Adolf Loos was an eloquent voice against the squandering of fine materials, ornamentation and unnecessary embellishments. The rational underpinnings of his later assertion that ornament is crime first appear in these polemical thrusts at the stylized work of the Viennese secessionists. Few are acquainted with his amusing, incisive, critical and philosophical literary works on applied design and the essence of style in fin de siecle Vienna. Loos often had a radical, yet innovative outlook on life that made him such a nuisance for many of his contemporaries. His provocative musings on an assortment of subjects portray him as a man of many interests, and possessing a keen feel for elegant design still valued today. This publication is now available in English for the first time.