For centuries artists and designers have recorded places, people, and life in travel sketchbooks. Over a period of fifty years, Laurie Olin, one of America's most distinguished landscape architects, has recorded aspects of France: its cities and countryside, streets and cafés, ancient ruins, vineyards, and parks - from humble to grand, things that interested his designer's eye - taking the time to see things carefully. Paris in its seasons, agriculture in Provence and Bordeaux, trees, dogs, and fountains, all are noted over the years in watercolour or pen and ink. Originally intended for the pleasure of merely being there as well as self-education, this personal selection from his many sketchbooks is accompanied by transcriptions of notes and observations, along with introductory remarks for the different regions included: Paris, Haute Loire, Provence, Haute Provence, Normandy, Aquitaine, and Entre des Meures. AUTHORS: Renowned landscape architect, Laurie Olin, lives in Philadelphia where he taught at the University of Pennsylvania for forty years. His award winning designs include Bryant Park in New York, The Getty Center in Los Angeles, and the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia. Pablo Mandel, director of Circular Studio, is a graphic designer renowned for his work with a variety of firms, ranging from notable architecture studios, universities, publishers, musicians, and artists in Canada, the United States, Australia, Japan, Singapore, China, Italy, Germany, England, Spain, Chile, and Argentina. He graduated from Buenos Aires University in 1995 with a degree in graphic design. His book designs have been published worldwide and have won several awards. SELLING POINTS: • An artist/designer's intimate and loving sketches and notes from 50 years of visits to France and looking carefully at aspects of life there, both humble and grand • Looking carefully and noting in clear sketches what he sees, Olin presents France beyond selfies and tourism. Here one finds travel, observation, and affection for life and places familiar and off the beaten track well recorded • This book will appeal to all those who have travelled to France or have the urge to go, as well as to designers of all sorts, for Olin's eye is equally tuned to interiors as well as the exterior of architecture, to parks as to streets and squares, to household objects and classical monuments • Over a hundred drawings are included from Olin's many sketchbooks along with transcriptions of accompanying comments and notes 200 colour images