Customer Reviews

In the Company of Stone

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Want to learn how to make a stone wall a piece of art instead of construction? Dan Snow will guide you in this book. A book very strong in artistic expression, not construction technique. One excellent resource is the detail in the back which provides important information on how long each project took, stone sources, and construction methods. Photographer understands the art of stone because he uses his art well to express the art of the stone. You may not learn a whole lot, but you will be inspired, and thats the strength of his work!Its not construction, its truely ART!

Being a native resident of Vermont this book is very precious to me. I lived on a dairy farm with dry stone walls that were very plain. Dan Snow made the process into an art form as well as for practical use. The back of the book gives locations of some of his work here in VT and NH and I look forward to seeing some of it next summer. This book is one that should sit on a coffee table to be picked up and scanned by your guests rather than sitting on a bookcase shelf. The book is not only about the work of Dan Snow but a showcase of the photos by Peter Mauss, in color as well as black & white. It is a book you will treasure.

Many books explain the "how-to" of stonework; in this book Dan Snow explains the "why". The reader gets a glimpse of the creative possibilities of stone. Excellent photography; inspiring. This book is a "must-have" for anyone interested in stonework.

This is not a "how-to" book - it's better than that. It's a "why" book. The author expresses in his understated manner the "why's" of working with stone and for anyone who feels about stone the way he does (and I do)it is a delight to read - and look at. This book is absolutely inspirational and a joy.

Over a decade ago, Dan Snow repaired the hundred-year-old dry stone walls that wander across our property in Vermont. The tumbled stone had been evocative, but the symmetry of the reassembled walls has been an irresistible delight. I do not know Snow--he worked while we were away--but I have thanked him a million times for his art. In this book, he has somehow captured with words the sensory pleasure of organizing and reorganizing stones. The art of walling, as evidenced by Peter Mauss's photographs, and the skill of walling, as described by Snow, are compulsively fascinating, an adventure for the armchair dreamer.
The text and illustrations blend carefully, and the color photographs sparkle. The reproduction of the black and white photographs varies in quality, alas. This is a charming book. An excellent companion book is Gordon Hayward's "Stone in the Garden."

Dan Snows stonework may be some of the best in the world. Of all the stonework I have seen over the years his stands of as the best of the best.
This book illustrates much of Dans work demonstrating what is possible.
Most of this work is dry laid stone which is an art in itself. For those who like work utilizing mortar I recommend Lew Frenches book. Buy this book if you love to view stonework that makes you say " WOW!"

I found this book in the library looking for instruction, and I wasn't interested in another book of pretty pictures. Still, I picked it up, and then spent a good 45 minutes pouring over the pictures and descriptions. And the next day, the images were still in my head. Also the following week. Now that's a good book. It's well organized, beautifully photographed, and wonderfully inspiring. Highly recommended.

In The Company Of Stone isn't just a landscaper's book, but deserves a spot on the art shelf as a survey of the art involved in building the stone wall. From Snow's own experiences working in stone to the various alternative designs offered by stone wall structures, In The Company Of Stone pairs black and white photos by Peter Mauss with the author/artist's reflections.

This is a beautiful book. Great for the coffee table collection and perfect for just browsing through. Besides that though, it's informative and inspiring. I've made up my mind that when we move into our retirement home in six months, we will work on creating something lovely with stone for our small back yard.
Highly recommended!

Dan Snow is a poet, and artist and a craftsman who bring life out of stone. His narrative tells a story on several levels: the wall being constructed, its inspiration and its deeper meaning as metaphor. I am grateful to have encountered his work.