Cathedrals of Europe (Hardcover: Illustrated: 290 pages)

Cathedrals of Europe stands out among other volumes on the subject in several key ways. Most of its stunning photographs are new, taken especially for this book; the pictures are combined with text that is both authoritative and extremely readable. Rather than concentrating only on such familiar monuments as Notre Dame and Charters, the author covers many of the more obscure and less frequently visited cathedrals from Italy to Scandinavia, Poland to Portugal.

Prache surveys the history of church building from its humble beginnings in Late Antiquity through the construction of such masterworks of the Gothic style as Reims, Strasbourg, and Wells. Throughout, she reminds us that these magnificent expressions of faith also reflected their builders' hopes and fears, technical expertise, political views, and the ever-changing economic and social realities with which they had to contend.

The works of art that adorn the cathedrals -- sculptures, paintings, mosaics, stained glass, furniture, and more -- receive particular attention. Study of these aspects, Prache says, provides an understanding of the aspirations, sufferings, fears, and faith of generations long removed in time".