally very good with many excellent detail shots.
   
   Extremely informative and a delight to read.

No comments about Old Lyme, Lyme, and Hadlyme (CT) (Images of America).

No comments about Our Massachusetts (Our ...).

1 comments about Above the Gravel Bar: The Native Canoe Routes of Maine.

1. Army veteran David S. Cook presents Above the Gravelbar: The Native Canoe Routes of Maine, a reminiscence of great canoe travels along Maine's many interconnected waterways, combined with a deep respect for now Maine's Native peoples once used their watercraft to traverse the state. A handful of black-and-white maps illustrate this thoughtful chronicle, which delves deep into the history of individual routes. Above the Gravelbar is not a travel guide per se, but rather gives itself over to the rich, scenery-capturing detail sure to intrigue armchair travelers and canoe connoisseurs.

No comments about Wainwright Pictoral Guides, Book 2: Far Eastern Fells, 50th Anniversary Edition (Pictorial Guides to the Lakeland Fells).

5 comments about Best of James Herriot: Favourite Memories of a Country Vet.

1. Even though the book was used, it was in excellent condition. The pictures throughout help to make this book a very good purchase for the money. James Herriot is a wonderful storyteller and the reader finds himself/herself able to have the experience of almost being there in person.



2. What can one add to the already vivid detail of the life of Alfred Wight? Fortunately nothing except the illustrations for those of us with little perception of what the farming community and the towns around Yorkshire were like in the 30's and 40's. The fact too, that it's in hardcover will ensure it's permanent place on your bookshelf of treasured writings.



3. If you love animals and you haven't read James Herriot then you simply must! These stories are so full of humour, sadness, joy and lots of plain common sense and wisdom that you will love every minute of reading them. It is amazing to read that the author had such a long struggle to have his work published that he almost gave up. What a loss to the world that would have been! The story of his life is told by his son in the book "The Real James Herriot" - make sure you read that one also!



4. A very bright and beautiful book, with nice pictures and side articles, which help you know more about animals described in the book. All stories are easy to read and full of sparkly humor and affection to animals and nature. Reading it you may easily find yourself laughing over things at one page, and crying at the next one. This book is equally great for both children and adults.



5. If you like James Herriot's Stories, this is a great compilation. It arrived quickly and in perfect condition.
   
   thank you!

No comments about South Pennines Walks (Pathfinder Guide).

No comments about Massachusetts: An Explorer's Guide: The North Shore, Central Massachusetts, and the Berkshires, Third Edition.

No comments about Lewisham and Deptford in Old Photographs: A Third Selection (Britain in Old Photographs).

No comments about Audubon Guide to the National Wildlife Refuges: New England: Connecticut, Mane, Massachussetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont (Audubon Guides to the National Wildlife Refuges).