The Grammar of Architecture

Rating:
Summary: Engravings tell the story
Review: Imagine a complete history of architecture where every building looks like it belongs on the back of a dollar bill. Nothing but engravings, around 750, all works of art in themselves. It results in a new way to learn. You simply read the brief captions, try to skim over the niggling details of names, dates and locations, and, after a few dozen examples, you find you're getting a much better education than if you had merely read an essay. Even though they're organized for you, you're still somewhat forced to do the work of assembling the styles yourself. And you'll enjoy the exemplary design and the coated pages and cover, which seem to represent the state of the art.