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Rating: 
Summary: Western architecture as fashion
Review: "Style" comes from the Greek word for column, as the author explains in the book. Which is just one of many fascinating facts contained inside this look at the the most expensive of fashion statements. It especially focuses on Western European architecture from about the Rennaissance on, when architecture as a profession began, although Classical and Gothic are covered because they are, after all, the models for all that followed. But it's no textbook chronology of well-known buildings. Instead it's an essay on society and its buildings, by someone knowledgeable enough to be able to toss in a new fact about all the familiar names. (Although his claim that the extra glass in the Reitveldt Schroder house required an industrial boiler that cost as much the house itself is a little hard to believe.) The writing is witty, full of good stories, and avoids the cliches often found in these books. Even manages references to recent movies, like Fight Club (the character's excessive brand consciousness) and Amelie (showcases the venerable Art Nouveau subway stations).
Rating: 
Summary: somewhat interesting, perfect if you know nothing
Review: it serves its purpose very well. i skipped the second chapter because it didn't seem to interesting to me. but the other two chapters were good. i learned plenty from it. i got a few very good points from it, but it seems like the same major points were stated over and over again, but that's how i feel about everything educational i read.
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