Concrete Century: Julius Kahn and the Construction Revolution

SMITH, MICHAEL G.

Humor & Entertainment

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN REGIONAL

The Affairs of Daura

Politics & Social Sciences

Politics & Government

Univ. Of California Pr.

Rockets and Revolution offers a multifaceted study of the race toward space in the first half of the twentieth century, examining how the Russian, European, and American pioneers competed against one another in the early years to acquire the fundamentals of rocket science, engineer simple rockets, and ultimately prepare the path for human spaceflight. 
Between 1903 and 1953, Russia matured in radical and dramatic ways as the tensions and expectations of the Russian revolution drew it both westward and spaceward. European and American industrial capacities became the models to imitate and to surpass. The burden was always on Soviet Russia to catch up—enough to achieve a number of remarkable “firsts” in these years, from the first national rocket society to the first comprehensive surveys of spaceflight. Russia rose to the challenges of its Western rivals time and again, transcending the arenas of science and technology and adapting rocket science to popular culture, science fiction, political ideology, and military programs. While that race seemed well on its way to achieving the goal of space travel and exploring life on other planets, during the second half of the twentieth century these scientific advances turned back on humankind with the development of the intercontinental ballistic missile and the coming of the Cold War.

Rockets and Revolution: A Cultural History of Early Spaceflight

History

Americas

University Of Nebraska Press

In the early 1900s, Detroit was leading the nation in architectural innovation and designer Wirt Rowland was at the forefront of this advancement, yet few are even aware of his substantial contribution to the evolution of architectural style. It is widely believed that celebrated local architect Albert Kahn designed many of Detroit's structures, such as the General Motors and First National Bank buildings. In fact, while Kahn's efforts were focused on running his highly successful firm, it was Rowland, his chief designer, who was responsible for the appearance and layout of these buildings-an important point in appreciating the contributions of both Kahn and Rowland. During the early twentieth century, Rowland devised a wholly new or "modern" design for buildings, one not reliant on decorative elements copied from architecture of the past. As buildings became more specialized for their intended use, Rowland met the challenge with entirely new design methodologies and a number of improved technologies and materials that subsequently became commonplace. 
Designing Detroit: Wirt Rowland and the Rise of Modern American Architecture begins with a brief overview of Rowland's early life and career. Author Michael G. Smith goes on to analyze Rowland's achievements in building design and as a leader of Detroit's architectural community throughout both World Wars and the Great Depression. The interdependence of architecture with the city's fluctuating economic prosperity and population growth is explored, illuminating the conditions for good architecture and the arts in general. The author identifies the influence of Jay Hambidge's "dynamic symmetry" in Rowland's work and how it allowed him to employ color as a modern replacement for traditional ornamentation, leading to the revolutionary design of the Union Trust (Guardian) Building, for which he receives nearly unanimous praise in national media. This book is concerned primarily with Rowland's influence on Detroit architecture, but spans beyond his work in Michigan to include the designer's broad reach from New York to Miami. A comprehensive appendix includes extensive lists of Rowland's publications, locations he had designed, and jobs taken on by his firm during his tenure.
This book represents new research and insights not previously discussed in either scholarly or general audience texts and will be of interest to casual readers of Detroit history, as well as architecture historians.

Designing Detroit: Wirt Rowland and the Rise of Modern American Architecture (Great Lakes Books)

Biographies & Memoirs

Regional U.S.

Wayne State University Press

Essential Cob Construction: A Guide to Design, Engineering, and Building (Sustainable Building Essentials Series)

Arts & Photography

Dente, Anthony

Burke, Massey

Architecture

New Society Publishers

A comprehensive guide to the rediscovery of the ancient energy in quartz crystals. Shows you how to build simple but powerful devices that amplify mental and emotional powers and awaken and augment psychic talents. You will learn to make an Atlantean Rod of Power that sends out a particle beam to heal or to defend yourself; a headband to augment ESP; and more.

Crystal Power

Self-Help

Personal Transformation

Llewellyn Publications

Crystal Vision (formerly Crystal Spirit, now revised and expanded) gives you what no other crystal book does -- directions for how to perform your own miracles through advanced crystal technology that taps directly into powerful Universal Energy. Discover how to make some of the most powerful shamanic crystal tools in use today. Explore ways you can develop your inborn talents to create the world of your dreams.

Crystal Vision: Shamanic Tools for Change & Awakening (Llewellyn's Psi-Tech Series)

Westhorp, Lin

Social Sciences

Detailed steps on how to build an earthen home.

The Cobber's Companion: How to Build Your Own Earthen Home

Cob Cottage

Learn how to hand-sculpt your own beautiful earthen home for $10,000. This 3rd edition of The Cobber's Companion is the most up-to-date manual on building with cob, a traditional mixture of earth, sand and straw.  It includes new techniques and photos as well as many helpful illustrations.    Cob is easy to learn and inexpensive to build. It dries to a hardness similar to lean concrete and is used like adobe to create self-supporting, load-bearing walls; it is non-toxic and completely recyclable. Because cob adds thermal mass, it is ideal for passive solar buildings.    In addition to telling you how to build with cob, this books tells how to select building materials and determine the best mixture for a given soil; sculpt a personalized house with built-in seats, counters, shelves and niches; evaluate natural alternatives for roofs, floors, plasters and insulation; reduce your dependency on money and environmentally harmful practices, and avoid the costly mistakes many novice builders make.    The companion is a practical guide based on the experience of Cob Cottage Company and its associates. The ideas and techniques have been developed and tested during the construction of over 100 cob buildings throughout the US and Canada, with several more in Mexico, Denmark, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. The book is intended as a companion to rather than a substitute for workshops and other hands-on learning.

The Cobber's Companion: How to Build Your Own Earthen Home, 3rd Edition

Crafts, Hobbies & Home

Home Improvement & Design

The Spacefaring Earth

Routledge

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Books by SMITH, MICHAEL G.