Holland's Royal Tichelaar Makkum has been producing pottery (from Frisian clay) for a very long time. The company is several hundred years old (possibly 400), but it's been doing some new tricks in the last 15 years under the leadership of director Jan Tichelaar. Editor de Vries supplies an introductory essay briefly describing the company's history and the context of decisions made in the late 1990s to make some very big changes. Following is a compendium of essays, conversations, and anecdotes about this family business, and details of products, production, and the new designs and designers invigorating the traditional activities of the company. The text is complemented by interesting and amusing (full-page) illustrations. Projects are well described, and the contributors are architects, designers, and theorists of both--so the book has academic appeal; but the book's design is unusual--very big type and tiny margins--and the feeling is artistic rather than expository. This English edition is a translation of the Dutch edition. Annotation ©2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)