Lee P. (copiousreader) reviewed Houses are Designed by Geniuses & Built by Gorillas: An Insider's Guide to Designing and Building a Home on
Houses are Designed by Geniuses and Built by Gorillas by Bob Johnson
The book's subtitle --"An Insider's Guide to Designing and Building a House -- while not as glitzy as the main title, accurately describes the book's contents. This book is crammed with straight talk about building a house. Bob Johnson sounds like one who's been there and done that, and he gives it to you straight, in an in-your-face, no-holds-barred style -- as though he's sitting with you over coffee at the local diner. He holds nothing back, telling you everything you need to know, and more. More than half the book is devoted to matters that need attention before the first nail is driven -- everything from siting a house on a piece of land to getting building permits. Bob is also a raconteur. He illustrates many of his points with so-called "war stories" that recount his own experiences on the job. Even within chapters, he doesn't mind digressing a bit. So, he spices up what could be textbook-dull narrative with his opinions. He tells you flat-out what is stupid and what isn't, what works and what doesn't. As a result, this is one of the most readable and entertaining building books I've come across.
The book's subtitle --"An Insider's Guide to Designing and Building a House -- while not as glitzy as the main title, accurately describes the book's contents. This book is crammed with straight talk about building a house. Bob Johnson sounds like one who's been there and done that, and he gives it to you straight, in an in-your-face, no-holds-barred style -- as though he's sitting with you over coffee at the local diner. He holds nothing back, telling you everything you need to know, and more. More than half the book is devoted to matters that need attention before the first nail is driven -- everything from siting a house on a piece of land to getting building permits. Bob is also a raconteur. He illustrates many of his points with so-called "war stories" that recount his own experiences on the job. Even within chapters, he doesn't mind digressing a bit. So, he spices up what could be textbook-dull narrative with his opinions. He tells you flat-out what is stupid and what isn't, what works and what doesn't. As a result, this is one of the most readable and entertaining building books I've come across.
