The Dilemma of Style : Architectural Ideas from the Picturesque to the Postmodern

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Architectural Theory History
Review: Crook writes one heck of an Architectural history with this book. The title is exactly what the book is; an analysis of evolving architectural ideas from the picturesque (late 1700's/early 1800's) to present. Crook seems to have read pretty much everything related to architecture between these periods, focusing on British authors, and has distilled out trends and conflicts, which he illustrates in the book.

Crook's writing style is extremely dense (in a non-turgid way), and also surpisingly humorous in parts. Illustrations are used extremely well and often, all visibly supporting the arguements made in the text.

But this book is probably not for the casual reader, as a student of architecture I am familiar with probably only a quarter of the names brought up in the book, but thats enough to keep me going and understand the context, since I've already been made aware of the general trends he speaks of. Somebody with no background in architecture at all will find this a yawner. But why did you buy it anyways? This is by an architectural historian for architects and architectural historians, and it is an A1 peice of work.