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abeanbg's review against another edition
4.0
Tapping out with a hundred-ish pages to go. Crawford's writing is uniformly engaging and I learned a ton, but the scope is so big that my dedication has faltered. May yet finish it off sometime, though.
stevendedalus's review against another edition
3.0
A breezy history of civilizations defined by their buildings. Crawford traces the history of buildings from their origin to how they're perceived and dissected in the present day. His choices aren't too surprising, and the information lacks the depth to truly surprise, but it's thoroughly entertaining and wide-ranging enough to keep you interested.
erinkelly's review against another edition
5.0
This book took me forever to read but it was so so good! If you're ready for a commitment, it's worth it. I learned so much and the writing is beautiful. My favorite chapters were the ones on empires and Utopia/dystropias, specifically those set in Rome, Spain, Peru, Russia, and Hong Kong. While it dragged at the end, I'm glad I made it to the very last page
roshanichokshi's review against another edition
This read ensorcelled my imagination. It's a feast of myth and history, and a testament to human ambition.
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