Loving Frank

Not ME!

That's the name of a book about the relationship between Mamah (May-muh, not "Mama") Borthwick Cheney and Frank Lloyd Wright.

I always struggle with historical fiction... What parts are "historical" and what parts are "fiction"???

But, even with that constantly in the back of my mind, I really enjoyed this book.

At the time, the relationship created a scandal - both were married, and both had children.

They each made the decision that it was better - for them and their children - to live an honest life, rather than sacrifice their happiness in order to conform to society. Frank Lloyd Wright's family motto was "The Truth Against the World", and that is how he and Mamah lived.

And they had quite a life - they traveled to Paris, Berlin, Japan... eventually settling at Taliesin, the home in Spring Green, Wisconsin that Frank designed for Mamah.

All the while, they struggled "against the world" - friends, family, neighbors, the press - who didn't approve of their choices.

But, they loved each other madly until the very end. And who can argue with that?

You don't have to be a fan of Frank Lloyd Wright to enjoy this book (I'm not, particularly). It's an interesting story about love - between a man and a woman, and between a woman and her children - and about being true to yourself.

Even if none of it were true, I'd still recommend it.