David Adler, Architect: The Elements of Style

Rating:
Summary: An astounding visual and descriptive tour
Review: Knowledgeably edited by Martha Thorne, featuring essays by Richard Guy Wilson, Pauline C. Metcalf, and Ghenete Zelleke, and enhanced with color photography by Bob Harr and Hedrich Blessing, David Adler, Architect: The Elements Of Style is an astounding visual and descriptive tour of the unique and influential architecture of David Adler (1882-1949) famous for designing homes and estates in America during the period of the "great American house." His elegant style, blending classical inspiration with a uniquely modern finish that shows through the test of time, is presented through memorable color and black-and-white photographs as well as diagrams and extensively detailed text (beginning with an informative foreword by Robert A. M. Stern) and offers enriched background information as to the creation of David Adler's most well-known masterpieces. David Adler, Architect: The Elements Of Style is very highly recommended for connoisseurs of grand architecture and a core acquisition for professional and academic Architectural Studies reference collections and American Architectural History supplemental reading lists.

Rating:
Summary: Nice tribute to a master of residential architecture
Review: This book does do a commendable job of disecting Adler's major works and the research is quite good, though it could have used more photos. I must stipulate that the photos used are quite good. Note to publisher the cover photo, with Adler's name vertically imbosed cheapened the look of the book, although the back photo was excellent. If you are fan of Adler I recommend this book, but with slight reservations, look at my other reviews to find truely great books on American Master Architects. I'm a tenacious reviewer, but if I say a book is great, I'll bet you will agree. I really do try to write reviews that will help people, not just give them a positive synopsis, these books are expensive and some are great, some are good, like this one, and some are just plain disappointing. Anyway, I really hope this helps you in some way, if not...well this is a minute of your life you will never get back.