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How to Read a Church: A Guide to Images, Symbols and Meanings in Churches and Cathedrals
 
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How to Read a Church: A Guide to Images, Symbols and Meanings in Churches and Cathedrals (Hardcover)

by Richard Taylor (Author)
3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
RRP: £10.00
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Frequently Bought Together

How to Read a Church: A Guide to Images, Symbols and Meanings in Churches and Cathedrals + The Church Explorer's Handbook + Pocket Guide to How to Read a Church
Price For All Three: £25.13

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Product details

  • Hardcover: 224 pages
  • Publisher: Rider & Co; First Edition edition (3 Jul 2003)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 1844130533
  • ISBN-13: 978-1844130535
  • Product Dimensions: 20 x 13.4 x 2.6 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 43,416 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in these categories:

    #12 in  Books > Art, Architecture & Photography > Architecture > Types of Architecture > Religious Buildings
    #18 in  Books > Art, Architecture & Photography > Subjects within Art > Religious Subjects

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Product Description

Product Description

A unique, accessible guide to the common symbols and meanings in church art and architecture Churches and cathedrals play an essential part in our heritage. As community-centred places of worship and as important tourist attractions, they are visited by millions of people every year. But churches were originally built to be read, and so they are packed with images, symbols and meanings that often need explanation for visitors. How to Read a Church is a lively and fascinating guide to what a visitor to a church is likely to find there and how to interpret the common images and meanings in church art and architecture. It will explain how to identify people, scenes, details and their significance, and will explore the symbolism of different animals, plants, colours, numbers and letters - and what this all means. It will be an essential guide for anyone who has ever visited / is visiting a church or cathedral, and for those who want to know more about these incredible buildings and the art they contain.


About the Author

Richard Taylor is 35. He studied English at Cambridge University and Law at London University. He has lectured on Christian symbolism to mixed Christian and non-Christian audiences to enthusiastic reactions, which caused him to realise the need for a work of this type.

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How to Read a Church: A Guide to Images, Symbols and Meanings in Churches and Cathedrals
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How to Read a Church: A Guide to Images, Symbols and Meanings in Churches and Cathedrals 3.7 out of 5 stars (10)
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Customer Reviews

10 Reviews
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3 star:
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2 star:
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Average Customer Review
3.7 out of 5 stars (10 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
51 of 51 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars The book does what it says in the title, 21 Feb 2005
I enjoyed reading this book and will refer to it often in the future. One of my pleasures is to visit cathederals and churches to appreciate the architecture, the history and place in communiy - but I had little detailed knowledge.

This book covers a wide variety of topics, some of which are: the orientation of the church; types of halos (5 are well illustrated using clear line drawings); the masons designs of gargoyles; the roles of Jesus, Mary and the Saints (as a non practicing Christian this was very useful); it even has a descriptive drawings of the vestments of bishops and priests (and how many of you know what a Rochet or an Alb is, and who wears it).

The writing style is informative and economical - no wasted words, but the ideas and knowledge are conveyed well

The copy I got from Amazon is hard cover, but is easy to carry as it is only approx 135 mm by 210 mm with 246 pages. The photos are in black and white.

This book is a bargain - buy it.

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48 of 49 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A feast for the eye, 7 Oct 2004
By mary (London) - See all my reviews
This review is from: How to Read a Church (Hardcover)
I had a copy of the original version of this book - its really interesting and describes the main images and symbols seen in Western Churches and makes a visit to these buildings so much more enjoyable and rewarding. Its also a good read in its own right. Many of the main biblical stories are retold (and the images associated with them explained) and the author also sets out some of the other stories about biblical characters that are more myth (that is they are not in the bible) which can be depicted in churches. This new edition seems to be more or less the same text but looks and feels completely different. It is larger (more a book to leave at home than one to take with you on a tourist trip), well designed with lots of colour photographs of the images exlained in the text. It is a real feast for the eye and would make a good present for anyone who likes making visits to churches and cathedrals.
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22 of 31 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Misteries explained, 18 Jan 2004
I've worked for the Church of England for nearly 4 years now, and I still get confused with the jargon, and sometimes feel that I really should know more about the churches lingo. I use this book as a reference guide and have found it to be useful in explaining some of the things that I get confused over.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Decorative and fine art History
Informative and well researched book although more illustrations would have added to the understanding of the detail within.
Published 1 month ago by Diana

5.0 out of 5 stars A fascinating mine of information
This book sets out to explain churches to people who don't know much about them, and even some who do. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Mr. M. Bennet

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating subject and well written book
I'm no church historian and not religious in any way, but I found this book totally absorbing and fascinating as an explanation of the imagery and decoration found in churches. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Bookworm

3.0 out of 5 stars Great pictures - less background data
My view of the book is that the pictures are beautiful and it has a lot of content, but I would have preferred more details on the different subjects. Read more
Published on 23 Oct 2007 by Evelyn Rulffs

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing
This book is a well known so I made the mistake of buying on line without checking the contents. It's full of arcane items that most churches don't contain, and misses out so many... Read more
Published on 28 Jun 2007 by Fr Mark

3.0 out of 5 stars useful reference
A useful reference book for the vistor to churches who wants to know more.
Published on 25 Jan 2006

1.0 out of 5 stars How to read a church
The book has been written by a commited Christian, and several beliefs are stated as 'though they are facts- e.g. Read more
Published on 15 Oct 2005

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