Eastern Medieval Architecture: The Building Traditions of Byzantium and Neighboring Lands (Onassis Series in Hellenic Culture)

The book is brilliant and beautifully published by Oxford University Press. The vendor, however, put the 5.44 lb. brand new hardbound book in a box far too large for the item, with 3 inflated plastic bags in with the book, which did nothing whatsoever to hold the book in place during the gauntlet known as shipping, and this new book arrived with its covers badly loosened from the spine. The book is wonderful; the shipping area of the vendor needs some serious attention.

For what it is I was very well written. Wouldn’t mind a little more explanation on old Roman word for building.

I was reluctant to buy this book in hardcover because of its size and because of the complaints about its production issues (e.g. cheap paper, poor binding). The Kindle edition was the answer for me! The book looks good on both my Kindle Fire and iPad. It’s easy to read: font size is perfect (but can be changed), photos are beautiful and crisp (and, once again, can be enlarged), and it doesn’t weigh “a ton” and require that I read it at a table or a desk. Go for it!

This is an extraordinary book, lavishly illustrated, with fairly searching description of architecture in the Eastern Roman Empire and the vast areas that came under its influence, from Armenia to Sicily. Naturally, it features a chapter on the Hagia Sophia, and Constantinople remains a central focus throughout; but the author considers, and has usually visited, a host of buildings throughout the Eastern Mediterranean. Even when the buildings are now in ruins, he can often reconstruct their architectural significance. Churches and other buildings of faith figure heavily, of course, but chapters consider secular architecture as well. A final chapter even considers the lingering Byzantine influence on Ottoman and Russian architecture, and an "epilogue" tries to explore the enduring legacy within modern architecture. I had long looked for a book of this sort on this particular subject, but Ousterhout's book wholly exceeded my fondest hopes. A must-have!