After graduating from the Yale School of Architecture, Don Metz decided to take up a small country practice in lieu of seeking success with a popular commercial firm. His choice led to personal and philosophical fulfillment, as well as recognition as a maverick architect who could build honest, reliable, and sustainable homes. It only followed that he would go on to write several books on architecture. Metz is also a novelist, and in Confessions of a Country Architect, he adroitly blends his writer's craft with his years in architecture to detail a touching and waggish memoir of his career. With warm wry humor and slapstick pathos reminiscent of James Herriot's All Creature's Great and Small, the feisty "flatlander" modestly recounts the ever-challenging and often-comical life of a country architect. A builder in his own right, Metz is also a practical -- but always creative and problem-solving -- hands-on architect. From his early years working with "a weapons-grade jackhammer" in a quarry to the construction of an earth-sheltered house, Metz details the panoply of noble goals and eccentric whims of his diverse clientele. Whether you are ready to summon up the courage to build a house, or content with an armchair with a view, Confessions provides a delightful account of the author's adventures as he navigates the awkward, intractable, and hilariously messy job of building dreams.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Review
"Anyone who has built or renovated a house -- or who is thinking
about doing it -- should read this book. Don Metz puts you in
the middle of things, honestly and directly. We know the scent
of the land, the feel of the construction site, and we experience
the variety of emotions that appear when people set about
changing raw materials into livable dreams."
"This retrospect on forty years of house design shows as much
care in its narration as its author has applied to his superb
architecture. Don Metz's latest book is remarkable for its
compassion, enthusiasm, joy, pathos, appreciation of character,
and, crucially, humor. Confessions of a Country Architect is a home,
at once quiet and magisterial, for the reader's spirit."
"From hilarious to poignant and back again, Don Metz guides the
reader through a lifetime of intriguing experiences and characters,
reinforcing our belief that residential architecture is often more about
being a psychiatrist than designing and building. This book is a great
mix of Reality TV and musings on the philosophical underpinnings
of both the structure of buildings and the fabric human existence."
about doing it -- should read this book. Don Metz puts you in
the middle of things, honestly and directly. We know the scent
of the land, the feel of the construction site, and we experience
the variety of emotions that appear when people set about
changing raw materials into livable dreams."
"This retrospect on forty years of house design shows as much
care in its narration as its author has applied to his superb
architecture. Don Metz's latest book is remarkable for its
compassion, enthusiasm, joy, pathos, appreciation of character,
and, crucially, humor. Confessions of a Country Architect is a home,
at once quiet and magisterial, for the reader's spirit."
"From hilarious to poignant and back again, Don Metz guides the
reader through a lifetime of intriguing experiences and characters,
reinforcing our belief that residential architecture is often more about
being a psychiatrist than designing and building. This book is a great
mix of Reality TV and musings on the philosophical underpinnings
of both the structure of buildings and the fabric human existence."
About the Author
A graduate of the Yale School of Architecture, Don Metz is a pioneer in the field of green architecture, including four decades of residential work throughout New England. He is the author of several books on architecture as well as two novels, Catamount Bridge and King of the Mountain. This book delivers an architect/writer's insights into the foibles and triumphs inherent in the close and sometimes perilous relationships between architects, builders and their clients.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
By A. DeWolf
Format:Hardcover
This very enjoyable trip through one man's journey in his chosen field is part memoir, part ramble on the New England Yankee mystique, and part serious soul search on the relevance and meaning of one's life work.
Don Metz has woven an engaging story around the progress made by himself and two classmates and colleagues who choose different paths in the world of architecture following graduate school.
For any one who loves their own dwelling, or just dreamed of building their own house, or for that matter, anyone who has ever picked up and hammer and saw...for anyone who enjoys wry humor with touches of pathos, this is a grand read.
Don Metz has woven an engaging story around the progress made by himself and two classmates and colleagues who choose different paths in the world of architecture following graduate school.
For any one who loves their own dwelling, or just dreamed of building their own house, or for that matter, anyone who has ever picked up and hammer and saw...for anyone who enjoys wry humor with touches of pathos, this is a grand read.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By Jean T
Format:Hardcover
If you liked reading Tracy Kidder's book, "House", you will love reading "Confessions of a Country Architect". Don Metz's memoirs of his architectural career will appeal not only to someone building a house, but also to anyone interested in people interacting and the often unexpected results of working together. His architectural adventures are humorous and often moving. Once you pick up this book, you will not put in down until you are finished.
David and Jeanie Stiles
David and Jeanie Stiles
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By P. Moran
Format:Hardcover
In addition to "House" by Tracy Kidder, I was reminded of James Herriot's tales of practicing veterinary medicine in Yorkshire, England, where the stories aren't so much about the animals (or in this case, the architecture) but rather the people, their qualities and quirks, their relationships with their local vet (or architect) and the land.
I found this book to be a thoroughly enjoyable read in a few different ways. First, it provides insight into the workings of a profession most don't know much about, and how a country architect in particular spends his time. It also follows the career trajectory of someone gutsy (and perhaps wacky) enough to take the road not normally taken.
Being curious about both the natural and built environment, I learned a thing or two from the author's broad knowledge of things both natural and man-made. The book provides a taste of New England culture and values, with touches of dry humor appearing without being overdone. Lastly, I found the writing style to be interesting and easy to read, elegant but not overly complex.
I found this book to be a thoroughly enjoyable read in a few different ways. First, it provides insight into the workings of a profession most don't know much about, and how a country architect in particular spends his time. It also follows the career trajectory of someone gutsy (and perhaps wacky) enough to take the road not normally taken.
Being curious about both the natural and built environment, I learned a thing or two from the author's broad knowledge of things both natural and man-made. The book provides a taste of New England culture and values, with touches of dry humor appearing without being overdone. Lastly, I found the writing style to be interesting and easy to read, elegant but not overly complex.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Thoroughly satisfying on many levels
This book neatly encapsulates a wide range of experiences, projects, people, and perspectives that one might come across in the practice of architecture, and more generally, in a... Read more
Published on February 22, 2011 by Mike M.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Kept me up past my bedtime.
Don Metz has a gift for stringing together words in a most beguiling way; sometimes witty and amusing, sometimes poignant, always informative. Read more
Published on January 19, 2008 by Carter H. Manny
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Great Read
Aside from teaching the reader alot about building and design, the author is interested in why clients make the decisions they do, and he writes about it with humor and compassion. Read more
Published on December 23, 2007 by H. Hummel
5.0 out of 5 stars
fantastic read!
This is a book for all seasons. It's charming, humorous and insightful, and you learn tons about architecture and all the human emotions that go into the making of a house -- a... Read more
Published on December 9, 2007 by Paladia
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