The Houses We Live In: An Identification Guide to the History and Style of American Domestic Architecture, edited by Jeffery Howe, 3/5

Either architectural styles are not as clear-cut as I expected, or the info in this unwieldy book was not presented in the most logical way. Long blocks of text, multiple writers, and occasionally unhelpful photo captions made for a somewhat overwhelming reading experience, but I did appreciate the thorough glossary and informative line art. Learning to spot some of the historical features characteristic of different time periods and styles was fun and makes every house I drive by that much more interesting.

Why I read it: If my memory is correct, I convinced my parents many years ago to let me buy this book from a thrift store in Hawaii and bring it home in our luggage despite its considerable size.