William R. Drennan (1944–2015)

I read Loving Frank by Nancy Horan a few years ago and wanted to see if by chance Frank Lloyd Wright might be painted with a kinder palate, perhaps shades of pastel instead of grey and dark black.

Alas, Frank remains a very complicated, narcissistic, sociopathic, intelligent user.

When Frank left behind a wife and six children to run away with his mistress, he never looked back.

Likewise his lover Mamah Borthwick, left her husband and her two children. Long a feminist and free spirit, it show more appeared that moving with Frank and shedding her previous life was easy.

Frank could not comprehend the down right animosity and disdain the neighboring communities of Spring Green, Wisconsin would have for him.

Adding fuel to the fire, Frank spoke freely to the newspapers and stated that while lessor men, not as intelligent as he, needed rules to follow because basically, they were not capable of their own decisions, he was superior and was destined to a higher order and calling.

Using the transcendental writings and thoughts of Emerson, Frank justified his behaviors. Borrowing huge sums of money, with no intent of return from those he could charm, and in addition taking advance large commissions long before he even started projects, Frank was indeed a huckster.

With no care of how his actions impacted on those who needed to be paid for services and materials, Frank told them not to worry about it, because he didn't worry at all.

Building an exquisite prairie house where Frank and Mamah could live, townsfolk called it their den of sin.

Taliesin stood for a mere few months until a very tragic, horrific event occurred.

Julian Carlton, the only black servant, was in his mind sorely mistreated. In particular, one of the builders was indeed incessantly cruel.

Known for fits of bad temper, in August of 1914, while Frank was away supervising construction of a massive garden and edifice, Carlton brutally took a hatchet to the back of Mamah's head.

In addition, he meted the same treatment to her children who happened to be visiting at the time. Her ten year old daughter and twelve year old son died as a result.

Setting fire to Taliesin while co-workers were locked into a room, Carlton then hacked them when they tried to escape.

In the end, the toll was seven who lost their lives.

Grief stricken, Frank took a train back to Spring Green to see that most of his beautiful house was in ashes and to observe what was left of the bodies.

So hated in the community, at first there was speculation that he was responsible because perhaps he grew weary of his lover.

Within a year, Frank remarried. After reconstruction of Taliesin it again suffered a fire.

Frank's legacy of unique cantalevored structures still exists today.

After the fires, Frank's houses were designed more like fortresses made of concrete.

While it is easy to judge the man and his self absorbtion, likewise, it is not difficult to admire his creations and unique architectural achievements. show less

A detailed history of the largest mass killing in Wisconsin history, that made national news not only for its brutality but for the fame and infamy of those involved. The murder took place in Frank Lloyd Wright's home in which he had ensconced his mistress after an extremely messy separation from his wife.

The locals were shocked and appalled by his conduct and, indeed, the entire country was astonished at his bold and amoral behavior. Despite local gossip, and national scandal, affairs in show more Taliesin were quiet and retiring. But the explosive murders of those staying there would shortly land Wright in the limelight again.

This detailed history dives deeply into the coverage of the crimes at the time, utilizing primary sources and reasoning through a web of rumors, speculation, and misinformation. It also serves as an abbreviated biography of Wright himself, at least in regard to how the murders came about and how they would go on to impact his life and career. show less

A riveting, read in two sittings book, but not a great book. It was a more sympathetic portrait of Wright than I expected and yet there seemed to be a lot of (academic?) agenda simmering just underneath the narrative. There's quite a bit of pursed lip head shaking, tsk tsk-ing and vaguely pejorative characterizations of other accounts of the crime, the murderer and his motives. I kept hoping he'd expand or include some primary sources, like court transcripts or witness statements, but though show more the book appears to be meticulously researched, he buries his sources in the copious footnotes chapter.

It really is a wonder these murders aren't the first thing we associate with Frank Lloyd Wright -- a testament his genius, I suppose, that when we hear his name we think of Falling Water, prairie houses and geometrical stained glass, not seven hacked and burned human beings and a ruined work of art. show less

History and true crime? Two of my favorite things! Except for the fact that Drennan throughout the book kind of gives the impression that he thinks Wright's mistress deserved what she got (which was an axe in the head, by the way) for living in sin in such a lovely place as Spring Green. WTF. The architectural analysis at the end was pretty thin, too; I think the guy really just wanted to write a thriller but didn't want to sacrifice his academic credentials to do it. Still entertaining, for show more all the author's bias. show less