A Field Guide to American Houses (Revised)

by McAlester, Virginia Savage

• ISBN13: 9780375710827
• ISBN10: 0375710825
• eBook ISBN(s): 9780385353878
• Additional ISBN(s): 9781400043590
• Edition: Revised
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2015-11-10
• Publisher: Knopf
• More Book Details

About This Book

A Field Guide to American Houses (Revised)

ISBN: 9780375710827

About This Book

"A Field Guide to American Houses (Revised)" is the definitive guide to identifying and understanding America's domestic architecture. This comprehensive and widely acclaimed guide has been a go-to resource for architects, historians, and anyone interested in the rich diversity of American homes.

Who Uses It?

Primarily, this book is used by students and educators in architecture, history, and design courses. It is also a valuable resource for professionals in the field of architecture, real estate, and historic preservation. Homeowners and enthusiasts of domestic architecture will find it equally useful for understanding the styles and historical context of various American houses.

History and Editions

The first edition of "A Field Guide to American Houses" was published in 1984, and it has since become an essential guide to American houses. The revised edition, published on November 10, 2015, includes a section on neighborhoods, expanded and completely new categories of house styles with photos and descriptions, an appendix on "Approaches to Construction in the 20th and 21st Centuries," an expanded bibliography, and 600 new photographs and line drawings. This updated edition ensures that the book remains current and relevant for both beginners and experts in the field.

Author and Other Works

Virginia Savage McAlester is the author of "A Field Guide to American Houses (Revised)." Known for her meticulous research and detailed descriptions, McAlester has written extensively on domestic architecture. Her work is highly regarded for its clarity and depth, making complex architectural concepts accessible to a wide audience.

Detailed Information

ISBNs and Formats

• Paperback: ISBN-13: 9780375710827
• Hardcover: ISBN-13: 9780385353878

Publication Details

• Publisher: Knopf Publishing Group
• Publication Date: November 10, 2015
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English

Other Editions and Formats

While we primarily focus on the paperback edition, other formats may be available through various retailers. For accuracy, we recommend checking with major bookstores or online retailers for any additional formats.

Related ISBNs:

• Hardcover: ISBN-13: 9780385353878
• Other Editions: The original edition was published in 1984; however, specific ISBNs for earlier editions are not readily available.

Key Features

• Comprehensive Coverage: The book covers a wide range of domestic architectural styles in America, from colonial to modern.
• Detailed Photographs and Line Drawings: With over 600 new photographs and line drawings, this guide provides visual clarity to help identify and understand various architectural styles.
• Historical Context: The book includes a section on neighborhoods and an appendix on construction approaches in the 20th and 21st centuries, providing a rich historical context.
• Expanded Bibliography: The revised edition includes an expanded bibliography for further research.

This detailed information section provides a quick reference for all the available formats and sources for "A Field Guide to American Houses (Revised)," making it easier to find and access the book in the preferred format.

Author Biography

VIRGINIA McALESTER, was educated at Radcliffe and attended the Harvard Graduate School of Design. She is a founding member and past president of Preservation Dallas and also of Friends of Fair Park, the support group for a National Historic Landmark. She serves as an advisor emeritus for the National Trust for Historic Preservation. She is the author of The Making of a Historic District: Swiss Avenue, Dallas, Texas, a 40-page booklet "how-to" published by the National Trust in 1975 that historic groups across the country have used as a guide in creating their historic districts. She is coauthor of The Homes of the Park Cities, Dallas: Great American Suburbs.

Table of Contents

How to Use This Book
Preface
Pictorial Key and Glossary
 
LOOKING AT AMERICAN HOUSES
Style: The Fashions of American Houses
Form: The Shapes of American Houses
Structure: The Anatomy of American Houses
Neighborhoods: The Groupings of American Houses
 
FOLK HOUSES
Native American
Pre-Railroad
National
Manufactured
 
COLONIAL HOUSES (1600–1820)
Postmedieval English
Dutch Colonial
French Colonial
Spanish Colonial
Georgian
Federal
Early Classical Revival
 
ROMANTIC HOUSES (1820–1880)
Greek Revival
Gothic Revival
Italianate
Exotic Revivals
Octagon
 
VICTORIAN HOUSES (1860–1900)
Second Empire
Stick
Queen Anne
Shingle
Richardsonian Romanesque
Folk Victorian
 
ECLECTIC HOUSES (1880–1940)
 
English and Anglo-American Period Houses
Colonial Revival
Neoclassical
Tudor
 
French Period Houses
Chateauesque
Beaux Arts
French Eclectic
 
Mediterranean and Spanish Period Houses
Italian Renaissance
Mission
Spanish Revival
Monterey
Pueblo Revival
 
MODERN HOUSES (1900–present)
 
Early Modern
Prairie
Craftsman
Modernistic
 
Bankers Modern
Minimal Traditional
Ranch
Split-Level
 
Mainstream Modern
International
Contemporary
Shed
Other 20th-Century Modern
21st-Century Modern
 
STYLED HOUSES SINCE 1935
Mansard
Styled Ranch
Millennium Mansion
New Traditional
American Vernacular
 
APPENDIX
Approaches to Construction in the 20th and 21st Centuries
 
Notes
For Further Reference
Acknowledgments
About the Illustrations
Photo Credits
Index