REVIEW The Killer and Frank Lloyd Wright by Casey Sherman

 

I saw this book and was intrigued - the famous architect and a killer?  This was a true crime book that I could get behind. However, I was kind of disappointed because the killer part of Wright's life was only a little slice of the book - instead of taking a deep dive into it, it was a small part of the book.  The book, however, was still completely fascinating.

The book starts with biographical history - Sherman writes about Wright's childhood  and the time that he spent on a family farm in Wisconsin (which was had a large impact on him - he hated it and ran away!). During his college years, he realizes that he infinitely preferred the urbanity of Chicago and knew that he wanted to be an architect. While in Chicago, he is able to charm himself into the orbits of wealthy, influential people and also marry a woman that was significantly younger then him - Kitty was, if I remember correctly, 17 at the time of her marriage to Wright. Kitty and Frank have four children in short order and she is responsible for raising them, while Wright earns money (except that he spends more than he makes). Ultimately, Frank meets Mamah Cheney - who, even though she is married to another man and has children of her own with him - is Frank's soul mate and they end up carrying on a not very well concealed affair. During a trip to Europe, the tabloid press picks up the story since Frank is quite famous at this time, and Kitty, who refuses to consent to a divorce, uses the press to her favor. 

Upon the couple's return to the States, Frank and Mamah go to Wisconsin to live at Taliesin in Wisconsin, where the couple's severely mentally ill cook, Carlton, kills a number of people at the ranch (including Mamah and her children) and burns it down.   This is the crux of the book,

I enjoyed learning about Frank Lloyd Wright even though I had initially picked up the book expecting a true crime read.  His architecture changed the landscape of American homes and landscape, so it was good to learn more about him.  However, I felt like the title was a bit misleading as that part of the book was only a small slice of things.  Sherman clearly researched the book thoroughly and the book itself doesn't get bogged down in dry prose.  

Definitely pick it up - worth the read.