John Gendall's Rocky Mountain Modern showcases houses with clean, minimalist designs that allow for, as their main attractions, breathtaking views of the Rocky Mountains. Though the idea of modern architecture might evoke visions of sleek steel materials, the homes in this collection--in locations that include Jackson Hole, Wyo., Aspen, Colo., and Golden, N.Mex.--also incorporate such natural resources as locally found stones and logs. Architects marry the desire to bring the outside in--creating the feeling of "being alone in the forest," as designer Tom Kundig puts it--with the need to protect the residents from extreme temperatures. The results are stunning structures that are simultaneously homes and retreats. Readers don't need a plane ticket; they can merely open the pages of this beautiful book for an instant getaway. --Elyse Dinh-McCrillis, blogger at Pop Culture Nerd