No private houses are listed, nor are exhibitions
(sprightly though many be) or buildings, such as shops,
apt to vanish or change markedly overnight. As regards
the first, it would be an intrusion for owners of distin-
guished homes to have hordes of curious visitors descend-
ing upon them. Exhibitions are here today and gone to-
morrow. Shops can be virtually ruined over the weekend.

This guide does not--cannot--probe deeply into the
myriad aspects involved in every structure. With one
photograph and limited text--and no plans or sections-
this is obviously impossible. The book essays to set the
general scene, then to bring out each building's salient
contributions, tell precisely where it is and who did it,
and in the index, when it was done. It concentrates
largely on work of the past few years, but for fuller
understanding and depth it goes back to the outbreak
of World War II and winnows the telling work from that
sad era. The book seeks to function as an introduction
to the wonderful richness of architectural thought evi-
dent in Europe today: it most definitely does not consti-
tute a history of modern architecture, nor should it be
read at one sitting--or rashly considered a substitute for
personal visits to the buildings described.

A selection such as must be made here is a thankless
job. No two people would agree on the two hundred
and twenty-five most stimulating buildings of postwar
Europe. However, on personal examination of most and
thorough study of all of the buildings mentioned--plus
hundreds eliminated--those that follow seem in broad
perspective to be those of the greatest interest. The
author would appreciate suggestions or corrections.

G. E. Kidder Smith

163 East 81st Street
New York 28, N. Y.

March 1961

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