Wren (World of Art)

If you're interested in learning about the work of Christopher Wren, England's most famous architect, Margaret Whinney's classic book is a must. Wren was, of course, a prodigious talent--an intellectual prodigy who started his career as an astronomer and scientist before becoming increasingly interested in architecture in his early 30s. Wren's first commission was the beautiful Sheldonian Theatre at Oxford, and only a few years later he was asked to propose a new design for London's St. Paul's Cathedral. Days later, the majority of the city burned to the ground in London's Great Fire, and Wren was given the responsibility not only of rebuilding St. Paul's but of all London's other churches. Finishing St. Paul's was to take the rest of Wren's long lifetime, but he was still able to complete the many important secular commissions that flowed his way, including the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, the Chelsea Hospital (a home for retired soldiers), and improvements on new construction on an assortment of palaces.In barely over 200 pages--most of those chock-full of helpful photographs, diagrams, and illustrations--Whinney makes clear the arc of Wren's career and the evolution of his ideas and designs. The book is not for someone who knows absolutely nothing about architecture, although I don't know much and I was able to puzzle my way through some of her more dense descriptions with patience and careful attention. But for someone with an amateur interest in architecture, the book is the indispensible, concise, and thorough volume on Wren's professional accomplishments.