This is part pf a new series from Blacks called Little Books of Big Ideas. Now, the fact is, I’m automatically suspicious of small books. I’ve nothing against them personally, though I’m not sure I’d want my daughter to marry one. The problem is that they immediately condemn themselves to small illustrations and pages you have to peer at and I don’t think that’s a good thing unless there’s a compelling reason, which is usually that it’s something you want to be able to carry round with you. So, do you need a pocket guide to architects? I don’t have an answer to that, though I did say “architects”, not “architecture”.
I’m not going to pretend to be qualified to judge the list of who’s included, though a look at the contents produces several of the names you’d expect and I can’t immediately spot too many glaring omissions, though the lack of James Stirling and Denys Lasdun might raise an eyebrow or two, given the inclusion of C F A Voysey.
On the whole, I’d have said this is something you’d peruse at home rather than carry in a pocket, so the format is perhaps wilfully perverse. As a potted guide to the history of architecture, it’s quite a handy thing, but there’s not exactly a shortage in this field.
Artbookreview.net 