Best magazine or book?

[michaelskis]

One thing that I have noticed about old house owners is we often try to learn more about or homes and how to care and/or renovate them. As such many if us subscribe to varrious magazines and buy books. But what would you say are your favorites? I will admit that I subscribe to TOH and Better Homes and Gardens. I also have the "old houses" book from old house journal and several others.

What books and magazines do you like best and why?

[Sombreuil_Mongrel]

Journal of Light Construction (JLC) for the tool reviews.
Fine Homebuilding for best practices and interesting articles on innovations.
Fine Woodwoking for tools and ideas.
Casey

[Civil War Seamstress]

Old House Journal.

[steponmebbbboom]

Edifice Oldhome Magazine (RIP) was my favourite Canadian publication. It still exists, but in online format and on Web TV. http://www.ibitv.org

[Old Colonial]

I haven't posted in quite a while but had to put my 2 cents in here. My favorite old house magazines are Early American Life and Old House Interiors "Early Homes" editions. I am particularly interested in these when they feature faithful restorations (not renovations). I also use several books I've picked up on early houses for reference.

Since my preferences for houses is 1850 and before I would like to throw in some museums I like for learning about period houses. Strawberry Banke in Portsmouth NH, multiple other museum houses in Portsmouth, Old museum houses of York ME,, Old Sturbridge Village in Mass, Old Deerfield Village Mass, Colonial Williamsburg VA (some period and some accurate reproductions - a wealth of knowledge in their tradesmen). I would like to add that I've had a few occasions when I stopped to talk to an old house owner when passing by and they have invited me in for a tour. I like to see and learn where ever I can.


Jeff

[housecrazy sarah]

in terms of books... last year I read - and savoured "Old Houses" put out in the 1990's by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. It tells the story of some amazingly well preserved historic homes in America. These houses, have been untouched for decades, even centuries so it is not about restoration, it is about the beauty in neglect and decay of old homes. It is truly stunning to see some of the photographs they got of homes that are in their original state from the 1800's or older!

[James]

I have that book Sarah, and one of the houses in it, Coolmore, is here in the county. Great house. Two of the more recent books I have on the subject are Creole Houses, and Carolina Cottages. I tend to be very much a southern plantation chauvinist when it comes to my taste in old houses. Would love to see someone do a book on Southern Gambrel roofed houses, maybe when I retire.

[PowerMuffin]

A new book that I found at our library is The Way We Live in the Country by Stafford Cliff and Gilles de Chabaneix(Feb 14, 2012). Talk about OLD houses! Geez, many of these are much older than our houses (in the states) and the book is all about photographs of the grounds, rooms, pieces and parts. I put it on my wish list for must-have books.

For magazines, I love Old House Journal and Cottages and Bugalows.
Diane

[jade mortimer]

journal of light construction, fine homebuilding, the old house journal....all magazines have gotten pretty 'glossy' over the years and there are more advertisements than articles but there's plenty of good information to be found...i REALLY liked edifice (have a friend in buffalo who knows the owner and he sent me a subscription)--very simple and informative...

for books, any published by taunton press is dependable..

'a field guide to american houses' virginia and lee mcalister
'restoring old houses' nigel hutchins
'renovation, a complete guide' michael w. litchfield
'renovating old houses' george nash
'respectful rehabilitation, answers to your questions about old houses' national park service
'the preservationist's progress, architectural adventures in conserving yesterday's houses' hugh howard
'the elements of style, an encyclopedia of domestic architectural detail' stephen calloway & alan powers
'cape cod architecture' clair baisly
'diary of an early american boy' eric sloan (anything by eric sloan is best enjoyed in an overstuffed chair with ottoman or outstretched lazy boy and a cuppa tea!)

those are but a few wonderful books in my office bookcase......some may be out of print or hard to find...time to visit the library......
...jade

[1880 Stick Victorian]

This Old House and Old House Journal.... i like the Old House Journal a bit better than TOH....