Review by Choice Review
This is what all have been waiting for--a comprehensive, dispassionate, and scholarly account of architectural theory since the breakdown of Renaissance-baroque humanist architectural theory in the 18th century. Mallgrave is an established author and scholar who has written authoritatively on that most intractable of subjects, 19th-century German architectural theory. In fact, in many ways this book represents a lebenswerk for Mallgrave, who practices architecture in Florida. He prepared for it by serving for 20 years as editor of the "Texts and Documents Series" for the Getty Research Institute, in the areas of architecture and aesthetics. In short, this book will long stand as a basic library resource and as a comprehensive student resource for architectural theory courses throughout the English-speaking world. Gracefully written, thoroughly researched, and sensibly organized by country, it also includes Russia and Italy. Fortunately, the book starts with Rene Descartes in the late 17th century, providing a good ramp up to 18th-century architectural theory. Unfortunately, the book's coverage ends at about 1970, leaving the tremendous challenge and complexity of postmodern architectural theory to some other survey. ^BSumming Up: Essential. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty and researchers. P. Kaufman Boston Architectural Center
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
