Hart's book is a must for all those interested in the esoterica and its key role in forming the Stuart court. The book also sheds interesting light on Stonehenge and the work of the court architect Inigo Jones.

This collection is a must for all students of the Renaissance, covering as it does a vital set of texts whose influence on the course of western architecture was profound. This book not only explains the treatise tradition, but throws new light on many of the principles which shaped Renaissance architecture, from the work of Alberti through to Scamozzi. The editors, who provided the wonderful translation of Sebastiano Serlio (also published by Yale), have done a great job!

This first ever translation in English from the original Italian is accompanied plates from Serlio's first editions. Thus it brings for the first time originals of Serlio's remarkable oeuvre to attention of the modern era. Through these five books Serlio had an enormous influence on the Renaissance and Baroque architecture of Northern Europe and the translators Hart and Hicks really bring this most self-effacing of Italian renaissance architects to life. A must for all those fascinated by the Italian renaissance!