Customer Reviews

Architecture in the United States, 1800-1850

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I really enjoyed reading Maynard's book. The 200-plus illustrations are beautiful, many of them never reproduced before. It is the first book in many years to survey this period in American building, and I found it extremely readable and useful. I'm sure students will be reading it in their courses, but general readers too will find it highly accessible. Lots of the buildings shown have been demolished, so it gives a great sense of what no longer exists. Philadelphia is treated in detail, which was especially interesting to me. This is as much a cultural history as a history of architecture, and that's what makes this such an outstanding book.

... this book simply has to be the authoritative (perhaps even definitive?) history of early 19th-century American architecture. Beyond content, the volume is very attractively gotten up. How could Yale offer a volume with this many photos for that price? Finally, I very much like this book's trim size (8.25 x 10.25 inches), I'm impressed that Yale somehow produced it to lay open flatly on almost any page, and I relish the book's fine heft--the feel of it in my hands. All the way around, an incredible accomplishment for both the author and the press. Congratulations!

Emphasizing intellectual and cultural ties to British style and taste, W. Barksdale Maynard examines Architecture in the United States, 1800-1850, and discovers, in a revisionist manner that the progress of public and private building design in that age of American innocence wasn't simply about national fervor and a desire to create distance from Europe. In particular, the author ties the ubiquitous Greek Revival manner to international esthetic currents. With well-written and cogent text and 200 illustrations (50 in color) taken from contemporary prints and photographs, this handsome volume will remind readers of what was gained and lost in the establishment of an American architecture.

This book has filled an essential need in the study of American architecture. Every person, every student, every traveler must have this book in hand.