How to Read New York: A Crash Course in Big Apple Architecture by Will Jones

New York is home to some of the most iconic and instantly-recognisable pieces of architecture in the world. The city is a mishmash of architectural styles, a place where Classical and Colonial meet Renaissance and Modernist. The result is a glorious fusion that works perfectly and upon closer inspection has a plethora of secrets just waiting to be revealed. Welcome to New York...

How To Read New York describes itself as a crash course in Big Apple Architecture. The book has many appealing features that make it the ideal travelling companion. Firstly, the size format is extremely handy. The book is compact enough to fit into a pocket or small bag, despite containing an impressive 256 pages. The writing-style has a wide appeal. It isn't too technical for those of us lacking a degree in architecture, and yet the detailed diagrams and photographs will appeal equally to those with an eye for detail and a keen interest in the subject matter.

Each section in the book is devoted to a particular architectural style, with a brief introduction to explain the features that make each style unique. For example, the Deco style, as seen in such iconic buildings as the Empire State Building, Brooklyn Bridge and Chrysler Building takes its inspiration from European religious architecture from the 13th and 14th century. In stark contrast, the glazed facades of the United Nations Secretariat, Seagram Building and Museum of Modern Art exemplify the restrained, utilitarian Early Modernist style, with its emphasis on form and function.

As well as black and white photographs of the featured buildings, hand-drawn illustrations point out notable features and details worth looking at, as well as floor plans, in some cases. There are also maps to show the location of the featured buildings. Despite the small size of the book, the information presented is detailed and well researched. The book features a good mix of well known buildings and lesser-known but equally fascinating hidden gems.

How To Read New York is an absorbing and well presented little book that is the perfect guide to NYC architecture and its history. Many thanks to the publishers for my review copy. I hope that one day I will be able to take it with me and see those iconic buildings for myself.

Modernism: The Lure of Heresy - From Baudelaire to Beckett and Beyond by Peter Gay explores the Modernism movement in more detail and will appeal to those interested in American Cultural history.

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You can read more book reviews or buy How to Read New York: A Crash Course in Big Apple Architecture by Will Jones at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy How to Read New York: A Crash Course in Big Apple Architecture by Will Jones at Amazon.com.

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