The American townhouse is one of the most popular house types in urban America. This comprehensive volume tours the reader through 25 stunning examples of townhouses and rowhouses from Boston to Brooklyn, St. Louis to San Francisco. Radek Kurzaj's striking photographs complement a fascinating text by nationally recognized historic-house expert Kevin Murphy about the townhouse as cultural phenomena, as well as the unique design peculiarities, construction records, and ownership histories of these 25. Included are some of the country's finest townhouses, including the famed Nathaniel Russell House in Charleston; Teddy Roosevelt's New York birth house; the Payne and Helen Hay Whitney House in New York; and the Glenn and Ida Moore House in Rancho Santa Fe. An important book for townhouse dwellers and a captivating read for anyone interested in the history of how we live in America, this book will be widely regarded as a primary reference on this important subject.

For this authoritative survey, architecture historian Murphy (City U. of New York and Brooklyn College) defines "townhouses" more broadly than current real estate practice; he includes houses that are attached to their neighbors as well as those that are "freestanding but built close to the street and in rows of similarly scaled buildings" (rowhouses are a subgroup). His introductory essay surveys their history and cultural context and identifies architects, trends, and influences. The heart of the book comprises thorough visual and narrative profiles of 25 houses, grouped by style: colonial and federal, Greek revival, Italianate and brownstone, and Queen Anne and other revivals. Abundant full-page color photos (by Radek Kurzaj) showcase interiors and exteriors in an oversize format (10x12").
Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

For this authoritative survey, architecture historian Murphy (City U. of New York and Brooklyn College) defines "townhouses" more broadly than current real estate practice; he includes houses that are attached to their neighbors as well as those that are "freestanding but built close to the street and in rows of similarly scaled buildings" (rowhouses are a subgroup). His introductory essay surveys their history and cultural context and identifies architects, trends, and influences. The heart of the book comprises thorough visual and narrative profiles of 25 houses, grouped by style: colonial and federal, Greek revival, Italianate and brownstone, and Queen Anne and other revivals. Abundant full-page color photos (by Radek Kurzaj) showcase interiors and exteriors in an oversize format (10x12"). Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Kevin D. Murphy has been researching and writing about 19th- and 20th-century architecture for more than 20 years. He taught architectural history at the University of Virginia and is currently Associate Professor of Art History at the Graduate Center of The City University of New York and Brooklyn College. Murphy is the author of several books and his essays have appeared in numerous scholarly publications. Radek Kurzaj's architectural photographs have appeared in numerous international magazines and several books, including Abrams' Cottages by the Sea, Living Large in Small Spaces, Colonial Houses, Treehouses of the World, and The Abrams Guide to American House Styles. He resides in Szcecin, Poland, and New York.