Roots of Contemporary American Architecture

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Lewis Mumford

Dover Publications, New York, 1972, 1952, English

Nonfiction, Architecture

ISBN: 9780486220727

Series of 37 essays, collected and edited by Mumford, by 29 authors, dating from the mid-19th to the mid-20th century.

On 3 book lists

Amanda Dameron

On Amanda Dameron’s Book List

I studied this book in college, but it wasn’t until I started working for Dwell that I purchased a second-hand copy for my bookshelves. This collection of 37 essays, penned by everyone from Mumford himself to Philip Johnson and Henry David Thoreau, has solidified my foundational knowledge of architecture and filled in the gaps of my design education. This is not a book that’s meant to be read cover-to-cover, at least, not for me. I read one essay at a time, and I return to them again and again. My favorite time to tackle these essays is first thing in the morning, on the train to work. Then I try to turn the ideas over in my mind over the course of the day, and I return to the same essay on my way home. I won’t say that I can quote it from memory or that I have completely mastered the ideas contained within the pages, but it’s a book that I try to challenge myself with on a regular basis.

Denise Scott Brown

On Denise Scott Brown’s Book List

Robert Venturi

On Robert Venturi’s Book List

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