I recently browsed a DK travel guide to Vienna and was particularly struck by the architecture of Otto Wagner, so I ordered this book. There are plenty of lovely photos and sketches. The text is very much written for architecture insiders, however. Terms are not defined and much knowledge is assumed. The author is also quite opinionated -- you see a lot of "Without a doubt...," "It is clear...," and "It can be assumed...," and the compulsively descriptive language can get redundant -- "...after a relatively short construction period of a mere 26 months..."

Despite the style of the text, it's worth skimming even if you're not in the target audience and are simply interested in the story behind the beautiful buildings. I particularly enjoyed the quotes from Wagner about the necessity of creating new styles and reflecting the present rather than always referring to the past.

There's no personal gossip. That's a nice change. ( )