What Style Is It?: A Guide to American Architecture Paperback - 2003

First line

Style is one of the most used-and abused-words in the English language, particularly when pressed into service in the study of architectural history.

From the rear cover

When was it built?

Why does it look that way?

What style is it?

What Style Is It? provides a portable, easy-to-use guide to identifying American architecture-on the road or in your own community.

This Revised Edition presents new photographs and line drawings, a concise, illustrated glossary, and accessible information on twenty-two major styles of American architecture from the past 300 years. Organized chronologically to put information at your fingertips, What Style Is It? presents succinct summaries of architectural styles, discusses their development and notable characteristics, and mentions where real-world examples can be found.

This essential guide is packed with more than 200 descriptive photographs and illustrations, accompanied by nontechnical explanations that help you quickly identify the most significant styles of architecture-from Early Colonial, Federal, and Second Empire to Neoclassical, pre-Civil War Romanesque Revival, and late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Rustic styles.

What Style Is It? is the definitive, concise guide to the captivating structures and history of American architecture.