Why does one talented individual win lasting recognition in a particular field, while another equally talented person does not? While there are many possible reasons, one obvious answer is that something more than talent is requisite to produce fame. The "something more" in the field of architecture, asserts Roxanne Williamson, is the association with a "famous" architect at the moment he or she first receives major publicity or designs the building for which he or she will eventually be celebrated. In this study of more than six hundred American architects who have achieved a place in architectural histories, Williamson finds that only a small minority do not fit the "right person–right time" pattern. She traces the apprenticeship connection in case studies of Louis Sullivan, Frank Lloyd Wright, Henry Hobson Richardson, the firm of McKim, Mead & White, Latrobe and his descendants, the Bulfinch and Renwick Lines, the European immigrant masters, and Louis Kahn. Although she acknowledges and discusses the importance of family connections, the right schools, self-promotion, scholarships, design competition awards, and promotion by important journals, Williamson maintains that the apprenticeship connection is the single most important predictor of architectural fame. She offers the intriguing hypothesis that what is transferred in the relationship is not a particular style or approach but rather the courage and self-confidence to be true to one's own vision. Perhaps, she says, this is the case in all the arts. American Architects and the Mechanics of Fame is sure to provoke thought and comment in architecture and other creative fields.

Now in full color--a thoroughly updated edition of the premier illustrated architectural dictionary Revised and expanded, the Illustrated Dictionary of Architecture, Third Edition, features 8,000 definitions, 4,000 illustrations, and biographies of hundreds of architects accompanied by classic examples of their work. This new, full-color edition includes terms relating to green, ecological, and sustainable architecture. Everything critically important to those in the field of architecture and design is covered, including: Architectural styles Details Building elements Architectural forms Building systems Green building Meticulously written, heavily cross-referenced, and filled with more than 3,000 new and updated definitions and 1,000 new photographs, this impressive visual resource is the best way to gain a full understanding of architectural elements and the new language of green and sustainable architecture.

Beginning with the homes of the first European settlers to the North American colonies, and concluding with the latest trends in construction and design of houses and apartments in the United States, Homes through American History is a four-volume set intended for a general audience. From tenements to McMansions, from wattle-and-daub construction in early New England to sustainable materials for green housing, these books provide a rich historical tour through housing in the United States. Divided into 10 historical periods, the series explores a variety of home types and issues within a social, historical, and political context. For use in history, social studies, and literature classes, Homes through American History identifies ; A brief historical overview of the era, in order provide context to the discussion of homes and dwellings. ; Styles of domestic architecture around the country. ; Building material and manufacturing. ; Home layout and design. ; Furniture and decoration. ; Landscaping and outbuildings.