Bricks & Mortals: Ten Great Buildings and the People They Made - Tapa dura

"A witty, erudite narrator not shy about inserting his opinions, Wilkinson draws on his extensive knowledge of art, literature, history urban planning, sociology, and culture to explore the intimate relationship between architecture and society." - "Publishers Weekly "

"[A] rich, centuries-spanning tour of great buildings." - "The Boston Globe"

"A stunning antidote [to] conventional histories... Wilkinson's writing is informed by an astonishing breadth of knowledge... Solid doses of architectural history are enriched by an engrossing array of stories, meditations and historical contexts that humanize the buildings. One of the delights in reading Wilkinson is a sense of boundlessness and discovery on every page... "Bricks and Mortals" provides a chance to travel the world with a guide of uncommon wisdom and talent to discover how buildings make us who we are." - "Buffalo News "

"[A] wide-ranging and stimulating new book... This thought-provoking exploration of different kinds of architecture helps us better understand something we often take for granted or consider too specialized." - "BookPage"

"A stunning antidote [to] conventional histories Wilkinson's writing is informed by an astonishing breadth of knowledge Solid doses of architectural history are enriched by an engrossing array of stories, meditations and historical contexts that humanize the buildings. One of the delights in reading Wilkinson is a sense of boundlessness and discovery on every page "Bricks and Mortals" provides a chance to travel the world with a guide of uncommon wisdom and talent to discover how buildings make us who we are." - "Buffalo News ""

"A lively combination of scholarship, cultural history and sharp-tongued social commentary about our buildings A scholarly but swiftly flowing text that glistens with attitude." - "Kirkus Reviews""

"[A] wide-ranging and stimulating new book This thought-provoking exploration of different kinds of architecture helps us better understand something we often take for granted or consider too specialized." - "BookPage""

""Bricks and Mortals" is likely to make readers more conscious of the structures they inhabit, work in and experience daily A thought-provoking book." - "Economist""

"[A] combination of perceptive architectural observation and licentious historical analysis Wilkinson has looked at buildings honestly and can write about them well. What he wants, I think, is to provoke readers into thinking of architecture as a subject concerned with much more than stones and proportions, famous names and revered monuments." - "New Republic ""

"A rich, thoughtful and insightful inquiry into why buildings should be built first and foremost for people. His prose is smart, witty and opinionated As he easily jumps from architecture to popular culture to philosophy to history, Wilkinson's stimulating critical inquiries reveal an engaged social conscience. Outstanding." - "Shelf Awareness""