Stanford White's New York

The enormous contribution of Stanford White (1853-1906), an architect in the Beaux-Arts tradition who designed the Washington Square Arch, the Player's Club, the second Madison Square Garden and many other public and private buildings in New York City, is celebrated in this lively study by architectural historian Lowe ( Lost Chicago ). Some 170 black-and-white photos illustrate the range of White's talent, from the chalet splendor of the Tiffany mansion (1882) to the Federal style of the Colony Club (1904). Tragically, many of the architect's masterpieces have been demolished. In a well-rounded portrait, Lowe describes White's muder by millionaire Harry Thaw in a love triangle involving showgirl Evelyn Nesbit, and presents White's lifestyle as that of an extravagant gambler and womanizer. (Sept.)