Over the course of the last ten years, Dr. Alex Caemmerer has written well over one hundred letters to the editors of the "New York Times, " the "Record" (of Bergen County, New Jersey), and "Psychiatric News, " a journal aimed at psychiatrists and other behavioral health providers. The letters, arranged in chapters, represent his response to articles on a variety of topics, including psychiatry, psychoanalysis, religion, priests and bishops, depression, violence, homosexuality, and miscellaneous subjects of general interest. He was also inspired to write in on a variety of subjects, including the business of "Big Money," the American automobile and its role in American culture, the symbolic meanings and needs the automobile satisfies in one's psychology, and the practice of psychiatry (including a few examples of what brings one to a psychiatrist). He shared his opinions on business newscasters and their use of language, specifically the words and phrases aimed at scaring the public with frightening metaphors. Over the decades of his career, Dr. Caemmerer has been a witty observer and commentator on how people and society are changing-and not always for the betterment of either. These letters capture his unique perspective and his creative solutions to get things back on track.

-- Key West -- an architectural treasure trove of houses built in the 19th century
-- Eyebrow houses, shotgun houses, Conch Victorians
-- Color photographs throughout
-- Many of Key West's houses were built by ship's carpenters with no plans other than memories of seaport homes from their past
-- Widow's walks borrowed from New England, overhanging eaves (eyebrows) from the West Indies
-- Builders added details from architectural fads of the time -- from Greek Revival columns to Creole trellises
-- Many charming anecdotes about old Key West gleaned from interviews with descendants of the families who built houses there
-- For anyone who loves to look at charming old houses and imagine their histories

Soak in a little New Orleans history while enjoying a visual tour of her homes. Known for beauty and style, New Orleans delivers as much in its architecture, even the simple shotgun houses in working neighborhoods. Houses of the Garden District and plantations beyond are simply stunning. A foreword by John Michael Vlach, Professor of American Studies and Anthropolgy at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., traces the roots of New Orleans signature homes to their origins in Africa and Haiti. Author Alex Caemmerer takes care to point out the rich detailing that was lavished on even the most simple structures, and how tastes changed and homes evolved over the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

Over the course of the last ten years, Dr. Alex Caemmerer has written well over one hundred letters to the editors of the "New York Times, " the "Record" (of Bergen County, New Jersey), and "Psychiatric News, " a journal aimed at psychiatrists and other behavioral health providers. The letters, arranged in chapters, represent his response to articles on a variety of topics, including psychiatry, psychoanalysis, religion, priests and bishops, depression, violence, homosexuality, and miscellaneous subjects of general interest. He was also inspired to write in on a variety of subjects, including the business of "Big Money," the American automobile and its role in American culture, the symbolic meanings and needs the automobile satisfies in one's psychology, and the practice of psychiatry (including a few examples of what brings one to a psychiatrist). He shared his opinions on business newscasters and their use of language, specifically the words and phrases aimed at scaring the public with frightening metaphors. Over the decades of his career, Dr. Caemmerer has been a witty observer and commentator on how people and society are changing-and not always for the betterment of either. These letters capture his unique perspective and his creative solutions to get things back on track.