Promotions - Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles 2020 -

A fresh interpretation of England's most famous architect, this large-format, copiously illustrated, and extensively annotated study examines Wren's architecture in terms of its relationship to Middle Eastern inspiration instead of the more traditional milieu of European baroque architecture. Hart (Univ. of Bath, UK), who has written extensively on English architecture, examines, in addition to St. Paul's Cathedral, Wren's use of classical orders and lanterns, Gothic arches and towers, Greek crosses and domes, and colonnades and monumental columns, relating them to examples in Jerusalem, Constantinople, Persia, and various printed sources and to accounts by visitors to those places and discussions at the Royal Society. He also examines the relationship between Wren and Robert Hooke, who collaborated with Wren on the Monument to the Great Fire of London and on some of the city churches, and who was a fellow member of the Royal Society. Hart backs up this stimulating study with a plethora of documentation, and he uses photographs to make his points. An extensive bibliography adds to the value of the book.Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty; professionals; general readers.

Wallace (Washington Univ., St. Louis) is a distinguished scholar of Michelangelo, and in this engaging book he focuses on the final two decades of Michelangelo's life. Though Michelangelo worked on disparate projects during this time, Wallace argues that the artist's most important accomplishment was the architectural work for St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. Wallace's knowledge of Michelangelo is immense, and he takes pains to craft a narrative that is readable rather than a study that is scholarly and dry. The effort pays off for the reader, who is introduced to myriad colorful characters who populated Michelangelo's world, from popes and aristocrats to the stonemasons and household servants Michelangelo interacted with on a daily basis. Widely referencing Michelangelo's art, poetry, and letters, the author documents and humanizes Michelangelo's activity in these later years. Wallace debunks the fictional image of a brooding, reclusive artist and presents a more convincing portrait of a dynamic master committed to artistic accomplishment in his old age (he died in 1654 at the age 89) while navigating a precarious world surrounded by both friends and foes. Including ample illustrations of Michelangelo's many works of art, this book reveals the active and inimitably creative life of the artist during his final years.Summing Up: Essential. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty; general readers.

This informative tome speaks to a sustainable future, while "combat[ing] a deep-rooted cultural neglect." Long-time curator at Centre Pompidou, Dethier (International Center for Earthen Architecture) sat on the jury of the 2016 Terra Award, the first international prize for contemporary earthen structures. In The Art of Earth Architecture Dethier explores the history of raw (non-fired) earth structures and settlements worldwide. The book opens--and concludes--by expressing concern over how "current capitalism" spurns natural resources and pointing out how earth architecture encourages well-being and a circular economy. Including some 700 color and black-and-white drawings and photographs, the book begins with discussion of the material itself--its merits and limitations. Chapters 1-3 delve into its application, looking at how, through archaeology and history, one can rediscover the variations of the material's use both technically and artistically. Chapters 4 and 5 look at earth as a vital material for use today, and explore innovative changes to the use of raw earth and hurdles to its use over time. Chapter 6 covers its revival and contemporary use. The book concludes by laying out the obstacles that face earth architecture, the gains it has made, and the need for an educational revolution about its use. This is a perfect book for stimulating discussions about sustainable change and reevaluating city planning requirements.Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readers.