“Life is much richer the more one understands about one’s surrounding environment, whether it be the natural or the built environment.” Citing this motivation, Hudson and Cosgrove (both, Imperial College London) introduce their amazing work, which provides, in nine chapters, a complete understanding of stone from origins in the quarry to ultimate deterioration. The reader learns about the geological origin of various building stones in chapter 2 and how to recognize their types in chapter 3. The authors discuss each stone, its composition, its different appearances based on location, and ornamental uses. A fuller understanding of stone is developed in chapter 4, on quarrying and exposure, while some of its unique applications, ranging from use in lighthouse buildings to lettering, are presented in chapter 5. Chapter 6 delves into architectural styles, while chapter 7 focuses on two specific structures, taking the previous discussions into real life. Chapter 8 discusses deterioration in detail, focusing on mechanisms such as entropy and digital reconstruction for the sake of conservation. Peppered with color photographs, diagrams, and tables that clearly support the text, and including examples across Great Britain, this is an outstanding companion to older books like Stone, Brick and Mortar, by Pavía and Bolton (2000), and a significant contribution to the literature.Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readers.L.B. Allsopp (Arizona State University) in CHOICE, July 2020 Vol. 57, No. 11