Priscilla J. Henken lived at Taliesin with her husband David as part of The Fellowship, the group of acolytes who made Taliesin an architectural colony from the 1930s through the 1950s. Her lively description of day-to-day life on a communal working farm in south central Wisconsin provides unique insights into the world of Wright during the period and will fascinate Wright enthusiasts as well as those with specialized interest in midcentury architecture; social and spiritual movements; and the clash of cultures represented by two socialist, Jewish New Yorkers and the Midwestern farm community at Taliesin. Henken vividly describes the daily program, from cooking duties to editing the great architect's autobiography and watching films. The internecine battles of the apprentices and the contentious relationship between Wright, the apprentices, and his third wife, Olgivanna Lazovich, enliven the account. Annotations supplement the diary, and accompanying essays by several scholars explore the cultural history of the period.

Winner of the Wisconsin Historical Society's 2013 Book Award of Merit

About the Author
Sarah Leavitt is a curator at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC, and lives in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Reviews
"[F]ascinating, largely because it is candid (albeit often painfully so) and well written." -- Leonardo Journal



Book Information
ISBN 9780393733808
Author Priscilla J. Henken
Format Hardback
Page Count 272
Imprint WW Norton & Co
Publisher WW Norton & Co
Weight(grams) 695g
Dimensions(mm) 224mm * 168mm * 20mm