Yet, a good companion volume to the one under consideration here is Directions in Person-Environment Research and Practice , edited by Jack L. Nasar and Wolfgang F.E. Preiser. Organized around major sources of stress and support, Aicher's book addresses the many challenges facing architects, city planners, engineers, environmentalists, health professionals, and city residents, one issue at a time. Following each discussion he lists various prescriptions and implications for planning and design. Numerous sidebars and illustrations are used to highlight and elaborate important points. A glossary, index, and three appendices are available to help with unfamiliar terms, a real possibility with such an interdisciplinary field where you can expect to come across new acronyms, chemical formulas, pollutants, and other jargon.
Numerous references follow each chapter, reflecting the fact that the text is well researched.
The difficulty of providing thorough coverage for the dozens of topics included is evident by the brevity of some entries. One is left with the impression that, if more information could not be presented, then it would have been better to leave the topic out entirely. In spite of this shortcoming, the text offers practical information and insightful coverage of a complex and challenging aspect of modern living. Public, special, and academic libraries will find this resource useful for students and professionals alike.