Customer Reviews

Frank O. Gehry: Selected Works: 1969 to Today

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I anxiously waited for this book to come out, as a Gehry fan this book promised to be the perfect addition to my large collection of Gehry publications.
Never have I been so dissapointed. There printing quality is horrible, the photography is average, there is no indication of Gehry's working process (models) and worse of all, there are no drawings or a single Gehry sketch. the only thing close to a plan or a section are these awful collage like images which do no justice to the spaces Gehry creates. This book is not recommeneded for anyone who wants to understand his buildings. If you want to look at the pictures, its great, yet you will notice repetition of several pictures over and over through out the book. perhaps taking the effort to place an actual plan would have helped. there are key projects in his career, as is the case of his house. In order to understand Gehry's work you will need to purchase other books, so buying this books is really a waste.
It has the potential to being a GREAT book, and one that covers all his projects, but it just fell short. I do appreciate in contrast to Francesco Dal Co.'s "Frank Gehry: The Complete Works" the immense amount of photographs yet, they appear as snapshots and do not do justice at capturing the essence of the space.

If you are a true Gehry fan, you will buy the book, but be warned, you will be extremely dissappointed. If you are trying to learn about Gehry, there are far better publications out there, and this book is not it.

The editorial, graphical (layout, composition of pages, typeface selection), printing, and paper quality are excellent. Each of 24 projects or categories of design is described on just 2 pages and the rest are beautiful photos - way over 1000 of them on all 600 pages. Each building is delineated by very schematic plan and section or two plans giving the layout idea for a train eye, but maybe not for everyone.
Not all the photos are strictly architectural - showing the whole architectural space visible from their point of taking - but there are enough of them best possible. It is slightly less technical and more album-like than the Architectural Monographs (No) series (or their present equivalent) published by Wiley-Academy (formerly Academy Editions / St. Martin's Press or Rizzoli), but still a well sized, lovely and copiously illustrated in color survey of selected (best and characteristic) works (projects) of one of the most important architect at a basement price that gives a quite good idea of his achievements magnitude, range and diversity.
This book will make an excellent present for almost everyone.

I am totally opposed to the other review of this book - if you are a Gehry fan or just a fan of architecture this book is hugely inspiring and a really great experience. But I must advice the potential buyer to read the title of the book: Selected works 1969 to today. This book has never promised to be a Complete works, it is nothing more than a selection of some of Mr. Gehrys works and since the book comes with a massive 600 pages the works selected for the book is very much covered in detail, with the top priority given to photographs, which are all excellent.
Another great feature with this book is its size: It comes in a strong hardcover in a very handy format, so you can read it at the table, on the couch or take it to bed - and still manage it, unlike many large and exclusive architecture books!!
I will recommend this book to all with just a slight interest in architecture and Mr. Gehry - I feel sure you will be satisfied.