House

Rating:
Summary: Best way to see all sides of the Construction Process
Review: In teaching a class on Construction, this book was the best way to let my students feel like they were there... to observe the give and take and interplay of the owner, contractor and architect. It is reads like fiction but tells a real story about the construction process and roles and problems much better than lectures on change orders and the value of good drawings.

Rating:
Summary: An engaging look at a rather mundane profession.
Review: Kidder displays a deft knack for giving lay readers an informed look at the construction industry. Whether they've ever hefted a hammer or not, readers will be left with the impression that they are 'old hands' at the art of building when they're done with 'House.'

But perhaps that feeling is due as much to the commonality of the human condition as it is to Kidder's skills as a wordsmith. Whatever one's profession, there are constant compromises, negotiations, denials, disappointments, and triumphs to be met or made. Though the terms in which Keller describes those traits will be new to many readers, the settings in which they occur (and the people to whom they happen) will doubtless seem familiar.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent insight into the self build world.
Review: Kidder has obviously been involved in at least 1 self build project to be able to express the feelings and attitudes attributed to all concerned in the build itself. From the friends who actually build together to the people who are building their dream Home.

Rating:
Summary: A well researched look at home building
Review: Kidder writes a pleasant to read, well researched study of the personalities involved in the home building process. This is not a "how-to" book but rather a behind the scenes peek at the motivations, struggles, and emotions of the architect, owner and builder triangle. I enjoyed it, but must say that it was not a "can't put down" or gripping tale.

Rating:
Summary: The Emotions of Building
Review: This book does take you through the process of building a custom house. However, it focuses on the emotional roller-coaster gone through by the principal players -- architect, owner, & builder -- as well as the interpersonal relationships that result.

The book reads easily, despite the fact that the author often uses technical terms. He takes many small side trips to describe a number of things: the history of stick-built framing; the characteristics of good wood; the process of lumber making; the emergence of the architect's role. Most of which is facinating and colorful (though occasionally tedious).

This book is NOT a "how-to" book, a "what-to-look-for" book, or even a "how-to-choose-a-builder" book. It's just a story, but a story that vividly describes the interplay between the family (who wants a nice house but is trying to squeeze every penny), the architect (who wants his vision built but sees the lack of money slowly chip away at his vision) and the builder (who wants to maintain a high-quality of workmanship while getting blindsided by changing plans and hard-bargining clients).

The book won't help you build a house, but it will definitely help you prepare mentally for the seemingly endless decisions and challenges inherent in homebuilding.

Rating:
Summary: This book is about writing NOT decorating.
Review: This book is about writing, plain and simple. Mr. Kidder immediately captures your interest and holds it until the end. He could write about waiting in line or riding an elevator and make it fascinating. To better their craft writers need to read. Tracy Kidder should definitely be required reading in every college writing class in America

Rating:
Summary: annoying couple build an interesting house
Review: Tracy Kidder has taken the true life tale of the building of a suburban home and turned it into a sort of mini-epic novel. He presents the project from the viewpoints of the yuppie couple who are having it built, the four "hippie carpenters" doing the building and the visionary but fidgety architect. One of the surprising things that emerges is the degree to which they each have their own vested interests and those interests are often, if not always, in direct opposition to each other. The homeowners want great work & want it cheap. The builders want decent work and want it to pay them well. The architect wants the whole thing to come out the way he drew it up on paper.

In this case, the Souweines, the ultra-liberal lawyer/psychologist couple, are like the worst caricature of any of those yuppie scum couples you've ever seen on This Old House. Despite their radical views, when it comes to getting their house built, the Souweines are just like any of the greedy money grubbing, worker-exploiting robber barons that they despise. Meanwhile, the builders, Jim Locke, Richard Gougeon, Alex Ghiselin and Ned Krutsky, whose company is known as Apple Corps, are kind of burn outs who build for the love of it, and they prove to be no match for the predatory Souweines. The architect, William Rawn, just flits around in the background, trying to make sure that the clash doesn't affect his vision for the completed house.

Here is Ms Souweine complaining that Jim Locke won't give his opinion on decorating issues:

"The builder sort of becomes the judge, and for some reason you care," she says. She laughs. "Jim studiously avoided questions of taste during the planning. He said"--she does a gruff voice--"'That's not my job.' That sort of very moralistic view. We said, 'You can have an opinion, we can reject it.' Maybe that's why. He didn't want it rejected. It's safest on questions of taste not to offer an opinion. But it's totally alien to me. I always give opinions that no one ever asked me for."

Now I ask you, would you give this shrieking harridan your opinion and, worse, the opportunity to give you hers. I think not. Kidder also points out that it's not in any builders best interest to get involved in these matters. First because he can alienate a client, but second because his financial interests come into play. More expensive alternatives often mean more profit.

The one criticism that I noticed in reviews (especially Christopher Lehmann-Haupt at the NY Times) and agree with, is that Kidder is so ostentatiously not present in the form of a narrative I, that it actually becomes distracting & seems almost intellectually dishonest, since we know that people are reacting to him or even acting out scenes for him.

At any rate, it all makes for an interesting and even, at times, exciting story. If by the end we're hoping that the house burns down the day the Souweines move in, that's not the author's fault.

GRADE: B

Rating:
Summary: annoying couple build an interesting house
Review: Tracy Kidder has taken the true life tale of the building of a suburban home and turned it into a sort of mini-epic novel. He presents the project from the viewpoints of the yuppie couple who are having it built, the four "hippie carpenters" doing the building and the visionary but fidgety architect. One of the surprising things that emerges is the degree to which they each have their own vested interests and those interests are often, if not always, in direct opposition to each other. The homeowners want great work & want it cheap. The builders want decent work and want it to pay them well. The architect wants the whole thing to come out the way he drew it up on paper.

In this case, the Souweines, the ultra-liberal lawyer/psychologist couple, are like the worst caricature of any of those yuppie scum couples you've ever seen on This Old House. Despite their radical views, when it comes to getting their house built, the Souweines are just like any of the greedy money grubbing, worker-exploiting robber barons that they despise. Meanwhile, the builders, Jim Locke, Richard Gougeon, Alex Ghiselin and Ned Krutsky, whose company is known as Apple Corps, are kind of burn outs who build for the love of it, and they prove to be no match for the predatory Souweines. The architect, William Rawn, just flits around in the background, trying to make sure that the clash doesn't affect his vision for the completed house.

Here is Ms Souweine complaining that Jim Locke won't give his opinion on decorating issues:

"The builder sort of becomes the judge, and for some reason you care," she says. She laughs. "Jim studiously avoided questions of taste during the planning. He said"--she does a gruff voice--"'That's not my job.' That sort of very moralistic view. We said, 'You can have an opinion, we can reject it.' Maybe that's why. He didn't want it rejected. It's safest on questions of taste not to offer an opinion. But it's totally alien to me. I always give opinions that no one ever asked me for."

Now I ask you, would you give this shrieking harridan your opinion and, worse, the opportunity to give you hers. I think not. Kidder also points out that it's not in any builders best interest to get involved in these matters. First because he can alienate a client, but second because his financial interests come into play. More expensive alternatives often mean more profit.

The one criticism that I noticed in reviews (especially Christopher Lehmann-Haupt at the NY Times) and agree with, is that Kidder is so ostentatiously not present in the form of a narrative I, that it actually becomes distracting & seems almost intellectually dishonest, since we know that people are reacting to him or even acting out scenes for him.

At any rate, it all makes for an interesting and even, at times, exciting story. If by the end we're hoping that the house burns down the day the Souweines move in, that's not the author's fault.

GRADE: B

Rating:
Summary: Elegant story of people, emotions and unusual point of view
Review: Very elegant analysis of people who buy a home with excellent details, very human experience.

Delightful facts about how houses are built that you would never think of.

Excellent overview in details here and there that add color and life to the overall story

Rating:
Summary: House: A teacher's tool !!!
Review: When I first read House I was enthralled. Finally, a book about the building of a house from inception to possession. I started to use excerpts from the book in my high school construction classes, and then bought 35 copies to use with my students. I now have the book broken down into about 25 lessons and read it each year with my new classes. It adapts very well in a construction technology program for Vocational high school students, and with the current emphasis on literacy we get an added bonus. Thank you Tracy Kidder, you have helped many students over the past 5 years.