Architecture: A Spotter's Guide: Classical Temples to Soaring Skyscrapers

Ambitious in its aims--in places too ambitious--this slim but packed volume still succeeds easily in becoming the most useful, comprehensive and attractive concise guide available. The Asian chapter is too brief, but is nevertheless worth including in providing visual comparisons for the many and various western styles that reference Asian features. Chapters on Byzantine and Islamic architecture are well-presented and again show how later parallels use lines, ornaments and features borrowed from these early sources. From the Middle Ages on, literally hundreds of European and North American styles are outlined here, with ample cross-referencing so that the evolution of a style can be traced with ease. This book is not wordy and sometimes oversimplifies (probably for the sake of economy of space--the book is intended to be carried as a pocket guide) but shows how to identify these distinct styles by outlining simply what defines them, with many beautiful pictures. --Clara Brenger