Frank Lloyd Wright by Robert McCarter Editorial Review from Amazon.com: Of all the books that have appeared in the last 10 years on Frank Lloyd Wright and his architecture, this is the one that will last. It is in all ways comprehensive: its text is as organized and complete as a set of blueprints; its striking pictures of projects as small as the modest Usonian houses or as grand as the Guggenheim Museum are arranged in order by the visual information they reveal about each project; and even its copyediting is noticeably coherent, with dates just where one expects such details to be, in the first picture captions for each project. The book as a whole is so carefully conceived that, reading it, one knows exactly where to look for any particular bit of history. And while, for casual readers, the essays may offer too much to digest at first, Robert McCarter's prose is agile and passionate. "Wright understood buildings to be the background or framework for human existence," he writes. "Architecture gave dignity to daily life." --Margaret Moorman Editorial Review from House & Garden: By explaining Wright's complex geometry in the clearest language (a new tack for architecture criticism), McCarter amply repays a "debt of love."

Frank Lloyd Wright: The Masterworks by David Larkin (Editor), Bruce Brooks Pfeiffer. Editorial Review Excerpt From Booklist: Wright has been the subject of numerous books, illustrative and historical, popular and scholarly, but Larkin and Pfeiffer have still succeeded in creating something fresh and exciting. This handsome volume presents brand-new photographs of and lucid critical commentary on 38 of Wright's most significant buildings.... The process of design for each masterwork is documented from Wright's earliest conceptual sketches to his polished drawings, which are works of art in their own right. Some black-and-white photographs of buildings under construction are provided, but the book's strongest visual components are the grand color photographs. The shots were composed to capture the unique aesthetic of each structure's exterior and interior, from its orientation to the land to its elegant decorative detail and dramatic use of natural light. A liberal sampling of excerpts from Wright's writings and correspondence adds to this volume's authority and value. --Donna Seaman

A Frank Lloyd Wright Companion by William Allin Storrer. Review Excerpt From Booklist: Wright expert Storrer has compiled the definitive Wright reference book. His splendid descriptive volume covers more than 450 buildings designed by master architect Wright between 1886 and 1959. Storrer documents each structure with plans, drawings, photographs, and commentary. Each presentation is both complete and concise, following each stage of Wright's aesthetic development, each leap of his imagination, and each instance of technical innovation. The surprisingly fluid text includes anecdotes about the circumstances leading up to important commissions and pithy discussions of the personalities and motivations of Wright's often unusual clients.

Lost Wright : Frank Lloyd Wright's Vanished Masterpieces by Carla Lind Synopsis: The majestic Imperial Hotel in Tokyo, the stunning Midway Gardens in Chicago, and the innovative Larkin Administration Building in Buffalo, New York, are among the beautiful Frank Lloyd Wright masterpieces lost to us forever. With color photos, architectural illustrations, and black-and-white period photographs, Carla Lind gives these glorious works the attention they deserve. 150 photos.

Frank Lloyd Wright : Glass Art by Thomas A. Heinz Reader's Review: Best source book of FLW art glass designs. Thomas Heinz is extremely well credentialed and has written the best source book on FLW art glass designs. Finest photography available of a myriad of FLW projects incorporating art glass windows in sequential sequence. This book is the finest book on FLW works in glass. Mandatory read for any design sourcing for art glass projects. You will not find a more authoritarian reference book on art glass designs by FLW. Reader's Review: Simply put, the premier book on Frank Lloyd Wright Art Glass. I just dropped by Amazon.com to check on the availabilty of the Heinz book for a potential client. As the owner of a world class art glass studio specializing in FLW "inspired" designs, Studio Deco, I have had the opportunity to review countless books on the subject. In my opinion this is the finest book presently available.

Frank Lloyd Wright's Usonian Houses : The Case for Organic Architecture by John Sergeant A Reader's Review: Best current analysis of FLW's ideas on organic design. Frank Lloyd Wright's greatest contribution to American home design is his to answer to questions about how do you build low-cost housing suitable for the modern middle-class American family. His answers were the several dozen Usonian homes he designed from the 1930's until his death. These were usually smaller homes suited for middle-class budgets and needs. The Usonian and Organic design ideas have influenced all modern homes. Our open informal designs with great rooms connected to patios and decks, carports, and the use of plywood and other standard manufactured materials to lower on site construction costs are just some of the ideas popularized by Wright's designs. John Sergeant gives a very complete analysis of the five principle types of Usonion design: polliwog, diagonal, in-line, hexagonal, and raised. Floor plans and photos accompany the text. Very good cross referances and extensive notes for those interested in further study.

Frank Lloyd Wright by Iain Thomson, Frank Lloyd Wright, Maria Constantino Review Excerpt From Booknews: An extended introductory chapter discussing the architect's life and work is followed by a state-by-state directory of buildings he designed. Full- and partial-page color photos on every page display the buildings and some details. Brief descriptions of each building include information on public access as well as significant details of its history, design, and interior space. Chapters are also devoted to Wright's interior designs, and to his demolished buildings.

Truth Against the World : Frank Lloyd Wright Speaks for an Organic Architecture by Frank Lloyd Wright, Patrick J. Meehan (Editor) Review from Booknews (1993): In nine thematic sections Patrick J. Meehan (author of three other FLW books) arranges 32 of Wright's speeches ranging from attacks upon other architects to his acceptance of the AIA's Gold Medal in 1949. Includes 329 b&w photos. A Reader's Review: The Organic Architecture Bible. Truth Against The World is a must for anyone interested in understanding Wright's philosophy of Organic Architecture. It is such a great resource because, unlike the thousands of other books that were written about Wright, Truth Against The World is a view of the famed architectural philosophy through the genius himself. You do not get a third person interpretation about Wright and his philosophy; instead you read and hear about it in his own words. The end result is a greater depth of understanding not only of the Organic philosophy, but of arguably one of the world's greatest architect of all time.

50 Favorite Rooms by Frank Lloyd Wright by Diane Maddex Editorial Review from Amazon.com: Any admirer of the creative talent of Frank Lloyd Wright should not be without this excellent book, which records 50 of his domestic interiors. Diane Maddex, who has written several books on Wright, has assembled a photographic collection of his living and dining rooms as well as playrooms, libraries, and a few public spaces, including Wisconsin's Johnson Wax building and the Guggenheim Museum in New York. Wright's signature style--a combination of arts and crafts and the "prairie school"--was achieved by designing human-scale spaces with beautifully crafted materials. Maddex includes the finest examples of this in the book. The rooms span Wright's entire career--from the Robie House in 1906 to the Guggenheim, which was completed in 1959 (after the architect's death)--and they demonstrate the evolution of his style. The photographs are sensational; they capture the light, scale, and color of each interior. Accompanying each photo is a brief description of the clients, their requirements, and what Wright created for them. This is a lovely book that serves as a beautiful historical record of one of the 20th century's greatest architects.

About Wright : An Album of Recollections by Those Who Knew Frank Lloyd Wright by Edgar Tafel Synopsis by the publisher: A fascinating account of the interpersonal relationships between Frank Lloyd Wright and the people involved in various aspects of his life. Features letters and narratives from relatives, friends, clients, draftsmen, apprentices and acquaintances. The latter part of the book deals with events following his death. Includes numerous photographs never before published.

Frank Lloyd Wright Remembered by Patrick J. Meehan (Editor) Synopsis: A sentimental and intriguing look at America's most famous architect, this excellent text assembles the voices of many who knew Wright to reveal a multi-faceted portrait. These personal recollections--some discussing a relationship in depth, others punctuated by comic incidents that quickly capsulize a particular aspect of Wright's personality--give breadth to the literature already published about Wright. Review from Booknews: Over 40 personal accounts of the American architect Wright (1867-1959) by colleagues, clients, apprentices, friends, and family. Includes many photographs.

A&E Video: The Homes of Frank Lloyd Wright (1996) Review by Amazon.com: Originally broadcast as part of A&E's America's Castles series, this program celebrates and makes accessible the legacy of Frank Lloyd Wright, hailed as this century's greatest architect. There is no more insightful window into the man than the three homes that Wright built for himself: his Home and Studio in Oak Park, Illinois; Taliesin in Spring Green, Wisconsin, and Taliesin West in Scottsdale, Arizona. From floor to ceiling and room by room, this intimate guided tour charts the evolution of Wright's singular style that created "structures not on the land, but of the land" and "built not to be looked at, but lived in." Exploring Wright's Home and Studio, for example, reveals "a treasure house of experimentation" that "is central to understanding his development." The original Taliesin is called "an autobiography in wood, brick, and stone." The Homes of Frank Lloyd Wright takes its cue from Wright, who in his designs endeavored to eliminate the insignificant (attics, he believed, were wasted space). Wright scholars place these homes in historical and biographical context. Not glossed over are some of the more scandalous and tragic events that marked Wright's life, from an adulterous affair that made headlines to the ax murder of his mistress at Taliesin. This video is a must-own for architectural buffs, but even if you're just getting in on the ground floor and don't know your vestibule from your veranda, this program will make you feel right at home. --Donald Liebenson

DVD: Frank Lloyd Wright - A film by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick (1998) Encoding: Region 1 (US and Canada only) Review by Amazon.com: The beauty of Frank Lloyd Wright is that aside from telling a long and often melodramatic story lucidly, it deals with issues of art and architecture in ways that are approachable but not simplistic. (It's also surprisingly scandalous, although this is seen as part of his art.) Wright was first and foremost a rebel who took his cues from nature, though, as one commentator points out, this is not to say his approach was natural. What he was rebelling against was the clutter and claustrophobia of Victorian architecture. The rooms he designed opened up on each other, and his exteriors seemed to grow laterally out of the landscape. All of these ideas are neatly illustrated--although it perhaps could have been explained how Wright's later, whimsical designs related to his earlier, earthbound ones--with some marvelous footage of a Wright lily pad column supporting a load of sandbags and quiet Steadicam shots of Wright interiors that give the viewer a feeling for his sense of light and harmony. The filmmakers have wisely kept the technical talk to a minimum, but they are also not afraid to step back and let the experts ruminate on the nature of his genius, even when these experts are at a loss for words. Burns has made stars of some of his commentators in previous films, and in this one the late critic Brendan Gill shines. Wright himself comes across as a man who never doubted himself, a lousy father, and self-consciously Byronic. His vitality and larger-than-life persona seemed to belong to the 19th century, making him--and this is perhaps a mixed blessing--the last of his kind. --John Clark

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