Customers say
Customers enjoy the beautiful photography in the book. They find the insights and details helpful for understanding the furniture style. The design ideas and originality are appreciated, with a focus on the construction details.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
One hundred years ago Charles and Henry Greene developed a new and distinctive architectural and decorative style that blended Arts & Crafts and Asian influences with California sensibility and obsessive attention to detail. That innovative style is instantly recognizable today.
“David Mathias, author of this richly personal appreciation of the Greenes…comes to Greene and Greene from the perspective of an amateur woodworker with a fine aesthetic sense. Through his writing we are able to appreciate the Greenes’ houses and furnishings almost as if we were hearing from one of their builders. Through stunning and perceptive new photography, the illustrated spaces and furnishings illuminate the genius of the Greenes’ designs, material selection and craft, which has caused so many to celebrate and be seduced by their work…Being a woodworker, Mathias also pays due homage to John and Peter Hall, the Swedish brothers who worked closely with the Greenes on their finest houses. Mathias correctly grasps how without the Halls, the Greenes would lack a significant measure of the reputation that they enjoy today. Relatively few writers have focused exclusively on Greene and Greene, and so it is a privilege whenever a talented one such as Mr. Mathias comes along. Be forewarned that through this book his seduction may become yours, too.”
Edward R. Bosley,
James N. Gamble Director
The Gamble House, Pasadena
School of Architecture, University of Southern California
ASIN : B0044XV66G
Publisher : Popular Woodworking Books; 1st edition (August 26, 2010)
Publication date : August 26, 2010
Language : English
File size : 8723 KB
Text-to-Speech : Enabled
Screen Reader : Supported
Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
X-Ray : Not Enabled
Word Wise : Not Enabled
Print length : 342 pages
by a reader
Much more than I expected
When I bought this book, I expected much from it. I got what I expected, and much more. I will try to explain, in the following lines, why I believe prospective buyers should not hesitate in buying it, even if they already own one or more books on the subject.A) Why this book?In view of the fact that there are several excellent books available on the subject, the question is whether this one is redundant. A quote from the book gives the author’s view:’This brings us back to the question that Bill Evans asked me, “Does the world really need another Greene & Greene book?” The unspoken subtext of that question goes something like this: “There are already many excellent books on the topic. Do you have anything new to add?” I believe that the answer to that question is “yes.” I submit that there is something new in these pages.I have not tried to reinvent the wheel by writing a definitive history. Any such attempt would be doomed to failure by comparison. Makinson, Bosley and Smith have set the bar too high. Unlike the others I came to Greene & Greene through woodworking… Woodworkers, even hobbyists like me, develop an eye for details and a curiosity about how those details are implemented…Think of this book as a guided tour through the “Greene and Greene store”… There are many photos here of exteriors or entire rooms. What makes this book different, however, is that there are also many photos that focus on details. While the best books on the topic are filled with photos of pieces of furniture, the reader is often left wanting to see more, to see close-ups of inlays, pegs and joinery, the beautiful details that define what we know as the Greene & Greene vocabulary. In those pages the reader will find those close-up shots along with discussion of the broader themes of the designs.The topic of this book then is Greene & Greene design with a focus on the details that distinguish their work. Pegs and lifts are obvious… Of course, there is much more variety, and subtlety, to the Greene & Greene canon. We explore that here. Additionally, it is best to examine Greene & Greene pieces in context…. we can consider the recurring, unifying themes that are an important aspect of the design philosophy, one that merits closer examination.’B) The photos:Having read several books on Greene and Greene, I bought this one for the photos mainly. Having seen the preview in the author’s site ([…]), I had very high expectations in this area, and I was not disappointed – in fact, the preview, due to the small size, can’t do justice to the photos in the book. What you can see in the preview is the quality of the photos – obviously the author is a photographer of a very high caliber, and has been given the time he needed to produce excellent photos.What you can NOT see in the preview, due to the size limitation, is the complexity and detail inherent in every picture. This is a feature of the Greene & Greene furniture and architecture, of course – apparent simplicity, underlying complexity, wealth of detail – but the photos in this book, unlike those in some others, do justice to it. These are photos you can really study, not just look at and enjoy.Given the quality of the photos, it is very fortunate that the book is choke full of them. There is hardly a page without photos in the book, and each photo is there for a reason – they are not thrown in just to fill the pages, or just for their eye-candy value, but they also serve to illustrate specific points made in the text (text? which text? I just said I wasn’t particularly interested in it, didn’t I?)C) The text:I have always thought that writing the text for a coffee-table book is a thankless job: writing a text that will mostly be ignored, for a book which people buy for the pictures. But hey, it’s OK if it helps pay the rent, isn’t it?Well, not in this case. The author didn’t write the text just to accompany the pictures, or to fill the pages. He doesn’t merely repeat what has been written elsewhere. He didn’t feel he could write the definitive history, so he didn’t attempt to write one. Sure, there is a brief section (around 18 pages, minus the pictures) on history (as it should, for completeness – this is a standalone book, not an appendix to works of other authors), but even this one is not mere repetition of what has been written elsewhere.As I was reading the pictures (this is not a mistyping), again and again my attention would be absorbed by the text. I would read the caption of one photo, then a paragraph of the text, then the next paragraph, then I would jump back to the beginning of the chapter. And again and again, I found in the text something which I hadn’t read elsewhere, insights of the author which make absolute sense. Although the author doesn’t present himself as a Greene & Greene scholar, it is obvious that he has done his homework and more.d) My verdict:This book is obviously a labor of love. Great text, great photography, great insights, great details. If you already have other books on the subject, you ‘ll love this one. If it is the first one, it will be a great introduction which will probably lead you to get more.Now the only thing we need is for Ipekjian to finally decide to start writing.Only thing I regret about buying this book, is that I could have ordered a signed copy via the author’s site.
by John C
Worthy of the Greenes
The well-acquainted with Greene and Greene need little motivation to pick up the newest book. It promises and delivers new eye-candy to satisfy their craving. I discovered Greene and Greene less than one year ago, and already possess many of the existing books showcasing their legacy.As a wanna-be woodworker, I enjoy the Arts and Crafts movement and Bungalows. I stumbled upon Darrell Peart’s work which led me to the Gamble house web site. Like many others, just one encounter with the beauty of their work was sufficient to leave me wanting more pictures and more information.Charles and Henry Greene created what are considered to be masterpieces. Consistent with the Arts and Crafts movement, they designed not only the home and not only the furniture, but the whole house. At the height of their careers, the two brothers collaborated with some of the most talented craftsmen of the time in Pasadena, California. The collaboration, the genius of Charles Greene and the extraordinary wealth of the clients produced the perfect storm of craftsmanship.My previous purchases on Greene and Greene were each worthy in their own right. All included wonderful photos and history of the brothers and their work. One book in particular provides more historical detail than I have been able to process to this juncture. But, I wanted more. I not only wanted more pictures from new angles with greater detail, but I wanted to know how they did it.I read about the release of this book several months before it became available, and I placed it in my Amazon wish list. I ordered it the week that it started shipping without waiting to see if others felt the book worthy of the Greenes. The inner circle of devotees talked eagerly about it in newsgroups and my anticipation outweighed any reservations.The title is perfect. The work of the Greenes is poetry, and involves extensive usage of wood and light to speak. The author not only enabled me to recognize the work as poetry, but like a master guide he opened my eyes to understand what I was seeing. Mr. Mathias draws upon his own love for woodworking, his skills as an instructor and his passion for Greene and Greene to guide the reader in understanding the incredible talent and genius of Charles Greene.Mr. Mathias’ approach opens up the work level by level. For example, to only consume the photos of the various other books and web sites, is akin to only looking at pastries through glass. David lets you taste each piece, each room and each home. He opens the work up to allow you to understand that each home was unique, each room within a home was unique, and each piece a work of art. Like a walk along a scenic mountain trail, each turn is a feast for the eyes.Through David’s words, every photo now publishes its own secrets, and you the reader can now savor all the ingredients, the processes and the presentation that make Greene and Greene magnificent. He brings to light the never ending flow of design ideas and originality in each piece, room and house. You will gain a much deeper and richer understanding of just how impressive is this body of work. Each piece truly is a poem.David’s book contains items not previously known to me. This book is a man writing about something that he loves, something to which he devoted time, and took great pains to present in all its glory. If you love Arts and Crafts, the Greenes’ work is the zenith. If you love bungalows, theirs are the ultimate. If you love fine wood furniture, this is perfection. If you love the play of light and shadows, David shows it like never before. Consider this book either the key to understanding all the photos you may have seen before, or the zenith of all the other works. David believes that the work of the Greenes is poetry, and he hopes that his love of it will convert you into a devotee.Since beginning the book, I have enjoyed some correspondence with David. I find him to be as genuine in real life as are the words in the book. My hope is that there might be a second book. We lovers of Greene will always want more. I have been enjoying his blog, […]/ where David adds additional comments about the contents of the book, and responds to comments. True fans may consider buying a signed copy from the author’s own web site.
by Mark’s Amazon
Great designs.
I purchased this book a few years ago based upon high reviews and being new to Greene & Greene. I wanted to see all of the beautiful details in their designs for ideas to possibly build similar furniture and learn more about Greene/Greene.The description states that there are many Greene books publushed and the author wanted to add a new perspective on the subject.When I purchased this it was not quite what I expected but a very nice book nonetheless. It just didn’t appeal to me as it may with die-hard Greene fans or “true woodworkers but did give me insight to themes and details.I agree with George Sutherland about the writing references to pictures (or the lack of).
by Geppetto
Greene & Greene Masterpiece
I have been building Greene & Greene style furniture for over ten years now. I use walnut, mahogany and cherry….all with ebony trim. This book combines excellent photography with new insights into Charles and Henry’s lives. I haven’t finished reading the book as yet but I am hoping that more credit is given the artisans John and Peter Hall who built most of the Greene furniture. I visited the Gamble House last week and saw this book in the bookstore….and ordered it from Amazon to avoid lugging it home on the plane.
by Amazon Customer
A birthday gift to my wife, and SHE loves it!