About the Book
In architectural terms, the twentieth century can be largely summed up with two names: Frank Lloyd Wright and Philip Johnson. Wright (1867–1959) began it with his romantic prairie style; Johnson (1906–2005) brought down the curtain with his spare postmodernist experiments. Between them, they built some of the most admired and discussed buildings in American history. Differing radically in their views on architecture, Wright and Johnson shared a restless creativity, enormous charisma, and an outspokenness that made each man irresistible to the media. Often publicly at odds, they were the twentieth century’s flint and steel; their repeated encounters consistently set off sparks. Yet as acclaimed historian Hugh Howard shows, their rivalry was also a fruitful artistic conversation, one that yielded new directions for both men. It was not despite but rather because of their contentious--and not always admiring--relationship that they were able so powerfully to influence history. In Architecture’s Odd Couple, Howard deftly traces the historical threads connecting the two men and offers readers a distinct perspective on the era they so enlivened with their designs. Featuring many of the structures that defined modern space--from Fallingwater to the Guggenheim, from the Glass House to the Seagram Building--this book presents an arresting portrait of modern architecture’s odd couple and how they shaped the American landscape by shaping each other. Reviews "A page turner about two architects and there’s no bloodshed! Hugh Howard brings to life the rivalry between these two giants of the world’s most egotistical profession and still gives us a happy ending." - Bob Vila "In lively, scintillating prose, Hugh Howard brings to life one of the most inventive and original architects of the last century, and one of the savviest players in the same profession. Frank Lloyd Wright’s creative genius and idiosyncratic personality, and Philip Johnson’s refined intelligence and courtier’s craft, are described with a plethora of rich details and colorful vignettes, making this a spellbinding book. The sparring and rapport that defined the relationship of these two strong-willed men, and the presence of a superb ancillary cast of characters, are evoked with brio. Architecture’s Odd Couple is a splendid addition to the literature depicting the birth of twentieth-century modernism." - Nicholas Fox Weber, author of LE CORBUSIER: A LIFE
About the Author
Hugh Howard’s numerous books include Mr. and Mrs. Madison’s War: America’s First Couple and the War of 1812; The Painter’s Chair: George Washington and the Making of American Art; Dr. Kimball and Mr. Jefferson; the definitive Thomas Jefferson: Architect;