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With the level of precision and care that his fans have come to expect, Macaulay (Castle; Cathedral) broadens his bookshelf of architectural wonders with this timely new addition, adding color to his palette as well as insight into the Middle East. He whisks readers to the Ottoman empire of the 16th century, where a fictitious admiral prepares to underwrite a new mosque ("The time had come to demonstrate both his faith and his gratitude in the way that had become traditional for a man of his standing"). Macaulay meticulously illuminates the spiritual and architectural considerations in the process of design and construction; he explains the importance of the mosque's alignment upon the kibla ("an imaginary line that points toward and radiates from Mecca"), then examines its structural complexities, such as a "system of piers and arches" to support the building's domed roof. In the process, the mosque's many societal functions emerge; it is actually a complex of buildings consisting of a college for religious education, a kitchen, a public bath, fountain and so on. The monument grows stone by stone through color-washed pen-and-ink illustrations. Full-spread vistas alternate with smaller inset sketches that offer a step-by-step look at brick-making, the crafting of stained glass windows, etc.; readers can practically hear the busy hum of the worksite. Macaulay's wide-ranging perspectives pull onlookers into the thick of the construction, capturing everything from a minaret's-eye view of the activity below to an image of the soaring dome seen from the ground. As always, the level of visual detail is extraordinary; no less so is the explanation of the mosque's role at the center of Muslim social and religious life. All ages. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

Gr 5 Up-Macaulay's books on architecture are by now an institution in themselves, and this latest addition to the series maintains the high quality of its predecessors. Using, as always, a fictional framework to hold his nonfictional material, the author introduces readers to Admiral Suha Mehmet Pasa, a wealthy aristocrat living in Istanbul, who decides in his declining years to fund the building of a mosque and its associated buildings-religious school, soup kitchen, public baths, public fountain, and tomb. Detailing the activities of the architect and workers, Macaulay creates a from-the-ground-up look not only at the actual construction, but also at the uses of the various buildings, most of which will be unfamiliar to Westerners. In his preface, the artist states that he has based his invented mosque on the existing structures of a famous Ottoman architect, Sinan, who worked during the mid to late 16th century. While there are many books that introduce Islam and its major beliefs and practices to non-Muslim readers, this title provides both a less didactic and arguably more effective look at the religion by placing it within a social context, even one as relatively "cold" as architecture. In this way, the admiral, his architect, and their workers are seen as more than followers of a faith; they are also seen as flesh-and-blood people who require toilets and baths and who recognize their own mortality.-Coop Renner, Fairmeadows Elementary, Duncanville, TXCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

Gr. 6-up. Once again Macaulay uses clear words and exemplary drawings to explore a majestic structure's design and construction. This time the story takes place in sixteenth-century Istanbul, where a wealthy patron has hired an architect to create a mosque and its support buildings. The spreads follow the complex through its planning and building, using Macaulay's familiar combination of labeled architectural drawings, sketches showing artisans at work, and thorough descriptions that are, perhaps, more technical than in some of his previous titles. In his foreword, Macaulay explains that he has based his story on a composite of actual historical people and mosques, and his images and words are filled with accurate details that reveal the history and culture of the time. This isn't an introduction to Islam; readers will want some basic knowledge of the religion. But in his respectful, straightforward explanation of the mosque's design, Macaulay offers an unusual, inspiring perspective into Islamic society that's removed from the charged headlines, and, as in all his work, he conveys a contagious awe and wonder at the design and engineering feats that societies have accomplished. Those fascinated by the technical story may want to refer also to Macaulay's Building Big (2001), which includes an excellent section about the Hagia Sophia Mosque. GillianEngberg. From: Syndetics Solutions, Inc. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.