Shorter Notices
The Adventure of Building. By Clough Williams Ellis. (Architectural Press. lOs. 6d.)
IT is refreshing in these cheese-caring days to encounter a sweeping idealist—an idealist who can write during the present shortage of houses that " thousands of buildings" put up between the two ware " will have to be torn down again if the towns they stand in are ever to be more than a dreary muddle." This book has been written for children who are considering their future, and possibly, an architect's career—and certainly it will take an intelligent child in his 'teens to appreciate it—but it will be stimulating to adults, too. Mr. William Ellis gives a short survey of architecture since its beginnings, but he is not out to stress history, alluding with disapproval to " the old-fashioned architecture books ' which " talked about little but ' periods' and ' styles'." His thesis is thaE we do not " know " architecture so much as "feel" it, but Ire rounds this dangerous corner neatly by adding that the judgement we should trust is that of the person who " cares," and the person who cares is the one who spends time in looking and thinking, reading, sketching and discussing. In other words, right feeling implies knowing. But the emphIsis is all on individual reaction rather than authority, and the young reader is continually urged to use his eyes. "To travel about without knowing something of architecture is almost like wandering about a fore:gn country without being able to speak its language." The book includes a discussion of the essentials of good architecture, an interesting personal. reminis- cence of Russia after the revolution, many criticisms of the past and suggestions for the future, and a (not quite as lively) conversation piece giving a glimpse of an architect at work. The thirty-seven drawings by Geoffrey Robson match the text in their verve and humour, though their broad style will possibly be more attractive to an adult than to..a child.
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