In his chapter on the "Five Groat Building Cultures" the author gradually and in detail traces the develop. ment of architecture through the discovery of new materials and methods of construction made possible by the invention of improved tools and workmanship, and. the interchange of ideas. between the various arts of the civilized world, In subsequent chapters he shows how g00- graphical, geological and climatic conditiong, religious, social and poli-treat events all. played their part the development. of these cultures which eventually resulted in the architecture of today, an architecture "which draws no class lines nor distinguished between any building functions so long as those functions fare necessary" and aims at the improvement and beautifying of the liv. ing and working conditions and surroundings of humanity—a truly noble objective, The foregoing criticisms, it should be noted, apply particularly to fllustrations; but in spite of them, the. author can be congratulated on having achieved his purpose and given the student of architecture a very valu able addition to his reference library.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.