American Architecture: A History

by Leland M. Roth

American Architecture introduces the reader to the major developments that shaped the American-built environment from before the Europeans to the present, from the everyday vernacular to the high style of aspiration. Leland M. Roth describes the impact of changes in conceptual imagery, style, building technology, landscape design, and town-planning theory throughout the nation's history. Based on his acclaimed and influential Concise History of American Architecture (1980), this new book is double the length with twice as many illustrations, featuring expanded coverage of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, regional styles, and contemporary buildings and architects. The author charts the social, cultural, and political forces that shaped the growth and development of American towns, cities, and suburbs. In ten chapters with 612 illustrations, he provides a full, reliable, and up-to-date description, analysis, and interpretation of American buildings and their architects. The illustrations are integrated into the text and consist of photographs, drawings, plans, and maps. Well-written and comprehensive, American Architecture is invaluable as a guide, study, and reference.

Genres: Architecture, Nonfiction, History

608 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1979

Reviews

[Stuart · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent and thorough work on the history, philosophy, psychology and physics of American building practices. Contains brilliant insights on the national psyche, the adaptation of traditional styles to locally-available materials, aesthetics and formalism and, in the latter third, a generous helping of urban planning and social theory. Not all books make you better read, this one does.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent review of America's architectural history to date (at the time of writing, into the late 70s). As concise as such a broad study can be, and rarely dry. Roth offers edifying insight into society, and the various forces that shaped and were shaped by architecture, at the corresponding times.

[Charles Callihan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable and easy(ish) read but there seemed to be a little more focus on the background of architects over buildings.

[Carly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an ok review of the history of American architecture, but it skips over a lot too. I would recommend this supplemented with other American Architecture books.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Certainly good for what it is, but can tend toward the dry.