American Townhouse

For this authoritative survey, architecture historian Murphy (City U. of New York and Brooklyn College) defines "townhouses" more broadly than current real estate practice; he includes houses that are attached to their neighbors as well as those that are "freestanding but built close to the street and in rows of similarly scaled buildings" (rowhouses are a subgroup). His introductory essay surveys their history and cultural context and identifies architects, trends, and influences. The heart of …