New Book - Masters of Design - Great courses of Colt, MacKenzie, Alison...

[Brian Phillips]

Just received the new book by Henry Lord and Peter Pugh the authors of the Colt "Creating Classics" book that I did not like.

On first perusal (as FBD would say) it looks pretty outstanding, again not much new research but a beautiful book worth purchasing for anyone interested in these four architects.

Some of the photographs are simply outstanding.

So at first look this is a thumbs up.

[Adam Lawrence]

I've got it in front of me too, and there's no doubt it's very beautiful. I'm just not really sure what purpose it serves, other than being pretty. And, as with the Colt book, their selection of course is rather questionable. Why have they used several pics from RM East?

[Brian Phillips]

Because the authors are a Copy and Paste team that to be honest do not really know much about their subject.

[Bill_McBride]

Because the authors are a Copy and Paste team that to be honest do not really know much about their subject.

So that "thumbs up" is turning down?   

[Ally Mcintosh]

I had a flick through it yesterday in the book shop... Think I'm with Adam here... The detailing in the narrative is very light and the flow is a little bit of a muddle... But some great photos right enough...

[Brian Phillips]

Because the authors are a Copy and Paste team that to be honest do not really know much about their subject.

So that "thumbs up" is turning down?   

Bill,

It is still a nice book for those that have a general interest and the photos are superb.  Still a thumbs up from me...so far.

[Cristian]

What are the best books on Colt&Co / Mackenzie to buy which do not cost 300 $ ++ on e-bay/amazon?

[Bill_McBride]

What are the best books on Colt&Co / Mackenzie to buy which do not cost 300 $ ++ on e-bay/amazon?

I'm very light on books with Colt information - need to rectify that - but Geoff Shackleford's books on Mackenzie and his courses are very good.  The Cypress Point book has wonderful photos of the course not long after its opening, with Mac's big roadster out on the fairways!

http://www.geoffshackelford.com/

[Brian Phillips]

What are the best books on Colt&Co / Mackenzie to buy which do not cost 300 $ ++ on e-bay/amazon?

Colt & Co. is a wonderful book to get an insight into the man himself and read his letters to various people in his life.  If we ever meet up I can bring it with me for you to borrow.  I would love to look at at some of the historical work you have done.

The essay I wrote for Paul Daley is also quite detailed for a brief history of the man.

The only other books around are those that have been mentioned already on here.  To be honest there just is not enough about the man down on paper yet. 

I really do wish Paul Turner could get his thoughts and research down on paper.

[Jimmy Muratt]

For those that already have the new book, "Masters of Design", where did you get it?  According to Amazon, it doesn't come out until April 2010..... 

[Adam Lawrence]

Mine's a media preview copy, but according to the press release I have, it was published over here on 3 December.

[Brian Phillips]

Jimmy,

It is out on Amazon.co.uk before .com  here is the link:

http://tinyurl.com/yam9gcs

[David Stamm]

The best ones are the books wriiten by the men themselves. Some Essays on Arch and Colt &Co. are musts. Both of MacK's books are musts for the library. IMO, it's incredible to me how a book can come up lame with material like Colt, Alison & MacK. If you can't hit a homerun with them as the subject material, you're in the wrong business.

[Adam Lawrence]

I think in fairness one has to consider what a particular book is supposed to do. Creating Classics and this new volume are coffee-table books themed around particular designers. They are not meant to be in-depth studies of architectural styles or records. There's some nice historical material in both, but nothing especially new, as far as I can see. Still, if it exposes a new audience to Colt et al, then it achieves something.

[Neil_Crafter]

This book was originally planned to just be on Mackenzie but must have changed tack later in the piece. Mr Pugh contacted the Alister Mackenzie Society and asked if we could kindly hand over all our research to him, which was politely refused. Very cheeky. He came out to Australia on a flying visit and called me up the day before he got to Adelaide and asked if he could meet with me. Not quite enough notice. He spent time with Dr John Green at Royal Melbourne who is the authority on both the courses so it is surprising (but then again perhaps not) that he should include photos of Russell's East Course in the book. Think he also met with Mike Clayton.
I'd like to see the book but I'm not encouraged to make a donation in doing so.

[Marty Bonnar]

Brian,
thanks for your critique.
Prior to perusal, I'll probably postpone purchase!!
Won't be too long for the remaindered stock to hit Amazon
best,
MB.

[Tony_Muldoon]

I think in fairness one has to consider what a particular book is supposed to do. Creating Classics and this new volume are coffee-table books themed around particular designers. They are not meant to be in-depth studies of architectural styles or records. There's some nice historical material in both, but nothing especially new, as far as I can see. Still, if it exposes a new audience to Colt et al, then it achieves something.

Adam I agree that a coffee table book like this will make more people think about who designed which course than another limited edition tome from e.g. Doak, no matter how good the latter is.  Having said that I hope they’ve found someone with a bit more knowledge to read it before publication than they did last time. It contained a no. of basic errors.  Also they asked for permission to quote my Colt piece from here, which I gave as long as they agreed to credit the source as GCA.com.  They did quote it but they didn't give the source of anything in the book. My major annoyance is they are making it almost impossible for a serious book on these Archie’s to get published because publishers will consider the market satiated.

[Brian Phillips]

The more I skim through the book the more annoyed I am becoming.  There is so much stolen research in the book it is quite unbelievable.  There are no Endnotes at all.  People have been quoted without referring to where and when it was said.  A letter from Alison to Morrison has also been published without recognition of the source or ownership.

Adam,

How do they get a way with that type of practice?

[Niall C]

The book had a quarter page colour add in the Times last week, you don't often see that for a book never mind a golf book.

Who are the authors ? Are they professional writers, if so surely they know the ground rules regarding giving credit ? If they don't then surely a competent editor should be keeping them right or is that too much to hope for.

Niall

[Tony_Muldoon]

The book had a quarter page colour add in the Times last week, you don't often see that for a book never mind a golf book.

Who are the authors ? Are they professional writers, if so surely they know the ground rules regarding giving credit ? If they don't then surely a competent editor should be keeping them right or is that too much to hope for.

Niall

Mr Pugh is the 'owner' of the publishing company and Mr Lord his assistant.

[Niall C]

ah.....that would explain. Is this what they call vanity publishing except on a larger scale ?

Niall

[Adam Lawrence]

Brian - unfortunately there are no saints in the publishing industry. And it is pretty much impossible to proofread to the extent that removes every single error or omission from your work. We have all of us made mistakes and forgotten to credit people, or misquoted them slightly or whatever. I called you a Scot a few years ago, you might remember! If you are a little bit unscrupulous (I am not making any accusations in respect of this volume) it is pretty easy to take advantage of contributors' good natures and walk all over them. Once it is printed, what comeback does anyone have? It's not going to be withdrawn from sale unless you have done something really egregious, and even then only if someone is prepared to go to law.

I still think the selection of material is bizarre. What is a double page photo of Doonbeg doing in a volume on Colt and his associates? Similarly Castle Stuart? I guess the authors are trying to make a point about Colt's naturalism having a lasting impact, but it smacks of golf porn to me.

[Marty Bonnar]

I called you a Scot a few years ago, you might remember

Aye, HE should be so Lucky!!

Although, I do seem to recall a rare sighting of a kilted Philips in an EIGCA photo somewhere....

FBD.

[Andrew Mitchell]

I received a flyer from Amazon recently regarding this book.  Given what I've read on here I don't think I'll be purchasing anytime soon.

I note the reference to "Colt & Co".  Is this still available or is it as rare as Doak's book on MacKenzie?

[Adam Lawrence]

Self-published by Hawtree I believe, and long out of print. Amazon.com doesn't list any second hand copies at the moment but says the average selling price is USD232.