An exploration of the intimate and inextricable relationship between architecture, power, money and politics in the twentieth century. How and why have presidents, prime ministers, mayors, millionaires and bishops come to share such a fascination with architecture? From Blair to Mitterrand, from Hitler to Stalin to Saddam Hussein, architecture has become an end in itself, as well as a means to an end. This is a book of genuine timeliness, throwing new light on the aspirations and the motivations of the rich and powerful across the world - and on the political nature of contemporary culture.

Deyan Sudjic was born in London of Yugoslav parents. He divides his time between London, where he is architecture critic for the Observer and a visiting professor at the Royal College of Art, and Milan, where for many years he edited Domus, the international magazine of art, architecture and design. He was Director of the Venice Architecture Biennale in 2002 and is author of the much-praised 100-Miles City, the best-selling Architecture Pack, and monographs on John Pawson, Ron Arad and Richard Rogers.