With the architectural profession in a state of crisis over the nature - and even the necessity - of its role in society, this book is especially welcome, as it puts the debate into a historical perspective. The Architect is the first book in English in fifty years to survey the profession's history from its beginnings in ancient Egypt to the present. Without claiming to cover every period in every country, it is nevertheless the most complete synthesis to date of what is known about one of the oldest professions in the world.