<P>In <I>Houses, Villas, and Palaces in the Roman World,</I> Alexander G. McKay examines simple houses, mansions, estates, and palatial buildings, and he pays particular attention to accounts of ancient writers that deal with such topics as house design, interiors, furnishings, and gardens. Describing innovative high-rise apartments, her compact civic squares, large public buildings, temples, shopping centers, and commercial areas, he shows that Roman civilization was astonishingly similar to our own. He also discusses the conditions of life in the Roman provinces, where recent discoveries have shed fresh light on private and communal living. McKay has enhanced the text by the inclusion of over 150 illustrations of plans, sites, and reconstructions. </P>