Socrates' Ancestor: An Essay on Architectural Beginnings Book

McEwen provides a very interesting and compelling case for the idea that ancient Greek architecture and ancient Greek philosophy were intricately woven together. Since architecture houses life, the Greek architect had to have a comprehensive knowledge of all the different crafts and philosophies involved in life, making architecture the craft of crafts and the architect the philosopher of philosophers. McEwen draws from ancient Greek poetry, myth, and sociology to demonstrate how various concepts were embodied in architecture. One of the most interesting is her claim that the ancient Greek ptera were looms that "wove" together the city. Also interesting is her discussion of kosmos as a central idea of craft as a reflection of the orderliness of the world and vice versa.

At times McEwen's prose is hard to read and follow. Her heavy reliance on Greek is also hard for someone who hasn't studied Greek to follow. Overall, though, this was an interesting read.