Review by Choice Review
The Romanesque period (11th and 12th centuries) is often overshadowed by its successor, the Gothic. Strafford's guide shows that the Romanesque period contains many architectural gems worthy of admiration. Although the Romanesque style flourished throughout western Europe, Strafford concentrates on the churches of France. The book begins with a general introduction to the period and its architectural style. This is useful to the traveler but is also a solid overview that would be helpful to students or researchers who want basic information. The author offers a brief history of France during the Romanesque era, giving a contextual base for the style and use of the churches mentioned. Going region by region, the rest of the book provides highlights and interesting facts about noteworthy churches in a particular area. Illustrations accompany the text but are black-and-white only. The majority of the images are of buildings or architectural sculpture, so the lack of color is not an issue. The guide serves a dual purpose as a portable resource for the traveler and as a handy reference guide suitable for most art and architecture collections. ^BSumming Up: Recommended. General readers; lower-division undergraduates through faculty. T. L. Wilson Michigan State University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
