Although I’m very fascinated with architecture, I know very little about it. I’m looking for a good, well-written, informative but understandable history of architecture. After finishing it, I want to have a basic knowledge of architectural movements and styles.
Any suggestions? Thanks.
I haven’t read it but Tom Wolf’s “From Bauhause to Our House” is about archetecture and I like how Wolf writes nonfiction.
What you might want to look at in the library is A History of Architecture on the Comparative Method by Sir Bannister Fletcher or ‘The bible’ as it’s known by architects. My father (an architect) is so annoyed that he lost his copy before he could pass it on to my brother (another architect).
I really enjoyed Architecture for Beginners. It’as an entertaining, unstresful read and is half text, half cartoons/illustrations. It’s currently out of print but there are still lots of used copies around. (in the same series is Philosophy for Beginners which is also excellent)
Sounds good, but is it accessible to someone with no prior architectural knowledge?
How about “Architecture: From Prehistory to Postmodernity”: Marvin Trachtenberg and Isabelle Hyman, H.N. Abrams. A number of different editions out. A standard survey textbook, but really focussing on the western tradition, so no Ankor Wat or Horyu-ji here.
…and while you’re poring through these or other books on the subject, another good book to have on hand is the Illustrated Dictionary of Historic Architecture [ed. by C. Harris], which is handy for understanding the specialized vocabulary involved, esp. with respect to non-Western historic architecture; for ex.:
azekura: An ancient Japanese building, used for storage, made of logs which have been carefully shaped so that they are triangular in section. [with an accompanying illustration that shows the exterior appearance, along with a schematic of the interior structure]
This kind of thing is also handy for competitive Scrabble players and crossword-puzzle afficionados. 