Forget the hefty college texts, technical manuals, and glossy coffee table books. For lighter reading about architecture, pick a paperback with action, and sometimes even a smattering of romance. Here are favorite novels that have architecture as a central theme.
1. The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
Published in 1943, this novel became a cult classic and is still a favorite on college campuses. The page-turning tale follows the struggles of Howard Roark, an architect whose genius and integrity will not be comprised. Some readers claim that Roark's passionate idealism is reminiscent of Frank Lloyd Wright.2. A House for Mr. Biswas by V. S. Naipaul
In this early novel, the esteemed travel writer V.S. Naipaul tells the comic tale of a poor man's search for identity, and of the tumble-down house that comes to symbolize his quest. ISBN: 0375707166
3. House of Sand and Fog by Andre Dubus III
Lust for a single small bungalow leads to murder and suicide. ISBN: 03757273454. House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski
A strange, multi-layered tale about the discovery of a pseudoacademic monograph about a nonexistent documentary film about a journalist who discovers a haunted house. The story of the house could stand alone. ISBN: 0375703764Fun, Fictional Books About Architecture
Architects are heros in many great novels. What's your favorite fun, fictional book about Architecture? Tell us!
