Customer Reviews

Practice Of Architecture: The Builder's Guide

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This book has a 20 page introduction on Asher and then about then about 20 pages of picutures and drawings. The rest of the pages are copies of two books written in ancient english that is very hard to understand even for an engineer. The drawings included are mostly cross sections of moldings, pillars and some truss diagrams (the truss section was interesting). It the kind of book you would thumb thru and say that is sorta interesting and then never pick it up again. I am returning it.

..., this book is not intended to be a current architectural resource.

It is a presentation, for research purposes, of two books that at one time served as the 'conceptual' blueprint of house building in the cities of America.

The introduction is clear and to the point, and the layout of the books well-handled.

I recommed this book to anyone interested in the history of architecture in America; I cannot recommed it as a practical builder's guide.

For one researching, restoring, repairing houses (and public buildings) built from 1800 to about 1870, this is a treasure. Asher Benjamin's illustrations were copied verbatim or served as inspiration to carpenters, especially in the northeastern US. Benjamin's text is full of his own opinions, practical considerations and fun: in one place he suggests we remember to place columns far enough apart that plump people won't get stuck between them!
One should probably own his 1st(1798),6th (1827), or 1830 books (widely available in paper back and cheaper) before buying these later (1833 and 1845) pattern books. But if your house and community were built before the Civil War, you may find your ancesters copied Asher Benjamin.