A History of Architecture: Settings and Rituals | 
 enlarge | Author: Spiro Kostof
Creators: Gregory Castillo, Richard Tobias
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Category: Book
List Price: $89.95
Buy New: $39.99
You Save: $49.96 (56%)
New (31) from $39.99
Avg. Customer Rating:  8 reviews
Sales Rank: 114626
Media: Paperback
Edition: 2
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 816
Shipping Weight (lbs): 5.1
Dimensions (in): 11 x 9.2 x 1.3
ISBN: 0195083792
Dewey Decimal Number: 720.9
EAN: 9780195083798
ASIN: 0195083792
Publication Date: August 31, 1995
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
When the late Spiro Kostof's A History of Architecture appeared in 1985, it was universally hailed as a masterpiece--one of the finest books on architecture ever written. Now, updated and expanded, this classic reference continues to bring to readers the full array of civilization's architectural achievements.
Insightful, engagingly written and graced with close to a thousand superb illustrations, the Second Edition of this extraordinary volume offers a sweeping narrative that examines architecture as it reflects the social, economic, and technological aspects of human history. The scope of the book is astonishing. Kostof examines a surprisingly wide variety of man-made structures: prehistoric huts and the TVA, the pyramids of Giza and the Rome railway station, the ziggurat and the department store. Kostof considered every building worthy of attention, every structure a potential source of insight, whether it be prehistoric hunting camps at Terra Amata, or the caves at Lascaux with their magnificent paintings, or a twenty-story hotel on the Las Vegas Strip.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 3 more reviews...
Review: A History of Architecture February 8, 2008
I was very happy with the purchase, mainly because it was $50 off retail price and was free to ship.
 Comprehensive February 16, 2007
Covers all the major styles and period the Western tradition of architecture. It does one chapter on Asian architecture but no single chapter can cover all the styles and history of the Asian countries of India, China, Japan, etc. It will be great for any aspiring architect who wants to have a good foundation...or to anyone who wants to appreciate the history of spatial design, and decoratives more.
 PC-architecture January 5, 2006
10 out of 18 found this review helpful
This book was devised by a profoundly politically-correct mind. It is hard to read, inaccessible for an enthusiastic amateur, filled with historical gaps for a professional, and turns more often to social issues than to actual history of architecture. I don't know where to begin to list its omissions in terms of illustrations. On top of that, paperback is just too heavy and falls apart. I bought it at a clearance within a year after publication, it tells you something.
The ideal guide for students of architecture October 18, 2005
2 out of 5 found this review helpful
Even though greek architecture is a bit too much covered, students can enjoy the details about the history of architecture, as one can see the development of architecture and mankind step by step. Texts sometimes gets hard to understand.
mandatory book needed for class August 19, 2005
2 out of 5 found this review helpful
Many great pics. Text is a little hard to understand.
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