Nancy Horan writes a fictionalized account of the scandalous relationship between Frank Lloyd Wright and Mamah Borthwick Cheney. She and her husband commissioned Wright to build them a house in Oak Park, IL. After carrying on an affair in Oak Park, they leave their spouses and travel to Europe where they live and work for a year. From there, they move to Spring Green, WI where Wright builds their refuge from the world, Taliesin. Anyone familiar with Frank Lloyd Wright's colorful history knows this doesn't end well for Mamah, her children or four other people working at Taliesin.
To be honest, I'm not one who is taken with Frank Lloyd Wright's work or life. I'm not a fan of his overinflated ego or sense of self-worth. I have toured Taliesin West in Scottsdale, AZ and while it's interesting, he is portrayed as something of a nut. And that's from a tour guide paid to make him sound as good as possible. This book was quite interesting and certainly gave a viewpoint of his life and work. While he was difficult and selfish, he did have a tender even child-like side. It is interesting to note that while the book leaves little doubt to the cause of the tragedy that claims the lives at Taliesin, the biographical information on the FLW Foundation website mentions a fire set by accident by a servant. Thanks to Stacey Lynch for recommending this to me.
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