City of victory : Vijayanagara, the medieval Hindu capital of southern India /

Gollings, an award-winning Austrailian architectural photographer, publishes here 66 of his splendid black-and-white photographs of the many religious and secular monuments on the vast site of Vijayanagara, until 1565 the capital of the last great Hindu empire of south India. Through Gollings's eyes, the richly sculptured Indo-Islamic buildings seen against their background of rugged granite hills and boulders in distant and close views, noon or night, are mysterious and fascinating. Michell (architectural historian who initiated research at Vijayanagara in 1980) and Fritz (University of New Mexico) explain in more prosaic language the historical, cultural, and religious context of the city, followed by brief descriptions of key monuments illustrated with maps, plans, and 76 small photos. This well-designed book can stand on its own as a stimulating introduction to the city for undergraduates, or as a photographic companion to Fritz and Michell's more detailed Where Kings and Gods Meet: The Royal Centre at Vijayanagara (1984), which contains only line drawings. Appendixes include a dynastic table and useful glossaries of architectural terms and Indian names. For college libraries.-M. Morehart, University of British Columbia

Gollings's spectacular black-and-white photographs amply demonstrate why UNESCO has designated Vijayanagara an antiquity of global significance. Sacked and deserted in 1565, it holds a treasure trove of data that can help us understand medieval India. Unfortunately, the book's essay and site descriptions do not match the impressive photos. No indication is given of the evolution of architectural history, the contributions of individual rulers, or the possible interrelationship of the buildings. Fortunately, most readers will confine themselves to the great photography.-- Donald Clay Johnson, Univ. of Minnesota Lib., Minneapolis (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.