Cathedral: By the Author of The Way Things Work

Beautiful book!

The detail is incredible and the story that goes along with it puts it in perspective. I really enjoyed the drawings and we've enjoyed it so much, we gifted one too!

This book is truly a treasure for readers of all ages! Anyone interested in cathedrals and architecture in general, will appreciate reading this book. David Macaulay describes every facet of planning and building a fictional medieval cathedral over the span of a few decades. The reader will be introduced to all of the tradesmen, their craft, and the challenges they faced with what we now consider primitive building methods. The book is delightfully educational, and don’t be surprised if your little ones begin dreaming of one day becoming an architect!

This book is a great favorite, explaining in depth the inception and building history of a fictitious cathedral. Brilliant drawings.

Wonderful and beautifully illustrated. Should be required reading in schools to show kids what our culture achieved

I just received the book and DVD, and frankly, I read the book in about 30 minutes. It is a good, yet basic, overview of cathedral construction. As some reviews state, it might be less than you want, but there is enough in it, terminology and ideas of how these magnificent buildings were constructed. If you are looking for a novel, forget it, go to Ken Follet's series. But as a starting point to learn more about this wonderful history, by all means buy it. The sketches are beautiful and terrific, the text easily read. And now I can watch the DVD which I ordered also!

Having just finished a great book called "Great Cathedrals", filled with 400 pages of jaw-dropping photographs, I kept wondering how in the world they could have built such marvelous edifices with rudimentary implements over 800 years ago. David Macaulay's "Cathedral" is a book ostensibly written for children but which will fascinate readers of all ages. In scarcely 80 pages, Macaulay takes us back in time to the year 1252 in the fictional French village of Chutreaux where the people decide to build the "longest, widest, highest and most beautiful cathedral in all of France" for the glory of God. Macaulay's text is minimal, but his exquisite black and white line drawings say it all: the step-by-step stages in the building's construction, the craftsmen and the tools they used, and the dedication that kept this project going for 80 years until its completion. We feel a sense of awe at the dedication of the original architects and craftsmen and builders who knew that they would be long dead before the cathedral was finally finished. Macaulay's glossary at the end of the book helps us to understand the major elements of the Gothic cathedral, and his cross-sections and diagrams provide clear illustration of just how the cathedral rose from its foundations. At the end of this volume, we share the awe and pride the townspeople felt at having shared a goal for over 80 years and making it a reality. Macaulay's "Cathedral" is a marvelous creation in more ways than one.

I purchased this as a companion book for Pillars of the Earth, which my book club was reading. It was a great aid! I was able to visualize the buiding of the medieval cathedral and was able to identify much more of the action taking place in the novel. This is not an adult book; I would classify it as YA but it's a great reference for anyone who is trying to learn more about medieval architecture. There are several books in this series and all of them would be great teaching aids for anyone teaching children about the Middle Ages. The drawings are wonderful!

This book is of interest to anyone who has an interest in "How it was done". It will be a useful tool for all cathedral guides and leaders of school parties to our cathedrals. The book solves a lot of the mystery of medieval building work.

My father gave me this book when I was a child but I had lost track of that copy. Nice to know that they're still in print so that my Daughter has the chance to enjoy it as well.

Interesting book. Very good drawings, very informative. We have it on our bookshelf and its gotten read and re-read a lot. Good buy.

Excepcionales las ilustraciones. Con un dominio de la perspectiva cónica extraordinario. Esto se combina con la imaginación para "desmontar" una catredral y enseñarnos cómo era a medio construir.

Esta muy padre, lo recomiendo.