The Houses We Live In: An Identification Guide to the History and Style of American Domestic Architecture Review

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(More customer reviews)In the world of architectural field guides, there exists a division between books that primarily use photographs to show architectural styles and books that use line drawings. I have always preferred line drawings because they allow the viewer to concentrate on the architecutral features that combine to create a distinct style. I do not like photographic texts because there are too many distractions. Instead of being able to concentrate on the house, the eye is drawn to trees, cars or people walking around.
Initially, I did not think that I would like "The Houses We Live In" because it relies heavily on photographic examples. Even worse, the color on many of the 600 photographs look faded out. The General Editor of the book, Jeffery Howe used his personal collection of photographs that he has amassed over the course of twenty years. Unfortunatley, the photos look like the work of a weekend hobbyist. (Yet let me say, they are still better than the "professional" photographs used in "The Abrams Guide to American Styles."
Although initially biased against this book, having read the work I was won over by it. Although not the highest quality of photographs, the sheer range of images is very impressive. Most field guides end around 1950. This guide is interesting because it looks at contemporary revivals of classic American styles. In conclusion, this is the work of a man who has spent many years purusing his love of American architectural forms. It is majestic in scope in the way only a committed hobbyist can complete. Although not the ultimate field guide, Jeffery Howe and his collaborators have gone a long way in advancing the state of the architectural field guide.

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This book is a guide to the architectural styles of American houses. Highly illustrated with photographs and overlays to identify key recognition features, it covers a variety of architectural styles from colonial to modern America. In a section by section treatment, The Houses We Live In details how the various styles were developed, its originators and proponents, the main dates when the style was popular, and the main houses and regions that saw the style. Detailed photographs show variations of the style from all angles and close-ups of key points. Contents include: Vernacular architecture (Native American, log cabin, etc.); Colonial; European Revival (Greek, Gothic, etc.); Victorian (Second Empire, Richardson Romanesque, etc.); Pre-WW2 (Neoclassical, Beaux Arts, Tudor, Mediterranean, etc.); and American Modern (Prairie, Craftsman).

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