50+ Architectural Styles · 7 Historical Periods · Photos & Drawings
A Field Guide to American Houses (Revised) (eBook)
The definitive field guide that teaches you to identify any American home's style, roof, windows, and history — just by looking at it.
- 🏠 Every Major U.S. House Style
- 🗺️ New Neighborhoods Chapter
- 📖 600+ Photos & Drawings
- ⭐ The 40-year standard endorsed by the New York Times
30-Day Money Back Guarantee
That's how confident we are in your results. But if you're not thrilled, send it back and we'll refund your purchase.
JD
"This is probably the most-used resource book I have right now... This book has been very helpful for my current client - I'm identifying the architectural styles of hundreds of non-historic, usually obscure style structures. Because of this book, there are about fifteen structures in another state that my client is considering preserving now that we have identified something unique about them. As a preservationist, that gets me jazzed up!"
Real Stories From Real Readers
What homeowners, students, and gift-givers are saying
Redsilas D.,
Verified Buyer
Great book, fantastic book. It's huge and heavy to boot. We have a lot of houses in our area that I liked but couldn't describe their style to a realtor or anyone else. This book explains when the housing style came into fashion, what the features are, and where they dot the countryside in America. I didn't realize ranch style houses came from California and were originally very small. If you're looking for floorplans, this isn't that type of book. If you're interested in what the historical styles are and what type your house might be, this was definitely worth the price. My husband ended up changing his mind from wanting a typical ranch style to an updated Craftsman.
David,
Verified Buyer
Building on a catalog of architectural features (including layout, doors, windows, roofs, and coverings), the book establishes a vocabulary for describing ancient to modern architectural styles. From there, it provides a comprehensive catalog of American home architecture over the past 300 years. Well-documented with hundreds (or thousands?) of photographs, the book shows a spectrum of permutations for architectural styles. It helps make sense of the eclectic mishmash of housing styles we have in California. It's the most useful architectural reference book I've got, and I have dozens.
Rachel,
Verified Buyer
I have the original McAllister book and this one is greatly enlarged from the one that I think came out in 1984. I work as an architectural historian and I can’t possibly remember everything but this is a great resource lots of terrific information and a good resource if you’re doing any kind of architectural analysis.
Jane,
Verified Buyer
This is an excellent book about architecture of American homes. Used this with my 12 & 14 year old granddaughters this summer. We had fun recognizing the style of different homes that we walked or drove by.
Big Architecture. Small Vocabulary. Nothing That Bridges the Gap.
You walk past beautiful, historic homes every day and have no idea what you're actually looking at. Most books either drown you in academic jargon or barely scratch the surface. This book does neither. It takes every major American house style — 400 years of them — and makes them visible, nameable, and unforgettable.
Every Style Comes With The Story Behind It.
Each entry covers one concept — a roofline, a window type, a whole neighborhood pattern — with a clear visual, plain-language explanation, and the history behind why it exists. One reader put it perfectly:
"You start to drive around the old parts of your city and go — oh, that's a colonial, I know because of the shape of this. Fair warning: you'll start seeing Prairie and Craftsman details everywhere, whether they belong there or not."
Neighborhood Walks. Home Buying. Preservation Work. It Works For All Three.
Whether you're a curious homeowner walking your own block, a student building a foundation in architectural history, or a preservation professional identifying styles for a client — this book fits right in. Each entry stands alone, so you can go style by style or read straight through.
Every Major Pillar of American Architecture.
Inside the book
From wigwams to neo-eclectic McMansions, every layer of residential architecture is here.
🏛️ Pictorial Key & Glossary
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A visual index at the front of the book. Start with what you can see over the hedge (roof form, dormers, chimneys, porches, windows) and work your way down to identify any house on sight, plus a full glossary of architectural terms.
🏘️ Neighborhoods: The Grouping of American Houses
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A 45-page chapter on how geography, transportation, and history shaped entire communities, from streetcar suburbs to postwar developments, so you can read a neighborhood, not just a single house.
🪟 Roofs, Windows, Porches & Sashes Explained
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Detailed breakdowns of every structural and decorative element: roof forms, dormers, roof-wall junctions, window sashes, entry porches, with line drawings that show exactly what to look for.
🧱 Every Major Style — Colonial to Neo-Eclectic
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Full coverage of American house styles across 400 years: Colonial, Victorian, Craftsman, Second Empire, Italianate, Prairie, and the neo-eclectic mashups showing up in new construction today.
🚗 Early Auto Suburbs to Postwar Suburbs
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The story of how the automobile reshaped American housing, from early auto suburbs with rear garages to the mass-produced postwar developments that followed.
See How It Stacks Up
Most books talk about houses. This one teaches you to actually read them.
See How It Stacks Up
Most books talk about houses. This one teaches you to actually read them.
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Field Guide to American Houses
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Full-colour visuals on every style
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Every major style, 400 years covered
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New chapter on neighborhoods
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Pictorial key for quick ID in the field
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Written by the definitive authority
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What Parents Are Saying
A Stylish Guide to Styles
Bruce C.
Describes roof lines, window treatments, and every visible characteristic that defines a style, like a field guide for houses instead of birds.
Enrich your life by knowing wherein you dwell
Richard C.
I only knew house architecture from enthusiastically going on home tours. I was tired of being at the mercy of whatever was in front me. This book is so rich in detail, so entertaining in its insights that I will have to read it a 2nd and 3rd time. I enjoy driving around neighborhoods I have known for years and newly understanding them. Thank you.
Virginia McAlester knocks it out of the park... again!
Maple
The standard reference for historic preservation professionals, back in a second edition with real improvements over the original. The photos are crisp and detailed, and Mrs. McAlester has named every style of American residential building constructed through about 2010. This is a book you could keep on your coffee table.
A must-have for historic preservation projects
Emily T.
Working on a historic preservation project with a neighborhood group, this has proved invaluable. With a detailed pictorial key, glossary, and clear descriptions, it's become our essential reference for identifying architectural styles in our neighborhood.
Crazy obsessive
Timothy
Goes into great detail about the structural and decorative elements that define each style. I keep it in the car as a reference for walks through neighborhoods like the Ladd Addition in Portland. I find myself paying a lot more attention to details having used it for a while.
For Anyone Curious about Houses
Marjie
My husband loves studying architecture wherever we go, so I picked this up for him after seeing it reviewed in the Wall Street Journal. The charts at the beginning help you identify what you're looking at, but it's also great for a long reading session.
Learn To Read Every House You Pass
We're confident this becomes your go-to reference the moment it arrives. If it's not the right fit, send it back within 30 days for a full refund.
Get My Copy Today
Physical Book
Free Shipping
30 Day Money Back Guarantee
Learn To Read Every House You Pass
We're confident this becomes your go-to reference the moment it arrives. If it's not the right fit, send it back within 30 days for a full refund.
Get My Copy Today
Physical Book
Free Shipping
30 Day Money Back Guarantee
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this the newest edition?
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Yes. This is the fully revised second edition, expanded with a new Neighborhoods chapter and 600 new photos and drawings.
Do I need any architecture background to use this book?
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No. It's written for the average homeowner or curious reader, not just professionals. The pictorial key at the front lets you start identifying a house's style right away, with a full glossary if you hit an unfamiliar term.
What house styles does the book cover?
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Every major American residential style across roughly 400 years, from Colonial and Victorian to Craftsman, Prairie, Second Empire, and the neo-eclectic styles common in newer construction.
Is this useful for identifying houses outside my own city or region?
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Yes. The styles and neighborhood patterns covered span the whole country, so it works whether you're looking at homes in your own town or somewhere you're just visiting.
Is it a physical book or digital?
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It is a physical book shipped directly to your door.
You will receive a confirmation email with tracking details once your order is dispatched.
Do you offer international shipping?
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Yes, we ship to many countries worldwide. Shipping availability and options will be shown at checkout.
How long does shipping take?
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Orders are processed within 1 to 2 business days.
For United States orders, delivery usually arrives within 4 to 6 business days after dispatch.
International orders generally arrive within 5 to 10 business days, though delivery times may vary depending on your location and local customs processing.
Once your order ships, you will receive a tracking number so you can follow the delivery progress.
How can I contact customer support?
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You can reach our support team via email through our contact page, and we will respond as soon as possible.
Do I need any architecture background to use this book?
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No. It's written for the average homeowner or curious reader, not just professionals. The pictorial key at the front lets you start identifying a house's style right away, with a full glossary if you hit an unfamiliar term.
Is this useful for identifying houses outside my own city or region?
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Yes. The styles and neighborhood patterns covered span the whole country, so it works whether you're looking at homes in your own town or somewhere you're just visiting.
Do you offer international shipping?
+
Yes, we ship to many countries worldwide. Shipping availability and options will be shown at checkout.
How can I contact customer support?
+
You can reach our support team via email through our contact page, and we will respond as soon as possible.