The author startes that this is for the 'general reader'; I have to say that really does require some background in ecclesiastical architecture before tackling it. Although it includes many B&W photographs and some illustrations, it also has a lot of very dense technical text descriptions. It would have been useful to have had some sort of glossary with detailed diagrams, without, it is very hard going at times, There are a couple of chapters on monastic life and their influence in the community, but it concentrates on the circumstances of building and architectural detail. It does cover a lot of ground in a slim volume, and there is a useful guide to the Orders represented and a gazetteer; a further addition which would have been welcomed would have been maps of the relative spheres of influence at various times. ( )