Eric Sloane's An Age of Barns: An Illustrated Review of Classic Barn Styles and Construction [Paperback]

Eric Sloane (Author)

Book Description

Series: Country Life | Publication Date: September 2001

This is a re-issue of Sloane's classic folksy history of barn folklore, architecture, and history, which has been out of print for twenty years. "Eric Sloane's An Age of Barns" is filled with fabulous black-and-white illustrations from this great American artist. Covering all types of American and Canadian barns and everything associated with them-implements and tools, hex signs, silos, out buildings, hinges, barn raising, and more-"Eric Sloane's An Age of Barns" is a spectacular album tribute to this important facet of our architecture and agriculture. This book is sure to once again become a collector's item.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

An unfortunate result of progress is that many older technologies or styles are lost to future generations. With preservation in mind, Sloane created the original edition of this title, which has been out of print for 20 years. This reissue is of great value to anyone interested in barns or early Americana. The black-and-white illustrations are simply beautiful, showing the amazing array of barn designs and related agricultural buildings. Sloane also covers barn raisings, smoke houses, and the specific parts of all of these structures. This remarkable book will appeal to those interested in construction, Americana, or rural living; this title should be part of every public library collection.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Eric Sloane, formerly of Connecticut, was a famous American painter, illustrator, and author who published more than 40 books, including "Diary of an Early American Boy and Museum of Tools."

Product Details

• Paperback: 94 pages
• Publisher: Voyageur Press; 1st edition (September 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0896585654
• ISBN-13: 978-0896585652
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 10.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #110,500 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #21 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Antiques & Collectibles > Americana

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Eric Sloane-The Master Illustrator of Rural America, October 7, 2005

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Marco Antonio Abarca (Colorado) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Eric Sloane's An Age of Barns: An Illustrated Review of Classic Barn Styles and Construction (Paperback)

When Eric Sloane wrote this book in the 1950's, the United States had already made the transition from being an agricultural nation into an industrial society. Fortunately, there were still plenty of examples of America's rural past scattered along the backroads and other forgotten areas of the nation's countryside. Sloane spent many years, seeking out these historic relics so that he could study and sketch them. The result is whole series of books that chronicle America's historic material culture. This book focuses on barns.

What makes an Eric Sloane book so unforgetable are the black and white sketches. If you are a visual learner who believes a good drawing is worth a thousand words, Eric Sloane is the author for you. By no means is this an academic study of the different barn styles that existed in the United States. Instead this book is a collection of beautiful drawings that can help the reader understand how barns were built and what they were used for. This is a magical book. If you like it, you will have many hours of pleasure seeking out and reading Eric Sloane's other books. Highly recommended. A great value.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Close, but I'm not sure Mr. Sloane would be pleased., December 16, 2009

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M. Heasley "Gab Oak" (rochester, NY United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Eric Sloane's An Age of Barns: An Illustrated Review of Classic Barn Styles and Construction (Paperback)

Alas, printed in China and missing the wonderful color plate illustrations found in the original edition.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I have a barn, September 25, 2006

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S. E. Peters "confetti lover" (Michigan) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Eric Sloane's An Age of Barns: An Illustrated Review of Classic Barn Styles and Construction (Paperback)

and I understand that barn so much better now that I have read this book. Sloane gives a brief overview of the history of barns, regional types of barns, and even the tools to raise a barn. A lovely book.