Synopses & Reviews
A deep exploration of modern life that examines our cities, public places, and homes
In Mysteries of the Mall, Witold Rybczynski, the author of How Architecture Works,
casts a seasoned critical eye on the modern scene. His subject is
nothing less than the broad setting of our metropolitan world.
In
thirty-four discerning essays, Rybczynski ranges over topics as varied
as shopping malls, Central Park, the Opéra Bastille, and America's
shrinking cities. Along the way, he examines our post-9/11 obsession
with security, the revival of the big-city library, the rise of college
towns, our fascination with vacation homes, and Disney's planned
community of Celebration. By looking at contemporary architects as
diverse as Frank Gehry, Moshe Safdie, and Bing Thom, revisiting old
masters such as Palladio, Le Corbusier, and Frank Lloyd Wright, and
considering such unsung innovators as Stanley H. Durwood, the inventor
of the cineplex, Rybczynski ponders the role of global metropolises in
an age of tourism and reflects on what kinds of places attract us in the
modern city.
Mysteries of the Mall is required reading for anyone curious about the contemporary world and how it came to be the way it is.
Review
“Throughout the collection, Rybczynski’s writing is clear-headed and
thoughtful, knowledgeable but unpretentious . . . the awe, appreciation
and wonder that Rybczynski has for architecture can be infectious.” Anna Weiner, The New Republic
Review
“[Rybczynski is] an eloquent critic with a range of interests as broad
as his voluminous published work . . . the prose sparkles . . . Over the
course of his career, Rybczynski has proven a deft guide to the work of
countless architects; here, he is just as sage a curator of his own
criticism.” Anthony Paletta, Publishers Weekly (boxed signature review)
Review
“A superb book for those interested in architectural history, written in
an easygoing style by a man with encyclopedic knowledge and an obvious
great love for building.” Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
About the Author
Witold Rybczynski has written about architecture for The New Yorker, The Atlantic, The New York Times, and Slate. Among his award-winning books are Home, The Most Beautiful House in the World, and A Clearing in the Distance,
which won the J. Anthony Lukas Prize. He lives with his wife in
Philadelphia, where he is the emeritus professor of architecture at the
University of Pennsylvania. How Architecture Works is his eighteenth book.