The Abrams Guide to American House Styles

Morgan presents a sort of dummy's guide to American architecture, dressed up in a pretty hardcover with copious color photographs and minimal, elegant descriptions. Househunters, homeowners, realtors--or anyone simply interested in what distinguishes a Victorian from a Colonial, what the difference is between Georgian and Greek Revival, or which empire inspired the Second Empire style--will love this book. Morgan aims ""to simplify--in text, image and graphic presentation--what has become a complex subject to understand,"" and his book largely succeeds. In 15 color-coded chapters, Morgan, whose writings on architecture have appeared in The Boston Globe, The New York Times, Smithsonian and other publications, demystifies American house styles, giving a two-page overview for each, photographic examples from around the country and notes on the style's defining characteristics. With its clear prose, comprehensive scope and excellent photos, this book will be a useful resource for all who care about American design.