A librarian lady recommended this book to me, saying “He is a good writer. If you like Christopher Alexander’s books, you’ll like this”. She was right.
This book is a delightful read, packed with humor and thoughtfulness. Pollan tells the story of how he built a writing hut from the ground up with the help of an architect and a carpenter, weaving into the account the history of architecture, the impact of technology, prominent architects and their design philosophies. It’s amazing how he’s packed so much information and reflections seamlessly into the fluid narratives.
I also got a more balanced understanding of the design theories of the other architects. Polland is more lenient towards them than Alexander.