A Dictionary of Architecture

This newly researched and up-to-date architectural reference work should appeal to curious readers as well as serious researchers, as it offers a complete guide to the history of architecture. Its entries cover both biographical and historical material. The information on architects, designers, and craftsmen--from ancient to contemporary--is annotated with useful and relevant cross-references that together tell a complete story about a particular subject, style, or theory. Attractive illustrations render the architectural terms more accessible and help readers to better understand the differences between, for example, Doric or Ionic columns. Biographical entries for a great number of well- and lesser-known architects, some with illustrations of their best-known works, and entries about their influences and contemporaries offer a well-rounded guide through the centuries of architectural achievement. Editor James Stevens Curl is well suited for this job: he is Emeritus Professor of Architectural History and a senior Research Fellow, School of Architecture, De Montfort University in Leicester, England, and he wrote the award-winning The Art and Architecture of Freemasonry. His credentials form a strong foundation of reliability upon which A Dictionary of Architecture is built, making it a solid reference for students and lay readers alike. --Amazon.co.uk