Listen free for 30 days
Listen with offer
-
Architecture
- A History in 100 Buildings
- Narrated by: Dan Cruickshank
- Length: 11 hrs and 59 mins
Failed to add items
Add to basket failed.
Add to wishlist failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
£0.00 for first 30 days
Architecture
Buy Now for £12.99
No valid payment method on file.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Summary
This stunning book by renowned television historian Dan Cruickshank tells the history of architecture through the stories of 100 iconic buildings.
Journeying through time and place, from the ancient Egyptian pyramids to the soaring skyscrapers of Manhattan, renowned architectural historian Dan Cruickshank explores the most impressive and characterful creations in world architecture.
His selection includes many of the world’s best-known buildings that represent key or pioneering moments in architectural history, such as the Pantheon in Rome, Hagia Sophia in Turkey, the Taj Mahal in India and the Forbidden City in China.
But the book also covers less obvious and more surprising structures, the generally unsung heroes of an endlessly fascinating story. Buildings like Oriel Chambers in Liverpool and the Narkomfin Apartment Building in Moscow.
Dan Cruickshank has visited nearly all the buildings in the book, many in locations that are now inaccessible and under serious threat. A History of Architecture in 100 Buildings is an eloquent and often moving testimony to the power of great architecture to shape, and be shaped by, world history.
Listeners also enjoyed...
Critic reviews
Praise for Dan Cruickshank:
‘Beneath the jocular surface lies an entirely serious expertise. The breadth of Cruickshank's knowledge and the very speed of his journey enables him to make striking connections between apparently unrelated cultures … illuminating … inspirational’ Guardian
‘A colossal melting pot of a book: ambitious, rigorously researched, vigorously narrated and marvellously illustrated. All of life is here, but not as we know it’ Sunday Times
‘Fascinating … a lively and scholarly panorama’ Daily Mail
What listeners say about Architecture
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance3 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Liz K
- 18-04-21
Fundamentally really interesting but a bit flawed
I feel really mean not giving five stars for each aspect of this audio book as Dan Cruickshank is so infectiously enthusiastic, seems like a terribly nice bloke and is also something of a national treasure. However, firstly, for the book to be a "history of architecture" I think there needs to be a bit more to link up the examples, which are presented more or less as a disjointed list. Although there are sort-of themes running through the book, the reader is left to try to work out how the examples are connected or how they fit chronologically. Secondly, although listening to Dan Cruickshank's cheery, friendly and avuncular voice is a real treat (especially in lockdown), he often garbles or swallows his words and sometimes it sounds like he just needs to stop, sip some water and clear his throat. As a result, his pronunciation is sometimes very strange. He removes or adds syllables to some words willy nilly, which sometimes makes it very hard to understand him. For example every time he says "creation", which should have three syllables, he pronounces it "cray-shun", and every time he says "sacristy" he adds an extra R towards the end and pronounces it "sacristRy". "Architecture" sometimes ends up as "archer". Thirdly, his pronunciation of even the most basic of foreign names and terms is done with the stiffest of upper lips. Given that this is a book that covers architecture from around the world it would have helped to have looked the words up on Forvo and had a practice first. However, I would still really recommend this book if you are interested in buildings (I also have the print version so I can check things and look at the pictures). It isn't extremely detailed (I don't think it is meant to be), but there is plenty of interesting comment about each building, and Dan Cruickshank makes it clear why he rates each one, and that by itself is a delight. I teach history of architecture and I still found it a very worthwhile and enjoyable listen, even given everything I have said above.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Antony Cole
- 16-11-21
great book every useful
every informative, and useful for me I am in 2nd year at university studying architecture and planning at UWE Bristol and this year we have a module in the subject of history of architecture. it has given me a another perspective and view on things. on top of this it has allowed me to get a larger understanding of the topic, which has been helping me, within the module for its not necessarily the first time I have heard the information.
Through out the audio you can hear the passion that the author has, it is also every clear and easy to understand.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!