This terrific volume of essays presents current approaches to the study and care of medieval architecture, mainly in France and England. The exception is an essay by Vasileios Marinis (Yale
Divinity School) on using a functional approach--by tracing liturgical use--to study Byzantine churches in Constantinople. Written by contributors who include the best known experts in the
field, the essays include a history and analysis of the recent buttressing of Beauvais Cathedral, by Stephen Murray (Columbia U.); standardization in the production of limestone sculpture in
France, by Janet Snyder (West Virginia U.); an analysis of the spacing between piers in four English churches, by Nigel Hiscock (former principal lecturer in architecture at Oxford Brookes U.);
and two essays on Villard d'Honnecourt, by Carl Barnes, Jr. (emeritus, Oakland U., Michigan) and Robert Bork (U. of Iowa). The papers were delivered in earlier form at AVISTA conference
sessions in 2007 and 2009. The volume is well illustrated with b&w plates of excellent quality. Annotation 穢2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
