Author: Peter Mires

My next book is scheduled for publication on July 18, 2016. Yes, I’ve turned my attention from Bayou Built to Tahoe Rustic. Here’s the little blurb that appears on the back of the book.

Lake Tahoe is the gem of the Sierra Nevada. All who visit this beautiful Lake of the Sky share Mark Twain’s impression of the place as he camped on its shore in 1861: “As it lay there with the shadows of the mountains brilliantly photographed upon its still surface I thought it must surely be the fairest picture the whole earth affords.” This quote from Roughing It includes the trinity of Tahoe’s landscape―sky, mountains, and lake―that people find inspiring still. That explains, in large part, why the built environment around the lake is predominantly rustic. The Rustic style of architecture is noted for its compatibility with its surroundings by using natural materials in construction―logs, stone, and wooden shingle―along with muted shades of green and brown. Through its homes, resorts, and other assorted buildings in the Rustic style, “the fairest picture” remains just that.

Peter Mires is the author of Bayou Built: The Legacy of Louisiana’s Historic Architecture.

Louisiana, the Bayou State, is famous for many things, including savory cuisine, great music, and a resident population whose mantra is laissez les bons temps rouler–let the good times roll! The place is also noted for its historic architecture, which ranges from simple forms such as the shotgun house or the Creole cottage to the celebrated plantation homes along the River Road.

Bayou Built examines the “built environment” from the perspectives of cultural geography and historic preservation. It explores the various folk types and architectural styles that became part of the Louisiana landscape from the first French settlement in 1699 through the railroad and lumber boom of the 1890s.