Book Review- The Architecture of the 18th-Century

For such a slim volume it took me a while to read through this one, despite the fact that I had read it years ago when I was much younger. It's a good source for understanding the various styles that came and went and fed one another, as well as where such styles developed (or in some cases surprisingly did not). Certain types of buildings, namely churches, theatres, palaces, and prisons were dealt with specifically, but very few less grandiose examples were explored; and interior decoration was largely limited to staircases, libraries, chapels, and Adams techniques.

The book pre-supposes a good understanding of the time period in general, and the events that shaped the development of differing kingdoms and countries. Don't expect a lot of context to be given, it is left to the reader to draw conclusions between events and architectural preferences, but you will learn a lot about what kind of buildings inspired specific architects, and who they learned from and in their turn inspired and taught themselves.

I would reccomend this book for those interested in a general overview of 18th-century public architecture (there are more thorough sources for private architecture), but it is not a quick or easy read due to its ponderous nature. It would make an excellent starting place for those who would like to then move onto studying individually the many styles mentioned therein.