Years with Frank Lloyd Wright: Apprentice to Genius

by Edgar Tafel

Book Overview

From the special vantage point of a former apprentice who for nine years lived and worked under "the fury and wrath of genius," Edgar Tafel presents a wonderfully revealing portrait of America's... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0486248011
• ISBN13: 9780486248011
• Release Date: March 2012
• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 1.48 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 8.3" x 11.0"

Customer Reviews

Excellent Photographs

This book answered many questions by showing works in progress, not just the finished buildings and homes. For those interested in FLLW's work, this book is essential. Sandi

Fascinating personal account of author's apprenticeship with FLW

Years with Frank Lloyd Wright: Apprentice to Genius is a well-written highly readable account of architects Edgar Tafels years with Frank Lloyd Wright. Tafel was anartistic young man who read FLW's autobigraphy in the 1930's at the time Wright started his Taliensin Fellowship architecture school. Like many others who read Wright's autobiography Tafel felt intensely drawn to him; he travelled to Taliensin at Spring Green, Wisconsin spending years there as a Wright apprentice. Wright describes the early years of the Fellowship during which there was little architectural work. Wrights reputation was in tatters at this time because of his complicated personal life. The Depression also made new construction projects a rarity. The apprentices spent much of their time renovating and building additions to Taliesin and working the Taliesin farm. Slowly, new architecture commissions came in. Fallingwater, commissioned by the wealthy Pittsburgh businessman, Edgar Kauffman, was one of the earliest undertaken after the Fellowship was underway. Wright also designed the interior of a large private office for Kauffman at his Pittsburgh flagship store. Tafel describes months spent working as the on-site supervisor for the construction of Fallingwater. He lived in a small shack at the site during bitter cold winter months. Tafel describes visiting some of FLW's early works in the company of Wright. The great man would simply arrive unannounced at some home or office building he had designed decades earlier. Invariably, Wright would be welcomed and given full access, going on to give Tafel and the current owners fascinating details of his vision for the building. Near the end of his time with Wright Tafel started bringing in architecture commissions of his own to the Fellowship. He describes his wounded emotions at not receiving what he felt were adequate compensation for this. He tells of a painful final scene where he asks Wright for his share of the commission for a project he brought in. Wright grudgingly gives him a hundred dollar bill from his wallet. This was the end of Tafel's time as a Wright fellow but he maintained a relationship with Wright even after starting out on his own. He was involved in selecting the construction company for the Guggenheim museum after Wright's first- choice of contractors presented bids hugely over budget. Tafel's describes his shock at Wright's death at age 91. Despite Wright's advanced age, Tafel like many others, felt the old man would go on forever. Wright's funeral at Spring Green was occasion for many of the apprentices to return from all over the world to pay their final respects to the Great Man. After Wright's death, Tafel happened to be in Tokyo during the demolition of Wright's famed Imperial Hotel. There are many photos of the hotel in its final days I hadn't seen elsewhere. Highly recommended.

Interesting Historical Account

Tafel's account offers an interesting look at the role of a young architect serving under Frank Lloyd Wright. A talented individual in his own right, Tafel is occasionally too deferential to his Master, but then people were more respectful in that era. Many photographs, including documentary pictures from the studio and of construction projects in progress flesh out this useful study. What is most interesting is the look at a comprehensive training and site experience that is sadly lacking in the education of young architects today.

Tafel's years with Frank Lloyd Wright

I bought this book since Edgar Tafel designed the home we live in and I wanted to learn more about him and his relationship with FLW. The book is very informative, shares the experiences and gives one a flavor of what it must have been like to live and work with FLW. Tafel was one of the first class of FLW apprentices....and later became part of the fabric of the school of architecture.The book is full of photos and intimate glimpses. I enjoyed reading it...and I share it with friends.