We are going on a tour in March and visiting Rome, Florence, Pompeii, and Venice.

I'm an art/architecture buff and having trouble finding a paperback book(s) on the art and buildings in these cities. (other than limited info in guide books) Can anyone recommend books?

For Rome the best I've found is "Not Built in a Day - Exploring the Architecture of Rome" by George H. Sullivan.
Great descriptions, historical and cultural context and interesting critique and commentary re significance and situation.
This paperback is organized in a series of a dozen well arranged tours that we used to organize visits to various neighborhoods. I read the book before I went and carried it often in our month in Rome. It might be supplemented by a more illustrated work for pre/post trip research ("The Architecture of Rome" ed. by Stefan Grundmann for example).
This book was often read aloud at many venues and the text is very readable and offers a lot of insight and clarity.

On a trip to Tuscany in October 2006, my wife and I found a great pocket handbook to the art and architecture of Florence- full of color plates, diagrams, and analysis. We bought it in the bookshop of the Duomo Museum. It is pocket-size, with a silver color, several inches thick. We are both away from home right now, so I can't quote the title or publisher. My wife was an art history minor in college and approved. It appeared to be part of a series, so I imagine there is one for Rome as well.

Christopher Hibbert has two books that are right on spot. The best one is "Rome:The History of a City" but there is also his "History of the Medicis" which obviously deals with Florence.
They have a great deal of information on the history, architecture and art of these two great cities, told in a wonderful readable style, Both are true delights.

We've used 'Art for Travellers Italy: The Essential Guide to Viewing Italian Renaissance and Baroque Art (Art for Travellers)' quite a bit.

In Madrid & Berlin I've used the 'art/shop/eat' guides & found them very good - they cover art right up to contemporary - and I see there are now Rome, Florence & Venice versions.

The best art experience I've so far had was doing 'The Piero della Francesca Trail' & there is a book of the same name by John Pope-Hennessy - you may like to bear that in mind for another trip. This year we are planning a bit of a Giotto trail.

mku4440:

You might consider Ross King’s ”Brunelleschi’s Dome: How a Renaissance Genius Reinvented Architecture,” a very engrossing and accessible read.

Konemann, a German publisher based in Cologne, has two beautifully illustrated harcover books on Florence and Venice: Art & Architecture: Florence by Rolf C. Wirtz and ”Art & Architecture: Venice” by Marion Kaminski. I purchased both at the Morgan Library in New York, but maybe they are available through Amazon. Both books are small enough to take on a trip.

I second Brunelleschi's Dome, which I read before visiting Florence and which was really helpful to me. Also, for Rome, try
Basilica: The Splendor and the Scandal: Building St. Peter's by R. A. Scotti, which really gets into the nitty gritty of both the design/architecture but also the politics and quarreling behind the building of St. Peter's.

I have taken our paperback copy of "The Art and Architecture of Venice" by Deborah Howard to Venice several times.

Much information and great photographs, both old and new.

Byrd

I enjoy the Art and Architecture series published by Konemann. Venice: Art and Architecture by Marion Kaminski, Rome: Art and Architecture by Brigitte Hinzen-Bohlen, and Florence: Art and Architecture by Rolf C. Wirtz. All have incredible photos and detailed descriptions. Used these for planning a trip to Italy years ago, but too heavy to take along. Have seen them in various sizes and prices, from small paperback to hardback coffee table size.

James McGregor has 2 great architecture books, 1 on Rome, the other on Venice-also see the Oxford Archaeological Guides.I have 2 of the Konenmann books-they are excellent but too big for a trip. Try National Geographic for particular city or area-you can bring them along & they are the best what you want. Good Luck

Itlay's equivalent to Amazon is www.unilibro.com. I was able to source some English language travel books from them that I had found anywhere else. You might give them a browse.

For background reading prior to the trip I agree with the recommendation of Ross King's Brunelleschi's Dome. His Michelangelo and the Pope's Ceiling is also excellent (includes a lot of information about the Raphael rooms as well as the Sistine chapel).
Another book on Rome I enjoyed was The Genius in the Design: Bernini, Borromini, and the Rivalry That Transformed Rome by Jake Morrissey.

Unfortunatly, like other books mentioned, this is also too big and heavy to carry: Castles in Italy, The Medieval Life of Noble Families, ISBN 3-8290-1578-X.

You didn't say how you will be getting around but some of the castles featured in the book are Csatel Nuovo near Naples, Castel Sant' Angelo in Rome, Monteriggioni near Siena, Castello dei Conti Guidi (aka Poppi Castle) near Florence.

Enjoy your trip.

I bought the Konemann books at Costco - they're hard-ish covered
but only 7"X7" or so - easy to pack.