The Autobiography of an Idea
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Book Overview
The famous American architect's fascinating look at the early years of his pioneering work, which led to his being called the "father of the skyscraper." Far from an ordinary document of records and dates, Sullivan's passionate book crystallizes his insights and opinions into an organic theory of architecture. Includes a wealth of projects and evaluations, as well as 34 full-page plates.
Format:Paperback
Language:English
ISBN:048620281X
ISBN13:9780486202815
Release Date:June 2009
Publisher:Dover Publications
Length:384 Pages
Weight:0.92 lbs.
Dimensions:0.8" x 5.4" x 8.0"
Related Subjects
Architecture Artists, Architects & Photographers Arts & Literature Biographical Biographies Biographies & History Biography & History History Individual Architects & Firms Literary Literary Criticism & Collections Literature Literature & Fiction Philosophy Politics & Social Sciences ReferenceCustomer Reviews
1 rating
Well-written and enlightening, if self-indulgent.
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 22 years ago
Any student of architecture, particularly the modern movement, will enjoy reading this work by the mentor of Frank Lloyd Wright and, arguably, the father of modern architecture. In it, Louis Sullivan writes about himself growing from a child into a man, and recounts his personal drive, his fascination with nature, his love of man, bridges, engineering, and buildings, and his desire to create something new without the help of the dusty books of Neo-classicism. Louis Sullivan was never known for his modesty, and the tone of this book is nothing less than self-celebratory, which lends an overall optimistic tone to it. A bonus is the extensive photo plate section - it's interesting to see how his works grew as he did. Unfortunately the plates don't coincide with the text, which is the major flaw in this edition. Overall, though, it's wonderful insight into the mind of this influential architect.
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