Books: Loving Frank by Nancy Horan

This one was just annoying.

I just hated both Frank Lloyd Wright and his mistress, Mameh Borthwick.  FLW is a narcissistic, selfish, manipulative, controlling ass.  And for all her talk of her awakening feminism, Mameh is weak, naive, innocent, and utterly misguided in her interpretation of it.  This feminism just bit her on the butt.  She is not in a healthy relationship at all, but rather used and acquiescent.  And in many ways, she was misguided and selfish taking for granted her husband, children and sister.  I'm not for staying in an adequate, but stifling marriage, but her treatment of her devoted, loving, patient husband Ed Cheney, in finding herself (ok, fine) was just utterly unfair to another human being.  And I certainly don't sanctify motherhood (far from it), but she walked away from her obligations and responsibilities of her children, John and Martha.  They are innocent, and she simply left them hanging.  She used and took advantage of her sister, Lizzie, who sacrificed her own life to support her sister's indulgences and raise her kids.  I don't believe one can be taken advantage of without consent at a certain point, so shame on Lizzie!  But she did step up, when Mameh stepped out, and I put the blame squarely on Mameh.

And sadly FLW is spoiled for me.  I have always admired his architecture, and appreciate that he re-defined the field, and maybe even defined/put on the map contemporary American architecture in the first place.  I suppose I can detach his art, and still appreciate it.  But that notion of the  untouchable, unaccountable creative genius is just far too much to take.  And his money problems, screwing everybody over so he could settle for no less than tailored Italian suits, is just utterly vexing.

I suppose to get so riled up about a book, means I actually did enjoy it.  But I'm not so sure.  I found it overly sentimental.  At times, I felt like Horan was portraying this as a great, but ill-fated love affair, and romanticizing and idolizing their love.  Perhaps not, because she did not blindly describe the missteps and remorse.  To be honest, I couldn't tell.

Two stars (of 4) - because it captured my attention and wrapped me up in the characters' lives, as well as introduced me to a facet of FLW I never knew.  Not more, because at times it was just cloying.