Living With Books
by Alan Powers
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Description
As the functions of the home and the workplace begin to merge, living with books has become an art in itself. Living with Books explores the many different ways in which books can play a part in the character of a house or apartment. Chapters are devoted to separate rooms, looking in turn at libraries, home offices, reception rooms, kitchens, bedrooms and even bathrooms. There is a chapter on caring for books and a practical section with technical hints on planning and building your own show more bookshelves. The emphasis is on the modern home. Special feature spreads in each chapter cover such topics as the evolution of the bookshp into a home from home, artists' books and decorative bindings. show lessTags
Recommendations
Member Reviews
This title has been on my "maybe" shelf for years; the shelf serves for books I need to think about, need more information on, or books I'm only going to buy if I find them used and cheap. Living with Books met that last condition, as I'd heard it was a bit disappointing overall.
I'd heard correctly; it's a bit disappointing. The pictures are great - some really clever solutions and some just gorgeous libraries are included, but the text has less to do with books and libraries than it does about interior design and architectural theory, about which I have mostly derisive opinions.
I gave it an extra half-star though because it includes a few pages at the back with DIY instructions for making different types of bookcases, and I thought show more that was a nice touch. For that reason and the good pics, I'll hang on to my copy, but I'm awfully glad I found it used and cheap. show less
I'd heard correctly; it's a bit disappointing. The pictures are great - some really clever solutions and some just gorgeous libraries are included, but the text has less to do with books and libraries than it does about interior design and architectural theory, about which I have mostly derisive opinions.
I gave it an extra half-star though because it includes a few pages at the back with DIY instructions for making different types of bookcases, and I thought show more that was a nice touch. For that reason and the good pics, I'll hang on to my copy, but I'm awfully glad I found it used and cheap. show less
I LOVED this book! Filled with beautiful photos of homes in which people make books an intimate part of their lives and decor. Rather than making room for books in your home this book tells (and shows) you how to beautifully and tastefully build your home around your books. This can be a dangerous book, as I guarantee it will make you want to completely re-organize/ -decorate your house and incorporate the ideas you find in here. I've already taken the cabinet doors off my linen cabinet to make an eccentric but charming new book-nook.
Disappointing after AT HOME WITH BOOKS; this is more a photo book for decorators, not book lovers. It's less about storage or library design and more about how to decorate your house with books.
A little bit better than the other with the same title, which was horrid, but not nearly as book friendly as "Decorating with Books." When there were good shelves to examine, the photos ignored them. Frustrating! Lots of silly uses of books as decor.
An Absolutely Fabulous Book! Many beautiful photos of great libraries. A must for all who aspire to having a home library.
Dated. Too much ugly, affected modern minimalism. A few very basic DIY bookshelf options at the back.
every library should have this in their collection
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Author Information
48+ Works 1,237 Members
Alan Powers has been a guest curator at the Design Museum and Kettles Yard.
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Living With Books
- Original publication date
- 1999
- People/Characters
- Alvar Aalto; Bill Dunster; Egon Riss; Maxwell Fry; Michael Freeman; Michael Wilford (show all 8); Ray Eames; Richard Davies
- Important places
- Villa Mairea (Noormarkku, Finland)
- Dedication
- To Eleanor
- First words
- A book is an information resource.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)Projects - Traditional Bookcase: Insert a screw into the middle of each shelf through the back of the bookcase to prevent it sagging when full.
Classifications
- Genres
- Nonfiction, Home & Garden, Art & Design, General Nonfiction
- DDC/MDS
- 747.9 — Arts & recreation Drawing & decorative arts Interior design / Glassware / Furniture Specific decorations [formerly Colours in Interior Decoration]
- LCC
- NK2115.5 .B66 .P68 — Fine Arts 3600-(9990) Other arts and art industries Decorative arts Interior decoration. House decoration General. History, etc.
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 572
- Popularity
- 51,295
- Reviews
- 9
- Rating
- (3.95)
- Languages
- 5 — English, French, German, Norwegian (Bokmål), Swedish
- Media
- Paper
- ISBNs
- 9
