Customer Reviews

The Campus Guides: West Point U.S. Military Academy

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Miller's enthusiasm, likes, and dislikes come through in this wonderful guide to West Point. Rather than the sterile descriptions often found in guide books, Miller's love of architecture lets us know honestly how and why any given building is magnificent, or why it' s an abomination (in his opinion). Full of interesting historical and archectural information and well illustrated, it's also humorous in its sometimes blunt appraisals; in short, everything I want from a living, breathing tour guide when on a tour.

Excellent book, great history of the campus. we use this book to facilitate a campus tour guide, very helpful. i highly recommend it if visiting West Point

Although it contains some errors of fact with regard to Academy history (shame on WP grad Alexander Haig for calling Col. Thayer West Point's first superintendent--he was the sixth), the photographs (by Richard Cheek) and commentary on the Point's buildings in Rod Miller's book are fabulous. It's a nice companion to any walking tour--IF (and only if) you have a passion for architecture. If it's a more general Academy history you want, there are better books.

(I wish someone would do a guide to the structures you can see from the Academy over on the east side of the Hudson.)

A wonderful, well-written, and very interesting guide to the West Point Campus: its buildings and history. The photographs complement the writing wonderfully, making for an all-around great guidebook.

For anyone interested in West Point, or architecture in general, the book is a must. For those interested in a fascinating look at one of our nation's most important landmarks, pick up the book. You'll know more than when you started and you won't be disappointed.

It's an extremely aesthetic book, with beautiful photography and pertinent maps. I would have liked just a little more emphasis on what the buildings are used for, along with the exhaustive architectural notes.

As someone who loves and writes about the West Point landscape, I found this book to be most enjoyable. Miller takes a building-by-building approach to the Academy grounds, addressing architectural style and each building's history. The format is encyclopedic, so it's not something you'll necessarily read front-to-back, but you can pick it up and flip to almost any page and learn something. He even talks about the residential housing and less "important" buildings. The text is supplemented by mostly modern photos, including many close-ups of building details. I like it.
Jon Malinowski, co-author, "The Spirit of West Point: Celebrating 200 Years"