Building an American Identity

Western Washington University

Smein's book affords a meticulous account of residential development patterns, the drive to home ownership, the strata of professional involvement and conflicts, the tactics of pattern book production, the changing moods of architectural design, and many other facets of the subject. Along the way, she underscores how important this episode was in giving definition and character not just to the American landscape, but also to the presence and outlook of the American middle class. Smein draws from a range of recent scholarship and mines an abundance of period sources. Her narrative is engaging and articulate. Building an American Identity is a valuable source for all those interested in American domestic culture and community of the period.

• chapter 1 List of Figureschapter 2 Acknowledgmentschapter 3 Introductionschapter 4 1 National Identity and an American Style of Architecturechapter 5 2 A House in Civilized Naturechapter 6 3 Building America with Pattern Books Houseschapter 7 4 True Americans Own Homeschapter 8 5 The American Architect and Categories in the Professionchapter 9 6 Defining the Modern House: Seeds of Disagreement, 1876-1881chapter 10 7 The Modern Suburban House Holds Its Ownchapter 11 Epiloguechapter 12 Bibliographychapter 13 Indexchapter 14 About the Author