Le Corbusier and the Maisons Jaoul by Caroline Maniaque Benton is a detailed examination of the two vaulted houses in Neuilly-sur-Seine that Le Corbusier designed for two generations of the Jaoul family. These Jaoul houses were a departure from Le Corbusier's signature modernist style, as they exhibit a rawness about them, almost crude and craftlike. The author has included a wide variety of documents and ephemera (letters, umpteen sketches, drawings and photos), as well as fragments of conversation that make this book a fascinating window into architectural and social history. This will be a hit with fans of Le Corbusier and anyone with a passion for architectural detail.

Hardcover, 175 pages. Princeton Architectural Press, 2009. $26.40 at Amazon.

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