The Adobe Story [Paperback]

Paul G., Jr. McHenry (Author), Helen K. Kerschner (Afterword, Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2000

Most Americans associate adobe with grand haciendas in the deserts of New Mexico and Arizona. But this earthen building material is used all over the world. Here a leading adobe architect and builder surveys the use of adobe around the world, examines the state of the adobe industry today, traces the evolution of adobe in New Mexico, and offers a tour of New Mexico adobes from prehistoric Chaco Canyon to such recent buildings as the Dar Al Islam mosque and Christ in the Desert Monastery, both near Abiquiu. First published in 1996, this informative book is now available only from UNM Press.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"McHenry has been a dominant figure in the resurgence of adobe construction. . . . -- New Mexico Magazine

About the Author

Paul G. McHenry, Jr., lives in Albuquerque. He is also the author of Adobe Build-It-Yourself and Adobe and Rammed Earth Buildings.

Product Details

• Paperback: 136 pages
• Publisher: University of New Mexico Press (August 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0826319211
• ISBN-13: 978-0826319210
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,635,686 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent introduction, September 20, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Adobe Story (Paperback)

- Adobe has been used throughout the world for centuries. Why then is it no longer favored in the borderlands? Perhaps we've taken this "global treasure" for granted, or worse, thought it too old-fashioned for the present century. This book is an excellent introduction to material of adobe itself and the cultures of people who used adobe to create shelter. This is a book with practical sensibilities; after all, it was funded in part by the United States Agency for International Development.

4.0 out of 5 stars An excellent primer on Adobe buildings, November 9, 1999

By 

David J. Lehleitner (St. Louis, Missouri USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Adobe Story (Paperback)

The author leads you through Adobe's history, advantages, varieties and mythology. Photographs from around the world illustrate Adobe buildings from ancient times to today's current structures. Often associated with luxury homes, Adobe houses come in all price ranges.

Well-organized, the book guides you on a tour of a dozen New Mexico famous buildings such as Taos Pueblo. It takes you to Peru, Bolivia and the middle East to examine Adobe's place in a variety of cultures. Personally photographed by the author, the many photos illustrate the versatility in its use, design and complexity.

The task of housing this planet's six billion people is a growing problem. One solution is using the dirt beneath our feet as material. Adobe is baked by the sun, requires unskilled labor and last for centuries. Half of the homes on Earth are built of earth ... more than any other material. The book is interesting to read and increases awareness of this often overlooked solution to World housing.

4.0 out of 5 stars An eye opener, April 3, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Adobe Story (Paperback)

An unusual approach to explore the roots of simple earthen architecture. The similarities found in many parts of the world are clearly illustrated with photos. It offers solutions for ecologically sensitive housing that is available to all.