Moorish style /

This is a study of the development of the "Moorish" style in architecture and crafts as it developed in North Africa and Spain, as well as the style's influence on the architecture of Europe, the Americas, and contemporary Islamic lands. Danby (professor emeritus in architecture, Newcastle Univ.) is at his best in explaining the appeal of the Moorish on Western European culture, with intriguing examples ranging from Romantic paintings to 20th-century movie theaters. The somewhat academically wordy text is profusely illustrated with excellent color photographs of buildings and museum objects. Unfortunately, any value of the text is almost totally undermined by the book's design: the body text is typeset in a thin, condensed, san serif font set in narrow columns and printed with a light gray ink, which renders the writing almost unreadable. Recommended for specialized collections for its coverage of the influence of the Moorish on later architectural styles, and its spectacular color illustrations.‘Eugene C. Burt, Art Inst. of Seattle Lib. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.