Illustrated Dictionary of Architecture

Rating:
Summary: A fool-proof guide to understanding architectural elements
Review: Ernest Burden's Illustrated Dictionary of Architecture is long on illustration, a commendable fact given that most conventional architectural dictionaries many times leave one guessing as to meanings even after repeated readings of definitions. If you're ever a bit fuzzy as to the difference between a spandrel and a pendentive, a spire and a pinnacle, Burden's 'point-and-shoot' approach and cross referenced entries may prove invaluable to clearing up such gray areas of the field's nomenclature.

Rating:
Summary: Pretty good, but there is room for improvement.
Review: I thought this would simply be a nice book to have (and of course the cover looks cool). It's got almost every architectural term I can think of, but the page layout is a little cluttered if not cramped & the paper they used is a little odd for any book (heavy and rough).

It would make an excellent gift for a perspective architecture student, but is really not necessary for professionals. Perhaps Burden could figure a way out to have the architectural dictionary work backwards (i.e. from the picture figure out what the term is).