Reviewed by Robert Delaney | The Michigan Catholic

Anyone who appreciates historic churches should like “Detroit’s Historic Places of Worship,” a lavishly illustrated book published this fall by the Painted Turtle imprint of Wayne State University Press.

Catholic churches make up 18 of the 37 worship places profiled, including the city’s oldest church building, SS. Peter & Paul (Jesuit) downtown; grand late 19th-century churches such as Sweetest Heart of Mary, St. Joseph, St. Josaphat and St. Albertus; and early 20th-century structures, such as the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament.

Color photographs by Dirk Bakker make up almost all of the 188 illustrations, the remainder being a couple of maps and a handful of historic photos. Bakker photographs exteriors, interiors and significant adornments.

To be sure, some readers might think this or that church deserved more attention, but this book is quite an achievement. It was 20 years in the making, and only made possible through a “crowd-funding” campaign on www.kickstarter.com. Royalties from sales will support the Detroit Historical Society’s Historic Church Tours.

There is a lot to learn here, whether it is read start-to-finish or just occasionally consulted as a “coffee table book.”