D. J. Waldie

I read this for a project that we were contemplating. It would have been useful, but ultimately we decided against the project.

“By” Diane Keaton, with text and photos by other people. So what precisely did she do? The binding, maybe? I object to her being listed as the principle author, or even an author at all.

Beautiful color photos, suitable for framing, of California Spanish Revival Grand Homes.

I'd have liked more photos, but considering these tended to lean more towards artistic rather than photo-journalism....

I gave this a 3.5 because there just wasn't enough information on the history of the homes or enough photographs.... which I attribute to the fact that being the entire book is full one oversized page photograph after photograph, it must have been quite an expense to publish.

I grew up in the rural Midwest and have always been put off by suburbs. Admittedly, this book is clearly and economically written. Admittedly, it is thoroughly researched concerning the land and water on which Lakewood stands. Yet,the life at which the book hints seems so restricted, so circumscribed, and so stereotyped that I have a difficult time understanding the appeal of this book to so many readers. Is it that someone has at last accurately described their poverty of experience?