“He had a personal problem. How do I live with this woman and continue my work in life and live honestly, without being subjected to scorn and scandal everyday in Chicago? And this was the architectural solution to a personal problem.”-Ron McCrea refering to the dilemma of Frank Lloyd Wright and the building of Taliesin
On Monday July 29th, host John Quinlan sat down with Ron McCrea to talk about his newest book, “Building Taliesin: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Home of Love and Loss”. Ron McCrea is award wining journalist who has worked for the Capital Times here in Madison where he served here for a decade as city editor. He also currently serves on the board of the Wisconsin Society of Architects. Quinlan and McCrea discussed “Building Taliesin: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Home of Love and Loss” and the themes within the book and how the progressive movement shaped, not only politics, but also the architecture and social norms. One of the key focuses of the show was the relationship between Wright and a woman who he had fallen in love with named Mamah Borthwick. The pair ended up leaving their families to be together.
A place that intended to capture the beauty of the Wisconsin River Valley, ended up being disturbed by a shocking murder and fire in August of 1914 that resulted in life at Taliesin coming to a tragic end. In addition, listeners were able to learn more about Wright’s story and how seeking the truth made him an innovative leader of his time. Wright was able make a mark on a world where many in power were so invested in maintain the status quo: lessons directly applicable to our world today.