"College-level students of architecture, design and social issues will find a fine study in The Modern American House, which considers how home designers worked to enhance spatial perception in middle-class houses." - The Bookwatch,/i> Diance C. Donovan, Midwest Book Review "The Modern American House approaches domestic architecture through a new lens...the book's themes are always intriguing, and the glimpses into previous cultural eras' beliefs are convincing because they are allowed to unfold slowly and in detail. With its emphasis on viewers' experience of spaciousness, the book fits into recent verancular architecture studies that examine inhabitation as a primary influence on buildings." - Elizabeth C. Cromley, Northeastern University "Isenstadt exploits a rich array of sources rarely consulted in studies of modern architecture: journals, magazines, popular books, and other widely disseminated publications. He demonstrates that the quest for spaciousness, set against the crowded, industrial city and reflecting American cultural ideals such as virtue, independence, solitude, and freedom, paralleled the emergence and growth of a large, single-family home owning middle class...The Modern American House complicates our received understanding of modern space...an indispensable resource for future scholars of modern architecture and others who seek a richer understanding of the American domestic environment." -Society of Architectural Historians
