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In this illuminating book, Witold Rybczynski walks us through five centuries of homes both great and small, from the smoke-filled manor halls of the Middle Ages to the Ralph Lauren–designed environments of today. On a house tour like no other—one that delightfully explicates the very idea of "home"—you'll see how social and cultural changes influenced styles of decoration and furnishing, learn the connection between wall-hung religious tapestries and wall-to-wall carpeting, discover how some of our most welcome luxuries were born of architectural necessity, and much more. Author - Witold Rybczynski. Narrator - Wanda McCaddon. Published Date - Wednesday, 21 January 2026. Copyright - © 1986 Witold Rybczynski ©.