It's a pity....

That people expect to have the years of knowledge and experience Mr Cheng possesses handed to them on a platter in this book. Any true craftsman wouldn't ask for that, and any novice shouldn't expect it (and particularly not for $22!). This book is a wonderful overview of the amazing qualities and possible applications of concrete. It's designed to get your mind working, and the creative juices flowing. Not as a "Concrete for Dummies" (and how flattering are those books to the average intelligence anyway?). Buy this book for inspiration, for some tips and tricks, and prepare yourself to be amazed. If you want further insight into the methodology, buy the first book as well. And despite another reviewers claims, most of Cheng's work is NOT poured on site, but in the shop, and the pictures on the website are gorgeous! Professional jealousy perhaps, but even as 'just' a coffee table piece, this book is really beautiful.

Short on Details and Quality

If you want a pretty book with pretty pictures of all the wonderful things concrete can do, this will suit you. If you want a book that will take you from step one to done, this is not for you. At this time there's not a whole lot of literature on this topic... this has resulted in so many people focusing on Cheng's books. He's a great craftsman, no doubt, but his methods are not the only way to get a top quality product. There are alternative building methods. For example, the folks at www.stonesoupconcrete.com have pictures of their work, which I think are just as impressive. Unlike Chen, they do not grind their concrete or pour onsite (which is a big relief to the homeowner, as concrete takes 28 days to cure!). So... use this for inspiration, but be prepared to learn from your own trial and error and from other sources as well. And, minor thing, some of the pictures are far from picturesque. There's obvious pixelation, which you wouldn't expect from a book in this price range.

Such a Pleasant Surprise

My fiancee bought this book to learn about our home design options. I've never been crazy about home design, but I sat down to peruse this book and couldn't put it down. The tone is clear, dry and witty; the pictures are great to look at and the details are enlightening; overall, I recommend this book to anyone interested in adding on to a home, building a new home, or learning about an interesting topic: concrete...who knew?