From Forest to Steppe

“In its geographical and disciplinary span this book represents William Craft Brumfield’s scholarly lifetime of research and reflection on, alongside on-the-ground experience with, Russian architecture. Without his intrepid explorations and erudition much of what is known about these astounding wooden buildings in remote rural locations would be lost. Moreover, his images alone are so striking they will surely stimulate readers’ curiosity about the story behind each structure. Brumfield’s unmatched tenacity in searching out and documenting a full range of surviving works, no matter how difficult to reach, is combined here with his vast collection of photographs amassed over the decades from forays into frozen, mosquito-infested, and out-of-the-way regions. It is rare to read a work of this scope, maturity, and stature.” - John Beldon Scott, author of Architecture for the Shroud: Relic and Ritual in Turin

“From Forest to Steppe is a tribute to the generations of anonymous Russian woodworkers whose skill and ingenuity took a simple basic module—the log cabin—and adapted its structure to dwellings large and small, from stout defensive walls and fortifications to prefab rooms for sale at medieval markets. It is also a tribute to the dedication and persistence of William Craft Brumfield, who found ways of reaching remote sites to photograph buildings that were often in a state of disrepair or that have since disappeared. Providing an expansive overview of a fundamental building block of Russian culture, this book helps us appreciate the importance of preserving architectural monuments as a window into the life of the boreal forest’s past and present inhabitants.” - Ann Kleimola, coeditor of Culture and Identity in Muscovy, 1359–1584

"This volume is an authentic masterpiece, succeeding on all levels: in its scope, in its literary sophistication, in the quality of its analysis, and in its depth of cultural empathy. It can be placed without hesitation on a level with the classics of Russian architectural historiography..., but there is something that distinguishes Brumfield: a unique synthesis of scientific rigor and a profoundly human view of architecture as a cultural milieu." (translated from Russian) - Alexander Molodin, Roskult

"This volume underscores why the work to which William Craft Brumfield has been so dedicated for more than a half-century matters so much. He of course records worlds and buildings which no longer exist and he has built up a record that stands the test of time. This volume, with its focus on one building type yet drawing on images across half a century, demonstrates precisely the significance of what he has accomplished." - Blair Ruble, former director of the Kennan Institute at the Woodrow Wilson Center

"One lingers with pleasure over the exquisite images, the epic text, the comforting erudition, and, above all, the expert command of the ancient art of storytelling recast in the contemporary key of photography melded with scholarship. The appearance of this magisterial volume is particularly felicitous in this philistine, politically charged moment, when it reminds us of the shared humanity to be found in the humblest and highest solutions to the universal imperative for shelter." - Lena M. Lencek, Professor Emerita of Russian and Humanities, Reed College

"[T]his collection of beautiful photographs is a major contribution and deserves a featured place in institutional and personal libraries." - Gregory L. Freeze, Russian Review

"Prof. Brumfield’s meticulous documentation provides a wealth of information about places few will ever visit, down to the date of each photograph. . . . His dedication to his life’s mission, as finely represented in this book, is a gift to historians and researchers the world over." - Philip Ulanowsky, Executive Intelligence Review

"This book demonstrates the author's brilliant mastery of the materials he has collected over several decades of travel across Russia. . . . Each page of [this book] is a kind of declaration of love for Russian architecture. And this love is clearly no accident, as the author has dedicated nearly two-thirds of his life to the study of architectural art, absorbing the vast spatial impressions of the Russian North and South, the central part of European Russia, Eastern and Western Siberia, the Altai region, the Far East, and the icy North of Siberia. These impressions became a revelation for the American researcher of Russian culture, but perhaps also for his soul." (translated from Russian) - V. B. Koshaev, Theory and History of Art

"A significant and valuable feature of this work is its inclusion of photographs of buildings that no longer exist due to fire, neglect, or war damage. The text also provides a brief historical overview of wooden architecture development and discussions of traditional building techniques, apprenticeship practices, and current preservation attempts. In sum, From Forest to Steppe is a highly recommended must-have for any collection that emphasizes thorough global coverage of architectural history. Essential. All readership levels." - Choice