Georgian London

by John Summerson

Sir John Summerson's study of Georgian architecture in London was first published in 1945 and was described in the Architectural Review as "probably the most interesting and the most valuable historical work Anglo-Saxon scholarship has produced during the war years." Since then it has been reprinted several times and has, in this new edition, been carefully revised by the author, who says, "I have made no attempt to change it from what it set out to be — an outline sketch of the subject from a particular and persona angle. The stuff within the outline, however, has been subjected to rigorous scrutiny in the light of present knowledge and with access to sources not available to me at the start."

The book approaches the study of London in an original way. It shows the capital as a pattern of bricks and mortar produced by the wealth, taste and industry of a great age. The method has resulted in an intricate blend of biography, topography and criticism. Statesman, connoisseurs, merchants, architects, jerry-builders, are among the characters in the story and the great figures in English architecture are seen in the context of practical building to which they properly belong.

Genres: History, Architecture, Nonfiction, London, Cities, British Literature, Art

348 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1945

About the author

Sir John Newenham Summerson CH CBE was one of the leading British architectural historians of the 20th century
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Sum...


Librarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name

Reviews

[Sitatunga · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's hard to imagine how anyone with the mildest curiosity in London's architectural fabric managed to cope before this flawless examination. The erudition is as gossamer and the language, while sending one inquisitively to the dictionary, is as crystal clear and precise as one has come to expect. Reading this, like that other masterpiece, 'The Classical Language of Architecture' is rather like having a conversation with an engaging teacher then walking away with a grasp of a whole new subject entire.

[Sophie Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thorough on the entire topic of how Georgian London was built, this is rich in architectural detail and yet very accessible to those who don't know their Ionic from their Corinthian (although I've FINALLY managed to master it in no small part thanks to this book). It has lots of photos, maps, and other visuals to help illustrate its points -- I could have gone for even more, but they were quite plentiful, for such a book. And the end contains enough extant Georgian buildings to almost break Google Maps.