Doors have their own language

Listen. Is your front door saying anything?

Perhaps it is and you don’t speak the language. “The Language of Doors,” by Paulo Vincente and Tom Connor, with 120 architectural drawings by Vincente, who is an architect, and text by Connor, offers a short course on the history and style of the ever-changing façade of the American home.

Behind the dust-jacket, which features portraits of colorful doors, more than 300 years of architectural history is defined and explored.

If you plan to renovate the entry of an historical home or want to change the look of a more modern structure, the glossary and illustrations at the back of the book are useful tools.

For armchair designers and architects, the book serves as a handy guide for identifying the architectural styles of homes in your neighborhood and city.