A charming read with very charming illustrations about the historical architecture of Oxford. Whether you've been to Oxford or not, this will surely make you want to book a city break to visit it ASAP.

As a current Oxford University student, it was so fun to see places I walk past everyday in watercolour form. The paintings in this book were absolutely stunning and I was impressed by how much of the city and university the author managed to capture. I did find there was quite a lot of text and it was quite dense in places so I did skim read but the illustrations more than made up for it.

This was a great read and I could definitely see myself picking up again in the future for a sense of nostalgia.

On the one hand, I decided after reading this that I needed to go to Oxford, even going so far as to price tickets on the train and the London to Oxford tube (how cool is that?) This book has all the history and architecture you need to have a great trip. On the other hand, I wanted at least a few photos to get perspective on what it will actually be like. The most interesting thing to me, that I'd never thought about, was how much isn't associated with the university. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

A gorgeously rendered and delightful illustrated history of the architecture of Oxford.

If you’re familiar with the town and the university you’ll recognize pretty much every building featured here, though the illustrations are wonderful regardless, and Rice zeroes in on many intriguing details that you may not have noticed previously. The book would also be a terrific way to get to know the architecture of Oxford.

It’s a good blend of history and some more technical architectural content, and the illustrations are both abundant and gorgeously done. If only Rice would choose to tackle the interior architecture of the university’s structures as his next project!

There is little doubt that Oxford is one of England's most popular tourist destinations. In this beautiful book, the author takes us to the city to learn about its history and architecture. The book is a delightful guide that presents the history of the city in a readable, clear and not overwhelming way. Reading it, I learned a lot of fascinating facts that I didn't know before. I particularly liked the chapter on 'The Battle of the Styles', which covers my favourite period of the 19th century. I was very interested in the mention of the Oxford Movement.
The historical narrative is enhanced by beautiful watercolour illustrations. I am impressed by the attention to detail in these illustrations. I particularly liked the one of the Bodleian Library (page 88) and the buildings of Georgian Oxford - especially the Radcliffe Observatory (pages 112-113).
I don't know Oxford well enough, having only been there once. Reading Matthew Rice's book made me want to go back. I highly recommend it to all fans of urban history and architecture.

Oxford by Matthew Rice is a gorgeous and insightful visual study of the city of Oxford. This is a city I know very well and as such was absolutely mesmerised by the beautiful watercolours and pencil sketches within.

My favourite image was that of St Pauls Walton St which reflects two era's1836 and modern day. The painting is wonderfully juxtaposed and reflects the change in the use of the building from day to night, from pious endeavours to celebrations

It the beginning of every chapter, the reader is treated to a very well researched history that is concise and intelligent. This complements the beautifully handwritten notes onn many of the illustrations

This book is absolutely delightful. If you have never been to Oxford, you will love it, if you are of Oxford, you will adore the heart and soul of the images. If you just enjoy art and architecture, you will love, love this book. Stunning

Thank you very much to Netgalley, Quarto Publishing Group – White Lion, Frances Lincoln, and the authorMatthew Rice for this stunning and informative ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

As I'm not an expert Oxfordian here, you're the master--so I'm just enjoying whatever is served on the page as someone who could only dream of Oxford & the closest I can get is watching youtube about it. So I'll get to the reading experience. I wish the font was slightly bigger? I need to scrunch my eyes a bit & zoom in to be very clear, especially that the content is very packed. Now, the illustrations are lovely & perfectly detailed, and though a lot of the notes are in raw handwriting, I find it easy to read still. Overall, thank you for this digital copy that I thoroughly enjoy!

A lovely, informative book that may not appear that spectacular until you realize how much time and work it would require to actually draw all of these buildings, facades and walls. The author takes you for a walk among historic constructions, churches and houses and gives you a fun history lesson on the away, along with curious tidbits on art and architecture. And he drew it all by hand! Absolutely marvelous! And I love his style and attention to detail. Even a quick browse through the illustrations is fun.
The only problem I have is the handwriting – it was difficult to read for me, and I can't imagine a person with dyslexia deciphering it. I believe that in such publications it's better to use a font that resembles handwriting.

Charming illustrations and interesting asides. This lovely, whimsical romp through Oxford took me right back to my student days.