Wow. Wow! Thank you. I have so many questions but lack the architecture vocabulary to even know where to start. :O

I learned a great deal from reading a novel: Pillars of the Earth. This book is about construction of a medieval cathedral and spans generations.

I really enjoyed the book when I read it as a young person. Now that I'm older, I have some issues with the writing (detailed portrayals of violence). Just realize it is R rated stuff - similar to GoT. On the plus side, you will definitely learn about architecture :)