House of Worship: Sacred Spaces in America (Hardcover)

by Dominique Browning (Author, Editor)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
The sacred buildings of America churches, synagogues, temples, mosques, meetinghouses are as diverse as the people they serve. In this book, we hear from architects, designers, clergy, and congregations as we explore and reflect on the intersection of faith, design, and community. We visit a variety of houses of worship across the nation, from a Quaker meetinghouse built in 1694 to a Baptist church constructed by slaves and a synagogue completed at the end of the twentieth century.

Featured sites include: Gethsemane Cathedral, Fargo, ND; Touro Synagogue, Newport, RI; Chuang Yen, Putnam Co., NY; First Baptist, Savannah, GA; St. Paul s, St. Croix, VI; Chapel, Windsor, FL; Marjorie Powell Allen, MO; Saint Lawrence Catholic Campus Center, Lawrence, KA; San Juan Bautista, Miami, FL; Christ Church, Cranbrook, MI; Central Synagogue, New York, NY; Summer and personal chapels: Newport, RI; Saratoga Springs, NY; Cooperstown, NY; Temple Israel Chapel, Miami, FL; Friends Meeting, Flushing, NY; Congregation B nai Yisrael, Armonk, NY; First Presbyterian, Greenwich, CT; First Church of Christ, Scientist, Berkeley, CA; Civic Center Synagogue, New York, NY; St. Andrew s Dune Church, Southampton, NY; Chapel of St. Ignatius, Seattle, WA; St. Patrick, Oklahoma City, OK.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 247 pages
• Publisher: Assouline (October 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 2843238803
• ISBN-13: 978-2843238802
• Product Dimensions: 12 x 9.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #562,713 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing, Even for a coffee table book., July 27, 2007

By	P. M Simon "El Simon Asombroso" (New Mexico) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

What can you say? Nice pictures of churches but no theme to choice except maybe political correctness of sect or geography.

Certainly, there was no real 'great architects' theme-- no theology, no style guiding the choices. Browning sort of went "well, these are nice...." The end product, like most coffee table books, is a thousand miles wide and a centimeter deep, and mixes English and Metric, to boot.

Definitely not worth the price, even if the photography is excellent.

How to improve: A seriously revised edition with a back-page of better information about each church or synagogue, some organizational theme (try Maine to California? 1600-2000, etc.), and some glaring omissions (St. John's Episcopal in Queens, a classic Orthodox Church from Alaska, a Franciscan mission from New Mexico? The churches of Columbus, Indiana) rectified would be a good start.

Wait and hope--pray. For now, put your money in the collection plate instead, I'd suggest.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's a beautiful book!, January 23, 2007

By	Cara Hanson (Bowling Green, Ohio) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I bought the book for my boyfriend who is an architect, and he loves it! It is a great coffee table book, but also includes in depth accounts from a myriad of people. It's a great buy and perfect for all!

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Coffee Table Book, January 9, 2007

By	R. Backman (Pacific Northwest) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book has beautiful photography as well as interesting facts and historical information about each house of worship. It includes a vast variety of architecture and religious affiliations. We bought it for a gift for our Pastor.