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4 out of 4 stars
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Have you ever looked around your home and questioned the practicality of some of the things in it? So many things in the design of our homes are not ideal in form and function. Hence, they end up bringing us unwanted stress.
Tour of Insanity: Manifesto For Better Home Design by Kelly Mitchell intends to help us understand why a design, form, or structure should be practical if it has to remain in our homes. The author discusses why ordinances can hinder prioritizing practicality when designing homes. She also seeks to give us the history behind why things are the way they are in our homes and calls on readers to abandon non-functional old ways of home design.
This 88-page book is rich in practical tips and advice. But what makes it fascinating is the author's comic tone and colorful writing style. I couldn't stop laughing throughout the read. I am a little envious of the people who know this author in person because her sense of humor is contagious. What could beat laughing and learning? I bet that I might not have benefited as much as I did from this book if another author had written it.
Furthermore, what I like the most about the book is the author's resourcefulness. She doesn't present only one way of solving a problem but gives two or three options so you can choose the one that suits you. For me, the highlight is that she provides estimates for the costs of some of the items or services needed to solve the issue. More so, I love that the author gives insights into some smart innovations in technology that homeowners, urban planners, and builders can take advantage of when designing homes.
Additionally, for every structure or design element the author discusses, she also gives readers a bit of the history behind it and how it has evolved or is evolving. There's one less person in the world who is ignorant of the facts in the book. Yes, I am talking about myself. For example, do you know how the Romans did their laundry in the nineteenth century? You can read the book to find out.
In conclusion, there is nothing I disliked about the book. I enjoyed every bit of it. Fortunately, it is also exceptionally edited. Therefore, it gladdens my heart to rate Tour of Insanity: Manifesto For Better Home Design 4 out of 4 stars. I highly recommend it to urban planners, tenants, homeowners, and anyone interested in functional home designs. And for the sake of entertainment, readers who want to be able to hold down a discussion based on the insane old ways of doing things in our homes would find this book very beneficial.
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Tour of Insanity: Manifesto For Better Home Design
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