Death in a Prairie House: Frank Lloyd Wright and the Taliesin Murders (Hardcover)

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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Death in a Prairie House is a compelling argument in support of the theory that the Taliesin tragedy profoundly affected not only the future lives of those directly involved (not the least of whom was considered to be the most influential and gifted architect of the time), but likely, the whole course and development of modern architecture.” --Craig Jacobsen, Taliesin Preservation, Inc.

“Drennan retells the story, sparing no details and judiciously placing them in the context of Wright’s legendary career and tangled personal life. . . . Memorable crime books are about revealing character, and this one’s best when plumbing the psyches of the murderer . . . and the self-absorbed genius who buried his grief in 45 more years of work.” --Harold Henderson, Chicago Reader

“William Drennan’s careful reconstruction of the events at Taliesin before, during, and after August 15, 1914, sheds new light on the tragic happenings of that day.” --Nancy Horan, author of Loving Frank --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Review

"Death in a Prairie House is a compelling argument in support of the theory that the Taliesin tragedy profoundly affected not only the future lives of those directly involved (not the least of whom was considered to be the most influential and gifted architect of the time), but likely, the whole course and development of modern architecture."—Craig Jacobsen, Taliesin Preservation, Inc.

"The thoroughness of Drennan's research combined with the clarity of his logic and writing style paints a complete, colorful picture of the tragedy. He painstakingly addresses all of the questions and theories that have puzzled many for more than ninety years."—Carla Lind, author of The Wright Style: Re-Creating the Spirit of Frank Lloyd Wright and Lost Wright

"A fascinating, insightful examination of a Wisconsin 'crime of the century,' a bizarre and tragic event that changed Wright's life, his career, and perhaps even American residential and architectural design.”—Bill Christofferson, journalist and author of The Man from Clear Lake

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 230 pages
• Publisher: University of Wisconsin Press; 1 edition (January 18, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0299222101
• ISBN-13: 978-0299222109
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #99,327 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

78 of 85 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars For true Wrightophiles, April 15, 2007

By	E. Jarolin (Wyoming, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Here we have a book that is part biography, part architectural analysis and part true crime expose'. It can be said that it provides a reasonable overview of Wright's early 'first career', his flight to Europe with the wife of a client, the ensuing scandal and his need to construct a rural redoubt, Taliesin, as a shelter from society at large. Discussion of his publicly stated rational for these actions as well as speculation as to the real reasons is provided.

All of this is prologue to the crime that is at the heart of this book: the murder of Wright's 'soul mate' Mamah Borthwick Cheney, 6 others and the destruction by fire of Taliesin. The aftermath is also here. The capture and ultimate fate of the murderer, the effect on Wright, the man, and his later architecture. Wright devotees will find the occassional nugget of new information, but much of this ground has been mined before by other biographers. Drennan's conclusion that Wright's architecture subsequently turned almost fortress like is easy to accept, psychologically a neat fit and upon closer examination wrong. The factors that caused Wright's abandoning of the Prairie style were in place before the tragedy and played out well after it.

What we are really to be interested in here, judging by the hatchet on the dust jacket, is the crime. A horrendous crime indeed, involving enough blood, gore and roasted flesh to do a Hollywood slasher movie proud. A detailed reconstruction of the murders is put forward, with various alternatives presented. The perpetrator's motive, thin as it was, is also discussed. Oddly, given that this is a book at least partially about architecture, no floor plan of the crime scene is provided. The extensive prose description of the killers movements would seem to have required the inclusion of one. Most curiously, a careful study of the endnotes will reveal the apparent contradiction of a major portion of the crime reconstruction scenario put forward by the author. Seemingly other, late discovered evidence including a post fire photo of Taliesin has caused him to doubt his own theory. If so, why not rework your text? Why not include the photo?

In summation, if your primary interest in Wright is his architecture you may wish to pass this one up. If you wish to learn something of the 'trials & tribulations' the man had to survive in order to create the ground breaking architecture of his 'second career', give it a look.

43 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars No firm foundation for Taliesen or Frank Lloyd Wright, April 13, 2007

By	Anita Ashland (Madison, Wisconsin) - See all my reviews

This is a book sure to please both Frank Lloyd Wright scholars and those that enjoy reading true crime.

The first half of the book is a biography of Wright's life up until the murders at Taliesen. There are several mysteries explored here. Why did Wright's mother nearly suffocate him with her love and attention? Why did his father leave the family? Why did Wright, a champion of family values and a doting father, abruptly run off to Europe with the neighbor lady and nearly destroy his career in the process? Love and morality in Wright's life appeared to have about as firm a foundation as Taliesen, which had to be built three times.

The remainder of the book provides the details of the horrific murders at Taliesen and tries to uncover the motive of the murderer, Julian Carlton. Drennan shows us how the murders affected Wright both emotionally and professionally. In the epilogue he intrigues us with a description of how Wright's style dramatically changed after the murders and how it may have influenced architecture in America at large.

Drennan has an elegant, clear writing style, reminiscent of the best classic British detective fiction. The book does not disappoint and remains thought-provoking long after the turn of the last page.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally, the untold story..., April 16, 2007

By	Sarah Saturday - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I couldn't believe that in all my years as a FLW fan, I had not read anything that explored this incredibly important event in the architect's life and career as thoroughly as Drennan does in "Death in a Prairie House."

The amount of research done for the book ALONE is fascinating, even for the most knowledgeable FLW fan. The book gives an authoritative analysis of the murders, the motives, and the effects this monstrous event had on Wright's future designs. The author does not claim to have all the definitive answers, but offers some very likely possibilities, all well supported.

Drennan's voice is both wry--many times I even laughed out loud--and thoroughly compelling. Overall, the book is both emotionally and intellectually engaging. I can't wait for the movie!