History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

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.

Travels in a Stone Canoe: The Return to the Wisdomkeepers

Average customer rating:

Follow the Path!
Elders of our Island
A vivid and moving story of Spiritual Awakening

Travels in a Stone Canoe: The Return to the Wisdomkeepers
Harvey Arden , and Steve Wall
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0684800942

Book Description

In this luminous story, two journalists from National Geographic on assignment in Indian Country cross an invisible boundary between two worlds, two different visions of reality -- and find their lives transformed. In a stunning and probing narrative -- part adventure tale, part reflection and epiphany -- the authors of Wisdomkeepers embark on a dramatic "spirit journey" into the living wisdom of Native American spiritual elders.

When, nearly twenty years ago, a darkly enigmatic Cherokee herbalist approached Harvey Arden and Steve Wall with the proposition that they join him in a study of the lives, wisdom, and spiritual practices of Native America's fast-disappearing "Old Ones," the veteran writer and photographer found themselves thrust, despite their own hard-nosed skepticism, onto a mystic "path of the Wisdomkeepers."

After receiving "signs" foretold by the Cherokee, they set off on a journey of spiritual discovery through another world, called Great Turtle Island, where the Old Ones -- the Wisdomkeepers of aboriginal culture in North America -- bestowed upon them piece by surprising piece a set of "rules for being human" called "Original Instructions."

Arden and Wall eventually left their Geographic careers and journalism altogether, and in 1990 produced an interim report on their spirit journey, their now-classic international bestseller Wisdomkeepers: Meeting with Native American Spiritual Elders. In that book they recalled, "We went out two journalists after a good story. We came back two 'runners' from another world, carrying an urgent message from the Wisdomkeepers. This book is that message."

Now, in Travels in a Stone Canoe, that message is further deepened and elaborated as the authors reveal the intensely personal story behind -- and beyond -- their journey to the Wisdomkeepers. A final, incandescent chapter, "Original Instructions," sums up the transforming and highly practical wisdom they found. "Wisdom," they learned, "is not something you believe. It's something you do." This is a story that will inform, enlighten, and move every reader who accompanies the authors in their Travels in a Stone Canoe.

Customer Reviews:

Follow the Path!.......2007-09-04

This book is a must read for anyone who has read any of the works by Harvey Arden and/or Steve Wall! Extremely well-written and the chapters are in the first person of both authors. It is, I think, their best work that I have read so far. This is an honest, unpretentious, examination by the authors of their own journey connecting with the elders and the insights they offer. You will not be able to put it down; I read it in one afternoon without a break. I intend to re-read; it is that good.

Elders of our Island.......2002-09-05

These tweo white men are chosen to take a journy in life. This is not a come on along along and pack you bags. This is an inner and spiritual journey for these two men as much as it is a journey for the elders of different nations to accept and trust these men to some of the their most private thoughts and lives. a book well written and appericated that it shows The People as the caretakers that they are to the world.

A vivid and moving story of Spiritual Awakening.......1999-11-03

A wonderful account of two men, a writer and a photographer, who become enveloped in a new consciousness; or more accurately an old one. I was up until the wee hours every night until I finished it. And each morning I found myself more aware of the Creator's presence in every stone,tree and being - an awareness and an awakeining that they are all following God's instructions. Thus, I was gently brought to the question: am I following the Creator's instruction? The "Origional Instructions" Harvey and Steve have passed on to me in this volume have helped me answer that question.

Average customer rating:

McRaven did it better!!
Excellent overview; good first book on building with stone
Very brief, minimal detail.
worth it just for the philosophy
Informative and fun to read; lots of good sense

Building Stone Walls
John Vivian
Manufacturer: Storey Publishing, LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0882660748

Amazon.com

Well, here it is: Basic tools, basic techniques, illustrations and photographs, and all the planning and safety instructions you will need to build a variety of stone walls. This is a book that can help you beautify your back yard with the grace and texture of natural stone, or launch you on a career of reconstructing the Inca Empire or building a second Great Wall of China if you get carried away. Up to you...

Book Description

Includes equipment requirements, instructions for creating wall foundations, coping with drainage problems, and hints for incorporating gates, fences, and stiles.

Customer Reviews:

McRaven did it better!!.......2005-05-06

Charles McRaven's "Building Stone Walls" is much better. Covers all the material and techniques that Vivians book does and more! Don't waste your time on this book. If you're looking for more detail on working with stone, McCraven's book is the one.

Excellent overview; good first book on building with stone.......2002-09-05

Compact and concise, John Vivian's "Building Stone Walls" is a book that you can take with you while collecting (or buying) stone for your project, preparing the location, and building your wall. It offers a good overview of stacking stone, as well as a couple of less common ways of using stone (re-channeling moving water, for example). Best of all, it has some very practical, timesaving tips, particularly advice about when it is necessary to start with a trench and gravel base and when it is not.

With our particular project - building a retaining wall with field stone recycled from decaying fences around our house in the Catskills - we found that Vivian's book did not include quite enough detail. He only supplies a few paragraphs on the construction of a retaining wall, though to be fair, what information he gives is practical. By itself, however, this would not have been enough to guide us through the project.

For more detailed information on retaining walls, we turned to "The Granite Kiss", "Stone in the Garden" and "The Art and Craft of Stonescaping." Keep in mind, however, that the latter two books are more lavishly illustrated, a cross between a how-to book and a coffee-table book, so you probably would not take them out in the field.

That said, if you have never worked with stone, and want to get an idea of what is involved in planning and preparation, finding and moving stone, and building a wall, Vivian's book is a practical and inexpensive book to buy first. Five stars for useful, concise information in a very usable format.

Very brief, minimal detail........2001-09-23

This book concentrates on dry stone walls, even though the title does specifically say this. Although the book does mention mortar stone walls, minimal detail and description is provided. One could not possibly build a mortar stone wall from reading this book.

worth it just for the philosophy.......2000-11-21

This delightful, practical book is worth buying just for the first page of the introduction which is as simple, wise, and true as anything I have ever read -- about walls or about life. The book contains good, solid advice about technique and safety, and provides support for the right way of thinking and planning when you are about to build something that might stand for centuries.

Informative and fun to read; lots of good sense.......1999-10-11

Building Stone Walls, as a book, works very well. The writing, typography, design, and illustration all support one another like well-chosen stones, and the result is pleasing: a simple, wonderful book. Even if you have no plans to build a stone wall, the book is worth reading because you can't help but share the author's enthusiasm as he describes the permanence of stone walls, talks about different kinds of stone, discusses tools and techniques, explains footings and drainage, provides advice for working with not-so-good stone, and shares myriad other pearls of wisdom. And, if you are planning on building a stone wall, or just have a fondness for stone, then by all means add this book to your library.

Open Sources: Voices from the Open Source Revolution (O'Reilly Open Source)

Average customer rating:

Intresting mainly to see the differeces among the authors...
good document - articles a mixed bag (naturally)
A fascinating read
Fascinating essays
a well-intentioned but naive view of software

Open Sources: Voices from the Open Source Revolution (O'Reilly Open Source)
Chris DiBona , Sam Ockman , Mark Stone , Brian Behlendorf , Scott Bradner , Jim Hamerly , Kirk McKusick , Tim O'Reilly , Tom Paquin , Bruce Perens , Eric Raymond , Richard Stallman , Michael Tiemann , Linus Torvalds , Paul Vixie , Larry Wall , and Bob Young
Manufacturer: O'Reilly Media, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1565925823

Amazon.com

Open Sources: Voices from the Open Source Revolution is a fascinating look at the raging debate that is its namesake. Filled with writings from the central players--from Linux creator Linus Torvalds to Perl creator Larry Wall--the book convinces the reader of the overwhelming merits of freeing up the many iterations of software's source code.

The open-source movement has become a cause célèbre in light of the widespread adoption of Linux, Perl, and Apache as well as its corporate support from Netscape, IBM, and Oracle--and strongly felt opposition from Microsoft. Open Sources doesn't address why these Microsoft foes are throwing their weight behind the movement. Instead, it focuses on the history and philosophy of open-source software (previously referred to as freeware) as an argument for shaping the future of programming. Open Sources is much larger than just a fight with any one company. Instead, it is a revolutionary call to release software development from the vested interests that label new directions in software development as threatening.

This is not to say that opening the source code is an entirely egalitarian and communistic endeavor. These are programmers and startup owners; they want to be able to continue to program for a living. To that end, Open Sources contains strong business profiles from entrepreneurs such as Apache's--and now, O'Reilly & Associates'--Brian Behlendorf, who discusses how to give away software in order to lure customers in for specialized versions. In many ways, this is a hands-on guide, displaying an insider's view of the development process and providing specifics on testing details and altering licensing agreements. However, interspersed with tech talk is a reader-friendly guide for those interested in the future of software development. --Jennifer Buckendorff

Book Description

Freely available source code, with contributions from thousands of programmers around the world: this is the spirit of the software revolution known as Open Source. Open Source has grabbed the computer industry's attention. Netscape has opened the source code to Mozilla; IBM supports Apache; major database vendors haved ported their products to Linux. As enterprises realize the power of the open-source development model, Open Source is becoming a viable mainstream alternative to commercial software. Now in Open Sources, leaders of Open Source come together for the first time to discuss the new vision of the software industry they have created. The essays in this volume offer insight into how the Open Source movement works, why it succeeds, and where it is going. For programmers who have labored on open-source projects, Open Sources is the new gospel: a powerful vision from the movement's spiritual leaders. For businesses integrating open-source software into their enterprise, Open Sources reveals the mysteries of how open development builds better software, and how businesses can leverage freely available software for a competitive business advantage. The contributors here have been the leaders in the open-source arena:

Brian Behlendorf (Apache)
Kirk McKusick (Berkeley Unix)
Tim O'Reilly (Publisher, O'Reilly & Associates)
Bruce Perens (Debian Project, Open Source Initiative)
Tom Paquin and Jim Hamerly (mozilla.org, Netscape)
Eric Raymond (Open Source Initiative)
Richard Stallman (GNU, Free Software Foundation, Emacs)
Michael Tiemann (Cygnus Solutions)
Linus Torvalds (Linux)
Paul Vixie (Bind)
Larry Wall (Perl)

This book explains why the majority of the Internet's servers use open- source technologies for everything from the operating system to Web serving and email. Key technology products developed with open-source software have overtaken and surpassed the commercial efforts of billion dollar companies like Microsoft and IBM to dominate software markets. Learn the inside story of what led Netscape to decide to release its source code using the open-source mode. Learn how Cygnus Solutions builds the world's best compilers by sharing the source code. Learn why venture capitalists are eagerly watching Red Hat Software, a company that gives its key product -- Linux -- away. For the first time in print, this book presents the story of the open- source phenomenon told by the people who created this movement. Open Sources will bring you into the world of free software and show you the revolution.

Customer Reviews:

Intresting mainly to see the differeces among the authors..........2001-10-21

This book is an interesting window on the Open Source world. It is a strange planet with strange people. Some crazy idealist like R. Stallman (I like the guy very much), some smart and intelligent person like L. Torvald (he did a very good job with Linux). In between someone that was just in the right place at the right time, but who doesn't deserve so much space and celebrity. I am talking about a person that seems confused as the language he invented: Larry Wall. His contribution does not require further comments.

good document - articles a mixed bag (naturally).......2001-06-11

This is a good idea on O'Reilly's part to try to document the history and goals of the Open Source movement, which had roots in several college campuses and research labs in the '70s and '80s, and became news in the late '90s with the popularity of Linux, Apache, and the decision of Netscape to open its browser source. The best introductory piece, however, is probably Eric Raymond's "Cathedral and the Bazaar" which is not in this book(O'Reilly publishes it separately, but it's available free on the Web and short enough to be read in one sitting). As for this collection, I liked Robert Young's business case for distributing open source - his story of how Red Hat was launched reminds me of the Compaq tale of "three guys in a restaurant". The Apache article is also quite good, and Linus Torvalds offers a brief but interesting (and characteristically opinionated) article about how Linux evolved technically. There's also a good article discussing the various open source licenses (BSD, GPL, Netscape, etc) and what they do and don't restrict.

Others I was less impressed with. Stallman's article is predictable and self-serving. He explains how he evolved his software-as-gift philosophy but doesn't come close to terms with how the software industry can support substantial employment if all source is given away. There's yet another history of the different branches of BSD Unix. There's a breathtaking inside account of the launch of Mozilla which ends with the fancy Silicon Valley party when development has finally gotten underway. The low point is Larry Wall's "essay", which is a frankly ridiculous waste of time and print.

Although this is a mixed bag, there's enough reference material and interesting points of view to keep the book around.

A fascinating read.......2000-12-30

All the essays are well written, enjoyable, informative and a great read. Anyone interested in open source software, where S/W development might be going and Unix/Linux/GNU software in particular, should read this book. One or two essays showing their age, but still worth every penny. Buy it, read it, then encourage your friends to read it as well.

Fascinating essays.......2000-11-16

This book was the first O'Reilly book to contain essays about the concept of Open Source and was later followed by the book, The Cathedral and the Bazaar. While some essays may seem similar to the latter, each of them are still fascinating and offer an insightful look into what makes Open Source work and why this phenomenon has become its own industry.

Among the essays here are included a "history" of Unix, essays about Cygnus (who offers a source code complier program) and Red Hat (who offers Linux), two businesses that sell services related to open source, an essay about the effects of releasing open source code for Netscape, one about the GNU Operating System and even one by Linux Torvals, the "father" of Linux.

What's continually fascinating to me the more I read about Open Source is the amount of time and energy others voluntarily put into an open source project to make it work that much better. Not to mention the entire "society" that is built around Open Source.

An interesting read, along with the Cathedral and the Bazaar.

a well-intentioned but naive view of software.......2000-06-08

Open Sources is a collection of essays by people who have been involved in a prominent way in what is being called "the open source revolution." The authors are all very bright people with good intentions and diverse viewpoints; this makes for interesting reading. However, I had a problem with the introduction. In fact, I hated it. It attempts to couch the issue of free vs. non-free software in religious terms: in the bad old days, free software only came from universities or other government-funded research. Then, a few companies saw the light and began to open-source their software; currently the industry is divided between these companies (the saved) and the rest of the companies (the damned) who will spiral into oblivion due to their proprietary selfishness. I thought the presence of this sort of rhetoric in the introduction, which sets the tone for the rest of the book, was particularly unfortunate.

The essays in Open Sources are a mixed bag. Kirk McKusick's history of Berkeley UNIX is great, as is Michael Tiemann's history of Cygnus Solutions, RMS's article about the GNU project, and Bruce Perens' article about licensing issues. Also, I really enjoyed the transcript of the infamous 1992 flame war between Linus and Andy Tanenbaum about the merits of Linux vs. Minix. On the other hand, Paul Vixie's article about software engineering is pretty random, Larry Wall's article does not seem to have a point at all, and Eric Raymond's

second article and Tom Paquin's account of the open-sourcing of Netscape are too self-serving to be useful.

Book Description

The comprehensive guide to construction tolerances, newly revised and updated

How much may a steel frame be out of plumb? What are the expected variations of a precast concrete panel? What is required to successfully detail finish materials on masonry?

Updating and expanding on its popular first edition, the Handbook of Construction Tolerances, Second Edition remains the only comprehensive reference to the thousands of industry standard tolerances for the manufacture, fabrication, and installation of construction materials and components-- including all-important accumulated dimensional variations.

Covering new materials and techniques developed since the book was first published, the Second Edition of this easy-to-use reference features:
* More than 100 drawings illustrating the tolerance concepts
* New sections on measuring compliance with tolerance standards; right-of-way construction; autoclaved aerated concrete; tilt-up concrete panels; interior stone wall cladding; structural insulated panels; decorative architectural glass; laminated architectural flat glass and bent glass
* New guidelines on how to incorporate tolerance requirements in drawings and specifications
* New information on how to apply tolerance information during contract administration

With the Handbook, architects, engineers, contractors, interior designers, lawyers, and others involved in the construction industry will be armed with the information they need to design and detail more accurately, write better specifications, establish normal practice and standards of care, supervise construction, settle worksite disputes, and save time and money at every stage of building.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Source book.......1999-03-29

This book provides practical construction standards to evaluate construction of a home

Average customer rating:

The Uncommon Power of Common Things
Another flight of imagination from inimitable Goldsworthy
Thoughts from a bent back
Nice stone work

Wall

Manufacturer: Harry N. Abrams
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0810945592

Book Description

British artist Andy Goldsworthy, known for creating art outdoors and from natural materials, has now built a 2,278-foot stone wall at Storm King Art Center, a sculpture park on the Hudson River in Mountainville, New York. This sensitive and detailed response to the land-former farmland in an area once rich in stone walls-is one of his most impressive and important permanent artworks. This new work starts by closely following the foundations of an old, dilapidated wall and then makes a series of increasingly voluptuous arabesques before plunging down into a lake. It rises again on the other side and heads straight up a grassy slope to stop dead at a major highway. The book's stunning color photographs show the wall from every vantage point and in all four seasons, as well as documenting ephemeral work made around it. Kenneth Baker's essay considers the Storm King wall in the context of Goldsworthy's other work. The book accompanies an exhibition at Storm King that opens in May 2000.

More than 60 photographs in full color, 9 1/2 x 10 1/2"

ANDY GOLDSWORTHY was born in 1956 in Cheshire, England. His work is regularly exhibited in Britain, France, the United States, Japan, and elsewhere. Although commissions take him all over the world, the landscape around his home in Dumfriesshire, Scotland, remains at the heart of his work. His previous books include Abrams' Andy Goldsworthy: A Collaboration with Nature, Hand to Earth, Stone, Wood, and Arch. JERRY L. THOMPSON is a highly regarded photographer who has contributed to a number of books, including Abrams' Mark di Suvero. KENNETH BAKER is art critic of the San Francisco Chronicle.

EXHIBITION SCHEDULE Storm King Art Center, Mountainville, New York May-November 2000

Customer Reviews:

The Uncommon Power of Common Things.......2006-04-28

Wall is a visual journey into the uncommon power and beauty of common things. Stones, leaves, a blade of grass. Rushes, thorns, the splash of water on a quiet rock. In the thoughtful hands of artist Andy Goldsworthy, these ordinary landscape artifacts are pressed, moved, shaped and juxtaposed, then left to melt back into earth over time. When viewing Goldsworthy's art, one thinks of the rapt attention of a child, who sees possibility in every fallen branch. Yet, the overall impression is philosophical in nature. Even the person who claims little understanding of art can find a way to enter in, especially with the help of Baker's essay. A beautiful read, a beautiful look.

Another flight of imagination from inimitable Goldsworthy.......2002-09-08

Imagine that you're a giant playing with pebbles in your backyard. There's a big puddle nearby, and a lot of weeds. You idly pick up pebble after pebble, placing them gently one on top of the other, winding what ends up being a wall through the weeds until it gets to the edge of the puddle. That's the deliciously disconcerting feeling you'll get as you page through Andy Goldsworthy's "Wall."

A document of the design and construction of Goldsworthy's wall at Mountainville, New York, the book details the finding of the original, now-falling-down stone wall and the decision to recreate and embellish upon this. Andy Goldsworthy was called in to design the new wall. While he begins by following what is left of the old wall, his work is looser, more elegant, almost scroll-like as it winds down the hill and plunges directly into the water of the lake. There is a calligraphic quality to this wall that's visually arresting and, quite simply, beautiful.

Along with the wall, Goldsworthy can't resist playing with nature in other ways and these photographs are thoughtfully included as well. We see the line of chrome yellow leaves he's stitched together and placed on the wall, the holes he's filled with crimson leaves and water, and the tree whose bark he's lined with, well, other trees! It's astounding to see how Goldsworthy's brain works and what handsome design statements result from his creativity.

Thoughts from a bent back.......2000-12-30

As one of the wallers involved in the building of Andy's wall at Storm King, I can honestly say that this book gives a really good insight into the ideas behind his work and some of the technicalities involved in its construction. The photography is wonderful and the text informative. This book is well worth a look, and so is the wall itself.

Nice stone work.......2000-06-14

The photography in this book is stunning, as is most of Andy's work. The real heroes of the Wall at Stormking are the Dykers, mainly Max Nowell legendary stone worker from South west Scotland.

Good Fences: A Pictorial History of New England's Stone Walls

Average customer rating:

A rare, visual treat documents a profession that leaves behind monuments of wonder from its builder/artists.
Do Yourself a Favor and Read This

Good Fences: A Pictorial History of New England's Stone Walls
William Hubbell
Manufacturer: Down East Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0892726768

Book Description

For this stunning new volume, photographer William Hubbell has turned his lens toward New England's ubiquitous stone walls. Beginning with the basic geology of the region and why New England has so many darned rocks, he presents a chronological overview of the varying styles and methods of wall building, and includes conversations with six contemporary wall builders. The result is a surprising and refreshing look at stone walls and at the history of New England.

Customer Reviews:

A rare, visual treat documents a profession that leaves behind monuments of wonder from its builder/artists........2006-12-14

GOOD FENCES: A PICTORIAL HISTORY OF NEW ENGLAND'S STONE WALLS provides a lovely pictorial celebration of these walls accompanied by text surveying their history and construction. Six stone wall builders and their works receive in-depth focus, while photos provide close-up details profiling unusual walls. A rare, visual treat documents a profession that leaves behind monuments of wonder from its builder/artists.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Do Yourself a Favor and Read This.......2006-10-05

The popular saying is that "good fences make good neighbors." My thought is that the book "Good Fences" will make many of us more knowledgeable about what is around us. I live in Maine. Rural Maine. We have a lot of stone walls on the property. Some were from stones that cleared the fields so that cows could pasture. Others were moved to form a cow run to a pond so that the cattle could drink in an orderly fashion. They are large rocks for the most part. Not easily moved and majestic in repose.

I have always looked at stone walls with a sense of appreciation of why they were constructed in the first place. Especially when deer hunting and you think you are a long way from civlization and you come across a stone wall in the middle of the woods. It didn't just grow there. Someone built it and the "why and how" is the most interesting aspect of it.

William Hubbell has collected a number of such walls in the pages of this book and photgrahed them in a loving fashion and told their story in the the same way.

I have seen such walls constructed. It takes a special person to carry and fit the stones. They often have as much imagiination as one who weilds a paint brush over a canvas. The results can be stunning or simply practical.

In any event they are a phenominon worth dealing with and Mr. Hubble has done it in a most worthwhile way.

Average customer rating:

WOWZER
Awesome
Every generation is the foundation of the next
A book for the 'New America'
Very Moving!

The Pearls of the Stone Man
Edward Mooney
Manufacturer: Champion Press (WI)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Journey of the Stone Man

ASIN: 1891400738

Book Description

A couple returns to the mountain town they grew up in to find the answer to an old puzzle that has bothered them for years. They were two of the many young people who grow up without much parental involvement, and end up in trouble. An old man reached out to these two teens during his sunset years, and shared some of the truths that make life meaningful.

Customer Reviews:

WOWZER.......2006-12-29

THIS IS THE BEST BOOK. MR. MOONEY WAS A TEACHER OF MINE LIKE 10 YEARS AGO. BEST TEACHER EVER! AND HE READ THIS BOOK TO THE CLASS AND I WAS HOOKED. AMAZING! GOOD JOB!

Awesome.......2004-10-06

This is an excellent book for anyone in high school and above-its a classical novel that has depth and meaning unlike lots of books today....It's similar to the Notebook in a way; the book deals with a love that lasts through the ages rather than a fling. It's an emotional book that does moves slow; however, everyone in my high school loved it.

Every generation is the foundation of the next.......2004-08-21

In the prologue to "The Pearls of the Stone Man" a young couple, Shannon and Tim, are driving up to Pine Mountain on a Saturday in spring with their two kids in a mini-van. Once again, Shannon wants to stop and see the old house, still trying to solve the mystery of an old man's final words: "Remember the stone." The old man they called grandpa was not related to either of them by blood, but that is the point of this novel by Edward Mooney, Jr.

At the heart of this delicate little novel is the marriage of Joseph and Anne Marino. After 53 years of marriage these two still love each other and live in a small house at the base of Pine Mountain. But even before they find out that there are only months left to their love affair instead of years, Joseph has been aware that they are running out of time and has become preoccupied with thoughts of things undone. For thirty years he has been talking about climbing the mountain that he talks to every day, but that is just one of a long list of things he has not done. In fact, there is a list on his closet door that he made of things that he wanted to do. But Anne challenges him to name two projects that he has actually finished and Joseph is consumed with the idea he has so many unfinished pieces of business and all the regrets that he is carrying.

Then, everything changes because time is running out and the most important thing in Joseph's world becomes trying to reconcile with his estranged son and finishing the stone wall that Anne asked for years ago. Seeing Joseph pulling his wagon full of stones for Anne's wall earns him the nickname of the "Stone Man." The pearls in the title belong to Anne, although obviously there is a metaphorical meaning to world as well, as a much younger Shannon and Tim learn.

That is because while the love between Joey and Annie has not changed over a half-century lots of other things have, such as the way children are raised. Shannon and Tim are but two of the troubled teenagers living on Pine Mountain, where the sight of an old man pulling a wagon full of stones is something that inspires words of ridicule and acts of cruelty. But whereas Joseph responds to these insults and injuries with anger over the impotence of an old man, it is Annie who suggests a better way of dealing with the escalating problem.

"The Pearls of the Stone Man" is about a love that transcends death and that is there today and always. It is also a tale about responsibility that makes the case for how in a relationship each person has 100% responsibility for that relationship, in contrast to the erroneous assumption you only have 50% of the responsibility (it is 100% responsibility because it is a total responsibility for the relationship). Mooney creates a beautiful portrait of such a relationship and when we finally learn the meaning of the old man's words it is a simple and profound message. You should have come to all of these conclusions through reading the novel, but just in case anyone misses the point Mooney provides an eloquent benediction.

It turns out that "The Pearls of the Stone Man" is the first of a trilogy, the second volume of which, "The Journey of the Stone Man," will be published next month (September 2004). This will be an interesting trilogy in that the story will be apparently working its way backwards through time. The second book takes place a quarter-century earlier as Joseph and his teenage son, Paul, take a cross-country trip in a "Woody" station wagon. Given what we know about the troubled relationship between father and son from this first novel, it will be interesting to see what Mooney weaves with his next narrative.

A book for the 'New America'.......2003-12-31

While in The States last summer, I visited a bookstore and came across the 'Pearls of the Stone Man'. I read the first page and couldn't put it down. Edward Mooney's moving novel reveals the power of love in family life.
Joseph and Anne, in their seventies, don't have the passion of young lovers but share the deeper love and intimacy that comes from sharing their lives for half a century. 'The Pearls of the Stone Man' is a heavenly guide to understanding the basics for a better, richer life.
Family bonds are as strong and meaningful as love is. Stones will turn into pearls if one can find the truth of life. I look forward to a translation of 'The Pearls of the Stone Man' for the German market. I'm sure it will be a big hit here.
Mooney is a masterful storyteller, and I eagerly await his next book 'The Journey of the Stone Man'.

Very Moving!.......2003-10-29

This is an excellence book to read. I found it was a great story on how different generations can work together. It touched my heart all thru the book. A must read for everyone!

Stone by Stone: The Magnificent History in New England's Stone Walls

Average customer rating:

Messy Work
Densely enjoyable
Fascinating and comprehensive
Solidly Magnificent
More Geology Than Walls

Stone by Stone: The Magnificent History in New England's Stone Walls
Robert Thorson
Manufacturer: Walker & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0802776876

Book Description

There once may have been 250,000 miles of stone walls in America’s Northeast, stretching farther than the distance to the moon. They took three billion man-hours to build. And even though most are crumbling today, they contain a magnificent scientific and cultural story—about the geothermal forces that formed their stones, the tectonic movements that brought them to the surface, the glacial tide that broke them apart, the earth that held them for so long, and about the humans who built them.

Stone walls tell nothing less than the story of how New England was formed, and in Robert Thorson’s hands they live and breathe. “The stone wall is the key that links the natural history and human history of New England,” Thorson writes. Millions of years ago, New England’s stones belonged to ancient mountains thrust up by prehistoric collisions between continents. During the Ice Age, pieces were cleaved off by glaciers and deposited—often hundreds of miles away—when the glaciers melted. Buried again over centuries by forest and soil buildup, the stones gradually worked their way back to the surface, only to become impediments to the farmers cultivating the land in the eighteenth century, who piled them into “linear landfills,” a place to hold the stones. Usually the biggest investment on a farm, often exceeding that of the land and buildings combined, stone walls became a defining element of the Northeast’s landscape, and a symbol of the shift to an agricultural economy.

Stone walls layer time like Russian dolls, their smallest elements reflecting the longest spans, and Thorson urges us to study them, for each stone has its own story. Linking geological history to the early American experience, Stone by Stone presents a fascinating picture of the land the Pilgrims settled, allowing us to see and understand it with new eyes.

Customer Reviews:

Messy Work.......2005-07-11

I became so angry at one paragraph of Mr. Thorson's book, that I decided to write a review attacking it. You may find the guilty paragraph on page 141, if you dare.

In it, Thorson calculates the number of man-days needed to build New England's stone walls. His most obvious problem is with numbers. He writes that four rods equals sixty-four feet. Actually, it equals sixty-six. More impressively, Thorson mistakenly calculates that 240,000 miles is the same as 819,088,710 feet, instead of 1,267,200,000. He is off by about four hundred million feet. He should have noticed that his first estimate was accurate to the nearest ten thousand miles, his second to the nearest ten feet.

Moreover, in his discussion of how many feet a waller can work in a day, Thorson reveals a lack of common sense. He writes that modern masons lay 20 feet of wall in a day, whereas modern British masons can only lay 15-18 feet a day. Those lazy Brits! One may wish to compare these two rates to that of old New England farmers. According to Thorson, these farmers could lay stone fence at 64 (or 66) feet a day, over three times as fast as those in modern times.

In case we are befuddled by his leaps in logic, Thorson provides an endnote, which, alas, only further reveals his incompetence. First he notes that his calculation covers only the act of building a wall, not the act of carrying over the stones. Then why does he write that farmers needed oxen to help them build their walls?

Next, Thorson writes that he needed three statistics to make his calculation: the number of hours in the work day of a farmer, the number of miles of stone wall in New England, and the average rate of construction. Why did he need to know the number of hours in a work day? None of his statistics were in hours! We turn to the only possible solution: perhaps, Thorson was given his statistics on wall-building in feet per hour and converted to feet per day. Let us examine the three groups he studied: old New Englanders, Brits, and Moderns, to see if this may be the case. For the New Englanders, Thorson quotes a source: "four rods a day;" no need to convert here. For the British, Thorson gives the statistic: 5-6 yards a day. If he had converted, it would have been from a source which wrote that Brits make walls at .675 to .75 yards an hour; no source would ever estimate in such terms. The only place Thorson could possibly have used the eight-hour-day would have been in calculating the labor rate of the modern mason. But in giving his statistic, Thorson does not cite anyone. If he used someone's statistic and then converted, he should have cited. If he did not use anyone's statistic, then there would have been no need for him to convert, and the eight-hour-day would have been completely useless. Thus, Thorson's third piece of "required" information, the eight hour day, is either not required, or indicative of academic dishonesty.

This completes the critique. Admittedly, my judging a book by one paragraph is unfair. Yet, Mr. Thorson chose to include this paragraph in his book; it is indicative of him and his research. As such I do not trust either one.

Densely enjoyable.......2005-03-02

Thorson's discussion of frost heave is so wonderful I no longer resent picking those damn rocks out of the garden. Well, I still don't like those damn cobbles and pebbles but at least now it makes sense. I lived on sand in Schenectady, NY for awhile and I almost forgot how easy mending that lawn was, you could dig without a shovel, but New England called me home and alas this is a land of rocks, but walking through the woods here in Massachusetts with its stranded rock walls, whose existence in trackless woods makes one wonder who built them, so long ago that the trees surrounding them are well over 100 feet high, humbles one, such a long history, so many generations gone, you can feel the hard labor that must have gone into hauling these tons of rock, these walls that run up and down hillsides through woods that haven't seen farming in over 150 years.

I loved the soil talk, the geology, the history lesson, this is real history, the story of the people, explaining the reasons for the individual decisions of the many; the big history moves are the result of the many many little historical imperatives.

If you live in New England or any other glaciated terrain, you should read this book, you will find your surroundings, your own neighborhood woods, a source of new fascination.

Fascinating and comprehensive.......2003-12-07

This is a wonderful book. It blends science, history and art to create an interesting perspective on the stone walls of New England. Thorson discusses the geological aspects of stone, the various types of stone walls and how they were built as well as the process of frost heaving and the disintegration of old walls. I hope this book causes people who have looked at stone walls and have seen only rocks to take a new, deeper look at them. They, and "Stone by Stone" are quite poetic.

Solidly Magnificent.......2003-11-23

"The stone walls of New England stand guard against a future
that seems to be coming too quickly. They urge us to slow down
and to recall the past."

This is only one of the many observations that Professor Thorson
concludes his marvelous book with. I must admit that his final,
summarizing chapter actually brought a tear to my eye - hardly
to be expected from a book on geology and regional history
mixed with, amongst other topics, some anthropology.

In other words this book has enough of everything to satisfy
every curiosity you might have about those tumbled down rows
of stones found in just about every New England forest and
suburb. A surprising wealth of information on numerous topics.
Fascinating scientific and cultural and historical background -
far more than one would ever expect to encounter considering
the topic. And Professor Thorson's writing style is commendably
clear and readable, with a poet's affection for his topic.

Quite simply one of the best nonfiction books I think I have ever
read (and I read quite a lot), for its perfect fusion of research, understanding and sentiment.

Almost an answer to my prayers during so many long, wandering and wondering forest walks.
I encourage you to read this book.

More Geology Than Walls.......2003-05-24

When I picked up this book I thought: "How can an entire book be written about stones walls?" As it turns out the author did not write an entire book about stone walls.

The author gives us the hisory of stone walls starting with the formation of the earth, through formation of rocks, the ice age and finally American history. There is actually more about geology that stone walls themselves, although the author tried mightily to write a few hundred pages about them.

The geology and history is well-written and interesting. I learned quite about when walls were generally built and how the stones came to be that comprised them. However, the last third or so of the book - that part devoted to the walls themselves was often redundant. It seemed the author was searching for words to fill the pages and stretching - like the last pages of a term paper you know should be eight pages but you have to make the assigned ten pages.

A chapter on builders and technique would have been more useful than the stretched parts.

Book Description

Since 1973, Storey's Country Wisdom Bulletins have offered practical, hands-on instructions designed to help readers master dozens of country living skills quickly and easily. There are now more than 170 titles in this series, and their remarkable popularity reflects the common desire of country and city dwellers alike to cultivate personal independence in everyday life.

Customer Reviews:

Has the basics.......2007-09-13

I found the suggestions about safety, various methods of lifting heavy materials and the general description of rock wall building extremely helpful. In fact, he has some ideas of lifting large (heavy) rocks that I did not find in the other books I purchased and it has been just the right advice. However, when using this book as a guide, if you do not have "perfect" fieldstone or limestone rocks to lay, it leaves you wondering what to do with the rocks you have in YOUR yard. Since I live in the west and we have an abundance of volcanic "not so good" rocks which I wanted to use, this booklet was of limited assistance in helping me figure out how to use the rock I actually have available (and for free too, except for the labor of finding and hauling them). Great slabby rocks are unusual in this part of the country, so a book telling how to lay only nice, flat on-all-sides rock was of limited assistance. Thankfully, a 1976 Building Stone Walls by John Vivian (Garden Way Publishing) helped me figure out how to use what I actually have to build with.

Not Much More Than a Magazine Article.......2007-07-13

This is a tiny pamphlet that contains readily common knowledge which could be found in a magazine or internet article. Not really worth the trouble.

Not enough info.......2007-01-19

This is just a summary of McRaven's larger book. Not really worth the energy as you can get the full book for a few dollars and it certainly IS worth reading and owning. Both items lack a discussion of lime mortar for building and preservation. McRaven believes (at least from what I read) that a Portland based mortar perhaps type K or O is vastly superior to a Lime mortar also called type L (no Portland) I think the issue is more complicated and one must take into account the masonry units used in building and there relationship with the mortar. Certain stone may be fine for Portland cement (... the material described in this book) but other stones (sand stone or handmade brick in particular) will suffer from the rigidity of the stiff mortar. READ lots before you repair or build. This book in its full size is great background information

Great resource!.......2006-08-09

Very good resource for a bulletin sized book. Great tips on basic safety as well as mixing mortar, obtaining stone, etc.

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