Loving Frank by Nancy Horan

Loving Frank is a simple yet complex and sometimes disturbing work of historical fiction by Nancy Horan. Horan brings more fact than fiction to her work about Frank Lloyd Wright, the Oak Park, Illinois, architect and the lesser-known, early 20th-century feminist he loved, Mamah Borthwick Cheney.

The book offers glimpses into the couple's private yet at times all-too-public lives. It also touches on early feminist philosophies of the time and raises ethical, even moral questions on whether the characters were right -- or wrong -- to leave not only their spouses but their children.

I found Mamah a likable yet sometimes infuriating not to mention perplexing woman. I found Wright most unlikable and infatuated with himself. Without giving away the ending, I found it so incredible that I could not believe I had never heard about this event. A bit of quick research verified it was all too real.

The book is an easy, fast read if you can keep from stopping to look up more detailed information about some of the supporting characters. The locations included places I've lived and visited -- Chicago, Oak Park, Paris, Germany and rural Wisconsin.

While we all bring our varied experiences into our reading and writing, I do believe that the reader's gender and especially her/his state of marital bliss -- or the total lack thereof -- will likely affect how much the reader empathizes with Mamah and Frank. But woman or man, happily married or not, readers can enjoy this book and learn some juicy architectural history along the way. And when was the last time you read "juicy architectural history," I ask.