House Styles in America: The Old-House Journal Guide to the Architecture of American Homes [Paperback]

James C. Massey (Author), Shirley Maxwell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 1999

From saltboxes to split-levels, Victorian Ladies to Colonial Revivals, Prairie Styles, bungalows, and Moderns, these are the houses that have defined the architecture of a nation for the past three centuries. In House Styles in America, these classic examples illustrate the major movements that have shaped the American landscape. This beautifully illustrated tour of America's houses begins in 1640 with the early roots of American style--a combination of European skill and attitude combined with American know-how. This architectural journey continues on through the 18th and 19th centuries, through the Greek Revival, the Americanization of the Gothic Revival, and the early Colonial Revival. The houses of the 20th century are the main attraction as House Styles in America delves into the major movements in the Romantic Revivals of the 1920s and 1930s: English, French, and Spanish. Replete with 200 color photographs, this architectural journey is an essential and beautiful guide for realtors, tourists, and students of architecture.

Product Details

• Paperback: 262 pages
• Publisher: Studio; Pbk. Ed edition (March 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140281126
• ISBN-13: 978-0140281125
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 8.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #739,821 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A house for everyone, July 8, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: House Styles in America: The Old-House Journal Guide to the Architecture of American Homes (Paperback)

House Styles in America is a well constructed collection of american houses dating back to the old Ironworks houses, Like the Turner house and Bacons Castle,but this book also contains modern houses, like Phillip Johnson's glass house. This book is a great addition to anyones growing architecture library.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best book on the subject, February 24, 2003

By 

misterbeets "misterbeets" (Safe Harbor, MD USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: House Styles in America: The Old-House Journal Guide to the Architecture of American Homes (Paperback)

So why is it out of print? (Had no trouble getting one though.) This book is based on a series of magazine articles for Old Home Journal, so the style is informal. The carefully chosen color pictures set it apart from its competition, A Field Guide to American Houses, by the other husband and wife team. But mostly it's the authors' ability to explain in simple language the events that caused the rise and fall of the various styles: the switch to stud framing, the widely circulated pattern books, the Arts and Craft movement, World War I and the various European styles brought home by the soldiers, etc.

4.0 out of 5 stars Good complement to my other books, December 8, 2011

By 

Steve in Memphis "Steve in Memphis" (Memphis Tennessee) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: House Styles in America: The Old-House Journal Guide to the Architecture of American Homes (Paperback)

This book has lots of color pictures and interesting historical text about each style. It does not have any representative floor plans, which would have been nice. If you are interested in studying or identifying housing styles, this book would be a good purchase. I prefer books that have both pictures and floor plans, but the pictures and text in this book are first rate. I have other books that do have typical floor plans for most styles, but poor or mediocre pictures. This book is a great complement to those.