Listen to a sample
From Bauhaus to Our House
- Author
- Tom Wolfe
- Narrator
- Dennis McKee
- Publisher
- Blackstone Publishing
- Publish Date
- 23 April 2026
- Run Time
- 3 hours 10 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
What to expect
Walter Gropius, the "grandfather" of steel and glass, conceived his architectural vision in the rubble of WWI and the decadence of Weimar in the decade after. His doctrine found fertile soil in America, where it was time to adopt a new architecture that expressed our now stronger than ever national identity. But Gropius' minimalist ideals were in stark contrast to the actual spirit of the times. Today, Americans look on their own architecture with furrowed brow.
In this engaging work of criticism founded on more than the sheer aesthetics of architecture, Tom Wolfe chronicles the trends of the form that ultimately brought us the ubiquitous and baffling "glass box" of modern commerce. In his hands, the strange saga of American architecture in the twentieth century becomes both high comedy and a fascinating journey through the social, political, and intellectual forces of the time.
Critics Review
-
“Full of insight…marvelously right.”
People
-
“Wolfe’s delightfully witty, biting history of modern architecture is a scintillating high comedy of big money, manners, and massive manipulation of public taste.”
Publishers Weekly
User Reviews
No reviews yet.
Details
- Author
- Tom Wolfe
- Narrator
- Dennis McKee
- Duration
- 3 hours 10 minutes
- Release Date
- 23 April 2026
- ISBN
- 9798228992627
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Blackstone Publishing
- Genre
- History of architecture, Architecture, History of architecture, The arts: general issues
Synopsis
Walter Gropius, the "grandfather" of steel and glass, conceived his architectural vision in the rubble of WWI and the decadence of Weimar in the decade after. His doctrine found fertile soil in America, where it was time to adopt a new architecture that expressed our now stronger than ever national identity. But Gropius' minimalist ideals were in stark contrast to the actual spirit of the times. Today, Americans look on their own architecture with furrowed brow.In this engaging work of criticism founded on more than the sheer aesthetics of architecture, Tom Wolfe chronicles the trends of the form that ultimately brought us the ubiquitous and baffling "glass box" of modern commerce. In his hands, the strange saga of American architecture in the twentieth century becomes both high comedy and a fascinating journey through the social, political, and intellectual forces of the time.
About xigxag
xigxag is an independent, UK-based audiobook platform and the UK's only B Corp certified audiobook company. We offer nearly 150,000 audiobooks, all with professional human narration. No AI-generated voices. xigxag is rated an Ethical Consumer Best Buy for audiobooks and a top-rated ethical bookshop.
There is no subscription. You buy the audiobooks you want, you own them permanently, and prices start at $13.95. The more you listen over the year, the less you pay per book, and there is always a selection in Listen for Less from $7.95. You can also send audiobooks as gifts using our audiobook gift cards or in-app gifting.
Every audiobook on xigxag has honest reviews covering both the book and the narration, and our community features make it easy to share what you are listening to, discover what others recommend, and find your next listen.
Download or stream on iOS, Android, or in your browser. Browse the full catalogue at xigxag.co.uk.