It was first published in 1966 by Museum of Modern Art in New York City and has since been translated into 16 languages, and is considered one of the most important works of architectural literature.

He freed us; he untied the chains with one stroke.”[6] Two very famous quotes from the book, in response to Ludwig Mies van der Rohe's Less is more, are More is not less and Less is a bore.

[7] The book demonstrated, through countless examples, an approach to understanding architectural composition and complexity, and the resulting richness and interest.

Citing vernacular as well as high-style sources, Venturi drew new lessons from the buildings of architects familiar (Michelangelo, Alvar Aalto) and, at the time, forgotten (Frank Furness, Edwin Lutyens).

He made a case for "the difficult whole" rather than the diagrammatic forms popular at the time, and included examples —both built and unrealized— of his own work to demonstrate the possible application of such techniques.