[.ca] The Country Houses of John F. Staub (ISBN 1585445959)

outstanding book:
In the last decade there have emerged several books on notable architects. None, in the opinion of this architectural historian, can quite compare with Stephen Fox's magisterial book on Staub. In appearance, the book is a wonder to behold, enhanced by extraordinarilly beautiful photographs by that master of architectural photography, Richard Cheek. As an architectural historian, Fox is second to none in his craft, a superb writer and scholar and the best qualified to write about Staub, having had a hand in the production of Howard Barnstone's 1979 book on Staub. I highly reccommend this book to anyone who loves beautiful houses and has more than a passing interest in Houston!

A MINI HISTORY OF TEXAS:
The extent of architect John F. Staub's influence on Houston, Texas is reflected in the fact that today tour companies offer excursions to visit the homes he designed. While many tales surround one of our country's largest cities, his work is sometimes referred to as a "secret" Houston. Or, as it has been described, "Staub's Houston is one of these cities-within-a-city. The dignity, civility and amplitude of Staub's country houses, set in lush, southern, woodland gardens, represent his and his clients' vision of Houston as a garden city. " With The Country Houses of John F. Staub, architectural historian Stephen Fox takes us on an armchair tour of Staub's work, from neighborhoods such as Shadyside, and Broadacres, to what is perhaps the most famous of all Houston communities, the address of the powerful and wealthy - River Oaks. Staub's client list included the elite. For instance, the Hogg family for whom he created Bayou Bend, a 28 room mansion built between 1927 and 1928 for Miss Ima Hogg and her two brothers, William and Michael. A study in eighteenth-century Georgian architecture, the mansion is surrounded by magnificent gardens. In 1957 Miss Hogg donated her property to the Museum of fine Arts, Houston. Today it is one of Houston's major attractions. This beautifully illustrated volume is not only a tribute to Mr. Staub but a mini history of Texas from the turn of the century onward. It will surely be of great interest to architects, Houstonains, and those with an interest in the development of the Lone Star State. Highly recommended. - Gail Cooke