Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A must-have book on redesigning the bathroom., June 29, 1997
By A Customer
This review is from: The Bathroom (Paperback)
This unique book is the only scientific analysis of bathrooms and their functions that I have ever been able to find. The author has had a major influence on, or actually helped write, the building standards that most modern bathrooms are built in accordance with. Nevertheless, the book concludes that the bathroom is an essentially mis-designed space in virtually all North American homes. The very fixtures such as sinks, bathtubs and toilets are poorly designed, and need to be completely rethought. This book is essential for those interested in designing objects for human use, the architecture of bathrooms, and the psychology of the continued use of poor standards. One caveat is that the book contains graphic depictions of people urinating and defecating, in order to present ground data for use in fixture design. Finally, it should be noted that the author is rumored to be hard at work on a revised 3rd edition, which will hopefully see print sometime in the next few years
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An awesome book...an absolute MUST read., June 5, 1997
By A Customer
Believe it or not, this book is one of the more seminal works of the second half of the twentieth century. Why it is out of print (and it is VERY hard to find, because no one will part with their copy) is a complete mystery. This very substantial book (hundreds of pages, large format, hundreds of photos) is the absolute definitive work on bathroom design. In awe-inspiring detail, Alexander Kira analyzes bathroom functions versus bathroom fixtures. Imagine, if you will, hundreds of pictures showing people showering and urinating in front of calibrated background grids. The book is at once scholarly, on target, and hysterically funny. It will forever change the way you think of the simple toilet. If you ever see a copy in a used bookstore...grab it
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Bathroom, December 8, 2002
If you are human and have ever had the need to use a bathroom for any reason, you would find something of interest in this book. Every use and function of the bathroom structure has been considered. Some of the findings in this book might appear crude but it reveils much of the stuff we have been sitting on for years to be just one step above a hole in the ground. Bodily hygene before the invention of the bathroom to modern ideas of what a bathroom is and how our society regards such matters are researched in detail. This book is fun & informative. Hours of leg numbing reading.
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