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Loving Frank
Loving Frank: A Novel | Nancy Horan
I have been standing on the side of life, watching it float by. I want to swim in the river. I want to feel the current. So writes Mamah Borthwick Cheney in her diary as she struggles to justify her clandestine love affair with Frank Lloyd Wright. Four years earlier, in 1903, Mamah and her husband, Edwin, had commissioned the renowned architect to design a new home for them. During the construction of the house, a powerful attraction developed between Mamah and Frank, and in time the lovers, each married with children, embarked on a course that would shock Chicago society and forever change their lives. In this ambitious debut novel, fact and fiction blend together brilliantly. While scholars have largely relegated Mamah to a footnote in the life of Americas greatest architect, author Nancy Horan gives full weight to their dramatic love story and illuminates Cheneys profound influence on Wright. Drawing on years of research, Horan weaves little-known facts into a compelling narrative, vividly portraying the conflicts and struggles of a woman forced to choose between the roles of mother, wife, lover, and intellectual. Horans Mamah is a woman seeking to find her own place, her own creative calling in the world. Mamahs is an unforgettable journey marked by choices that reshape her notions of love and responsibility, leading inexorably ultimately lead to this novels stunning conclusion. Elegantly written and remarkably rich in detail, Loving Frank is a fitting tribute to a courageous woman, a national icon, and their timeless love story. Advance praise for Loving Frank: Loving Frank is one of those novels that takes over your life. Its mesmerizing and fascinatingfilled with complex characters, deep passions, tactile descriptions of astonishing architecture, and the colorful immediacy of daily life a hundred years agoall gathered into a story that unfolds with riveting urgency. Lauren Belfer, author of City of Light This graceful, assured first novel tells the remarkable story of the long-lived affair between Frank Lloyd Wright, a passionate and impossible figure, and Mamah Cheney, a married woman whom Wright beguiled and led beyond the restraint of convention. It is engrossing, provocative reading. Scott Turow It takes great courage to write a novel about historical people, and in particular to give voice to someone as mythic as Frank Lloyd Wright. This beautifully written novel about Mamah Cheney and Frank Lloyd Wrights love affair is vivid and intelligent, unsentimental and compassionate. Jane Hamilton I admire this novel, adore this novel, for so many reasons: The intelligence and lyricism of the prose. The attention to period detail. The epic proportions of this most fascinating love story. Mamah Cheney has been in my head and heart and soul since reading this book; I doubt shell ever leave. Elizabeth Berg From the Hardcover edition.
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GidgetsTreasures75
Loving Frank: A Novel | Nancy Horan
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11-6-22: Spent the day at Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida. Most of the buildings on campus were created by architect Frank Lloyd Wright. It was beautiful. This was the Roux library. The whole place was fascinating. 📖📚☀️

emz711 I'm intrigued 1y
19 likes1 comment
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Mdonald
Loving Frank: A Novel | Nancy Horan
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Pickpick
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rachaich
Loving Frank: A Novel | Nancy Horan
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This is a book club choice, the subject of which I have no previous knowledge of.

Unfortunately the only edition in the library is large print so it's a whopper!

JamieArc I think it‘s best you have no knowledge of it. This book stayed with me for a while. 2y
BarbaraBB I unexpectedly enjoyed this book a lot! 2y
14 likes2 comments
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Lorientawn
Loving Frank: A Novel | Nancy Horan
Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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JennyM
Loving Frank: A Novel | Nancy Horan
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Pickpick

After putting this off for the whole of the year I can finally join in all the love and say, what a book! Detailing the scandalous relationship between architect Frank Lloyd Wright and his married client Mamah Borthwick Cheney, we come to know a woman making decisions and leading a life well ahead of her time in the early 1900s. I‘m surprised I don‘t know more about her, so down the🐰 🕳 I go!

Freespirit Sounds like a must read Jenny😍 4y
JennyM @Freespirit it‘s what I think of as a rich and satisfying read. I wish I hadn‘t put it off for so long! 4y
Cinfhen This is STILL on my list!!!!! Maybe 2020 will be the year I finally read it. 4y
See All 13 Comments
JennyM @Cinfhen not what I expected at all and in a really good way. She was a courageous lady! Hope you enjoy when you get to it (edited) 4y
Kalalalatja I can‘t believe that your posts about it is the first time I noticed it! I‘m definitely stacking it 📚 4y
squirrelbrain What @Kalalalatja said - and I‘m also stacking! 4y
JennyM @squirrelbrain @Kalalalatja I think it might have been the very wonderful @BarbaraBB who put it on my radar! 4y
CarolynM I have it stacked already (maybe from @BarbaraBB too) but I'm bumping it up my priority list on your recommendation 🙂 4y
AlaMich FLW was a fascinating man. I was lucky enough to visit Taliesin in Arizona and it‘s absolutely worth a visit if you‘re ever there. 4y
BarbaraBB I don‘t know if it was me but I did read it and loved it! I mentioned recently (maybe to you) that I bought another book about FLW immediately afterwards. Haven‘t read it yet though. 4y
JennyM @AlaMich I can imagine that being fantastic! Their story has really made me curious to know more about them both. 4y
JennyM @BarbaraBB I will have to check this one out as well. Fascinating character. 4y
JennyM @CarolynM hope you enjoy it Carolyn. It‘s quite a story! 4y
50 likes6 stack adds13 comments
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purebugbeauty72
Loving Frank: A Novel | Nancy Horan
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3 likes1 stack add
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LaLove
Loving Frank: A Novel | Nancy Horan
Panpan

This is possibly the worst book I‘ve ever read. The boring plot and excessive wordiness are as pretentious and unlikable as the characters.

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Areader2
Loving Frank: A Novel | Nancy Horan
Pickpick

I really enjoyed this book. This was based on real people,and events surrounding the life of Frank Loyd Wright .This was a historical fiction, but you really got the feel of what life was like in the early nineteen hundreds for his nonconventional life that he led with his lover Mamah Borthwick Cheney. You were also able to see his genius as an architect and how nature was the force behind his work!

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Kboltz
Loving Frank: A Novel | Nancy Horan
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Pickpick

Historical fiction about Frank Lloyd Wright and his affair with a married woman who became involved with him after she and her husband had a house designed by him. This is a great story, women need to be free like Mamah decides she would be after she leaves with Frank. Just a great insight into how FLW thought and worked with his artistic behaviors.

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Blaire
Loving Frank: A Novel | Nancy Horan
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Pickpick

In-depth imagining of the relationship of Wright with Mamah. A slow read but I found Mamah‘s feminism, activism, and choices kept me reading. Much more about feminism than I expected. I didn‘t dislike her and understood the conflict she felt. Wright found his intellectual match and someone willing to challenge him. He was a narcissist, with many failings, but still a genius. A friend tipped me to the ending but it was still a shock.

Reviewsbylola I loved this one! FLW was an ass. 5y
Blaire @Reviewsbylola for sure! But still love his work. Felt he‘d grown a little by the end?!? 5y
55 likes2 comments
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Blaire
Loving Frank: A Novel | Nancy Horan
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As the newspapermen descend on frank lloyd Wright and mamah‘s home in Wisconsin their lives are full of #misery. Wright is in debt and they are both full of guilt for having left their children. #octoberxfiles #currentread

JamieArc This book still haunts me. Looking forward to seeing your review. 5y
Cinfhen This has been on my TBR for years!!!! Not sure why I haven‘t gotten to it yet...#2019Goals 5y
Cathythoughts I‘d stack ... except I already have. Sounds like a good read 👍🏻❤️ 5y
Blaire @JamieArc my book club already clued me in to the ending...hoping to finish tonight. 5y
Blaire @Cinfhen @cathythoughts this was a book club pick this month which finally got it off the ole tbr. 😊. 5y
45 likes5 comments
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Librarybelle
Loving Frank: A Novel | Nancy Horan
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Loving Frank Lloyd Wright is not easy. In a way, it‘s almost toxic - he does not treat any of his love interests well, yet his actions claim to do so. Horan‘s fictional account of Wright and his mistress made me see Wright in a different way. It was so good, but yet so heartbreaking, one of those books that I wanted to scream to the women, “Run!”

Definite #CrucifyMyHeart moments in this one. #SeptemberDanes

Kalalalatja Interesting pick! 6y
JamieArc This one has stuck with me for a long time. I remember feeling pretty shocked. 6y
Cinfhen This has been on my TBR for years!!!! Hope to read it one day 6y
See All 7 Comments
Librarybelle @JamieArc I was shocked too! 6y
Librarybelle @Cinfhen Hope you can get to it soon...it‘s a good one! 6y
DivineDiana After reading this, I developed a strong dislike for Frank Lloyd Wright, the man. 6y
96 likes3 stack adds7 comments
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JennyM
Loving Frank: A Novel | Nancy Horan
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16 | #SeptemberDanes

The clandestine affair between Frank Lloyd Wright and Mamah Borthwick Cheney was full of #LipstickLies 💋

It‘s another one sat on my #mountTBR

Cinfhen It‘s still sitting on my TBR 🙈 6y
BarbaraBB Loved this one! 6y
Cathythoughts This one sounds good ! Stacking 👍🏻❤️ 6y
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LeeRHarry This is my book group‘s pick for next month - I‘ll be starting it soon! 😊 6y
JennyM @LeeRHarry you and are seem to be reading the same books at the moment 😊 6y
LeeRHarry @JennyM weird huh? 😆 6y
JennyM @LeeRHarry I love it...we must have similar tastes. Let me know the book club verdict on this. If @BarbaraBB loved it, I think it will be excellent! 6y
BarbaraBB 😘 (edited) 6y
LeeRHarry @JennyM will do! I agree @BarbaraBB always reads the best books! 😊 6y
Kalalalatja Ooooh, it sounds really good! I look forward to your review 👏 6y
LeeRHarry @BarbaraBB I loved this book! 😊 book club verdict at the end of the month! (edited) 5y
BarbaraBB @LeeRHarry I am so glad you liked it as much as I did. It felt like my best friend was telling her story 😀. Let me know what your book club thinks 😘 5y
74 likes2 stack adds12 comments
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cinann
Loving Frank: A Novel | Nancy Horan
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I read five books this month, four of which were library books. I'm 85% done with one more on my kindle, which I will try to finish tonight.
#augustisatrip #readingresolutions
@vkois88 @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Jess7

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 6y
vkois88 👍👍👍 6y
16 likes2 comments
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MelissaSue81
Loving Frank: A Novel | Nancy Horan
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Panpan

Hated this book. Hated Mamah and Frank. What a-holes. You‘d think the author would have tried to give them some redeeming qualities.. but nope! Just awful.
#13books13weeks complete - this is great because I hated a lot of them so now I can donate them!
#24b4monday readathon is going okay, so far. I don‘t think I‘ll make 24, but maybe 18?

Reviewsbylola I do agree, it was difficult to like them. 😑 6y
Thousand-Lives I didn‘t like this one either! 6y
Sharpeipup @Reviewsbylola agreed. It was tough to keep going on that one because they were not like able. 6y
65 likes3 comments
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MelissaSue81
Loving Frank: A Novel | Nancy Horan
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I got an hour in this morning finishing Nevertheless. Going to try to knock Loving Frank out next for #24b4monday readathon and to finish my #13books13weeks stack

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MelissaSue81
Loving Frank: A Novel | Nancy Horan
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Loving Frank is the only book I have left to complete both #13books13weeks and my official August #TBR (I do want to try to get to one more book from #makemereadit in August as well.

MirrorMask You are killing it!!!!! 6y
73 likes1 comment
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cinann
Loving Frank: A Novel | Nancy Horan
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Pickpick

Book club is tomorrow night and I finished the book last night. The story of Frank Lloyd Wright and his mistress Mamah Borthwick Cheney was interesting but both of them were very selfish and unlikable.

14 likes1 stack add
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cinann
Loving Frank: A Novel | Nancy Horan
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My August TBR. I have a bunch of books on my kindle that I'd like to get to this month, but I think August is going to be a mood reading month.

#AugustIsATrip #readingresolutions
@vkois88 @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Jess7

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Love your pic!! I‘m also a mood reader! I picked out 3! 2 of which I just started! 6y
vkois88 Same! 6y
Reviewsbylola Loving Frank is awesome!! I liked The Lake House a lot too. 6y
22 likes1 stack add3 comments
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emilyhaldi
Loving Frank: A Novel | Nancy Horan
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Frank Lloyd Wright always comes to mind immediately when I think of a #badboyforlove 💔 And this amazing book!
#marchintooz

Cinfhen This was a bookclub pick long time ago but I don‘t remember much other than Frank was a #doucheLord 6y
Cortg Yes! I read this years ago for a book club when the kids were little. Everyone was hooked on the end during a snow day. It was so funny seeing everyone‘s texts and posts. This book had a fantastic ending, but not fantastic that it really did happen 😔 I had to google it when I finished. (edited) 6y
Mdargusch Good choice! 6y
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BarbaraBB Oh, loved this book. And the man (just to read about, not in my life)! 😂 (edited) 6y
AlaMich He was an outsize man—outsized in his genius, in his flaws, in his arrogance... 6y
emilyhaldi Lol @Cinfhen your memory serves you well! 6y
emilyhaldi @Cortg I finished this book late at night and my heart was RACING!! I had no idea what was coming 😱 and I think it took me 2 hours to calm down enough to fall asleep 😆 6y
Cortg @emilyhaldi One of the best endings to a book I‘ve ever read 😬 6y
Reviewsbylola Great choice. 6y
Reviewsbylola That‘s pretty much the premise of the book @Cinfhen 😂😂😂 6y
britt_brooke Ooh, I have this but haven‘t read it yet. Moving it up on the ol‘ TBR! 6y
101 likes4 stack adds11 comments
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WanderingBookaneer
Loving Frank: A Novel | Nancy Horan
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Listening to this one as I snack on blackberries. #AroundTheYearIn52Books

JamieArc This one still haunts me... 6y
124 likes2 comments
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Howseldomtheydo
Loving Frank: A Novel | Nancy Horan
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Visited the Darwin Martin House yesterday. It‘s beautiful! Love Frank‘s designs but not him as a person after reading this book. #read

tpixie Lovely! Great art. Very flawed man. 6y
Cinfhen Beautiful photo 6y
PurpleyPumpkin Beautiful 😍 6y
See All 6 Comments
Aleida Isn‘t it funny how some of the world‘s geniuses are douchebags? 6y
Howseldomtheydo @Aleida Must be why I‘m not a genius 😂 6y
Aleida Lol! 6y
123 likes3 stack adds6 comments
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emilyhaldi
Loving Frank: A Novel | Nancy Horan
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This prompt brings Frank Lloyd Wright and Mamah Borthwick immediately to mind. The way they abandoned not only their spouses but also their children in order to run off together was selfish....and didn't end well 😳
#yougiveloveabadname
#rocktober

Cinfhen Never read this although it's been on my TBR for years!!!! 6y
Bostonmomx2 Oh wow, I didn‘t know that. My mom loves his architecture but I wonder if she knows that history about him. 6y
BarbaraBB Yeah I read this. What a man indeed! 6y
See All 7 Comments
Reviewsbylola Sad and selfish story. FLW is no prize. @Cinfhen you must read it! 6y
emilyhaldi @Reviewsbylola agreed! @Cinfhen this is a must read. If you don‘t already know much about the story, don‘t do any research beforehand. The ending was a complete and utter surprise for me and made the book that much better! 6y
Mdargusch Good one! 6y
85 likes2 stack adds7 comments
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Dolly
Loving Frank: A Novel | Nancy Horan
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I bailed on this book but I'm not going to review it as such. I'll just blurb about my mistake instead. Picking up a historical fiction when what I really want is a biography or memoir is not fair to the author and I must stop doing it. Meanwhile, I contemplate what place historical fiction has in my TBR. :::sigh:::

Dolly Frank is Frank Lloyd Wright. 7y
RobinCaulfield Same! What appealed to us is how this book should've been.. 🤷🏼‍♀️ 7y
40 likes3 comments
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MsLeah8417
Loving Frank: A Novel | Nancy Horan
Pickpick

I was haunted by this poignant story

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Reviewsbylola
Loving Frank: A Novel | Nancy Horan
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Scarlett and Patrick Bateman were already taken, so how about a bit of Frank Lloyd Wright? I've devoured a few books about him and I find his life fascinating but . . . #youresovain FLW. #junetunz

Librarybelle Good choice...I completely forgot about his vanity! 7y
EKonrad Just visited Falling Water on vacation last week. So fascinating to see his work up close! 😊 7y
Cinfhen Well played 🙌🏻 7y
minkyb Excellent choice! 7y
Mdargusch Very vain man. 🤔 7y
92 likes2 stack adds5 comments
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Jbakesmcgee3
Loving Frank: A Novel | Nancy Horan
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Another book haul from myopic books 📚

emilyhaldi Oooooohhh good ones!! 7y
25 likes1 comment
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nitalibrarian
Loving Frank: A Novel | Nancy Horan
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I know they are based off real people, but I thought the main characters in this telling of Frank Lloyd Wright and Mamah Borthwick Cheney's love affair to be very unlikable characters. #unlikablecharacters #aprilbookshowers

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emilyhaldi
Loving Frank: A Novel | Nancy Horan
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Pickpick

Holy cow!! Why did no one warn me about this ending!? I finished the book late last night with my heart beating out of my chest and laid in bed wide awake for the next 2 hours 😂
Aside from the ending, I thought Loving Frank was fairly indirect and long-winded. Frank & Mamah's self-indulgent behavior somewhat impacted my ability to appreciate their love story. But of course, hateable characters are fun sometimes!

JenniferJarrell I loved this book, and I think a lot of it is that I didn't know to expect the ending. 7y
Spiderfelt I read the TC Boyle book about Frank Lloyd Wright at the same time. Of the two, I think Boyle portrayed a more interesting portrait of the man and his strange habits. It was a disturbing story, for sure. (edited) 7y
IamIamIam Ooooh, I've had this on my radar for a while now! Glad it comes highly recommended!!! 7y
See All 6 Comments
mjdowens I love his art and architecture. Reading this book put such a disappointment to my spirit for FLW. I have had to come to the realization that great talent does not always mean great human beings. 7y
Reviewsbylola I agree @mjdowens. I never realized what an ass he was! 7y
emilyhaldi @Spiderfelt I have that book too! Definitely very interested in reading it after finishing Loving Frank. 7y
93 likes8 stack adds6 comments
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saresmoore
Loving Frank: A Novel | Nancy Horan
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I went to the library by myself (awesome). I walked briskly & obediently past the donated books...then I doubled back. Well, the rest is history. Here is my #bookhaul that I did not *technically* buy. I just happened to make a generous donation to the Friends of the Library on the same day that I took these books home... 😬 Anything good here? I'm very intrigued by some I hadn't heard of!

saresmoore Don Quixote is in honor of @LauraBeth and @vivastory —your posts were so good, I decided it was time for a reread! (Sometime this year.) 7y
Alfoster I only hope you smiled at strangers (although no one is a stranger in a library)!😍 7y
saresmoore @Alfoster I totally did! Although, our library has its fair share of creeps. The librarian with the perfect librarian whisper who never smiles (I call him Mr. Grumpy Gills) bore the brunt of my widest, silliest grins. I even chose him to pester when I needed to borrow a pen. 😁 7y
See All 31 Comments
ReadingEnvy Oh yeah keep working on mr grumpy 7y
DebinHawaii Looks like a great haul! 📚👍 7y
saresmoore @ReadingEnvy Oh, I will. It's rare to meet someone more introverted than myself, but here is a chance to take full advantage of my extroverted upbringing! Muahahaha! 7y
saresmoore @DebinHawaii I think so! It was probably mildly hilarious to watch tiny little me struggling with that stack in addition to my holds and some books for the kids. The library is my gym! 7y
LauraBeth Yay for DQ! 😀 7y
saresmoore @LauraBeth I absolutely will not be able to read it without comparing it to my redneck-infused childhood! What a hilarious and absurdly accurate comparison. I love it. 👏 7y
Suet624 Well I have a deep and abiding love for A Walk in the Woods. I even chortled on occasion. One scene in particular still makes me laugh when I think of it. 7y
saresmoore @Suet624 A Walk in the Woods jumped right out at me. I haven't read anything by Bryson yet, but especially considering your endorsement, I think I'll like him! 7y
Suet624 And for heaven's sakes do not watch the movie. Horrible. 7y
Julsmarshall I loved a Walk in the Woods! Loving Frank was interesting but the characters made me mad, Suite Francaise was another one I enjoyed. 7y
mcipher I loved A Walk in the Woods!! I'm a sucker for TS Eliot, too, at least the ones I've read (admittedly just famous stuff). 7y
LeahBergen I LOVED Suite Francaise! Loving Frank was really good (and an eye-opener for me. I knew so little about him). I love Bill Bryson but this is probably my least fave of his? Still enjoyable though. 😀 7y
saresmoore @Suet624 Haha! Noted. I don't much like movies anyway. 7y
saresmoore @Julsmarshall Great! I'm glad to know they're at least readable choices. :) 7y
saresmoore @mcipher Same here on the famous stuff. I was immediately hooked just browsing through it, so I figured it'd be a good choice! 7y
saresmoore @LeahBergen What's your favorite of his? I also have Neither Here Nor There and 7y
Ellen Bryson is great; his one about Australia is particularly funny 7y
Ellen Fascinating for Wright's personal life 7y
saresmoore @Ellen Thank you! I was thinking it might be fascinating to learn more about the lesser-known parts of his life. 7y
Hobbinol I've read the Bryson & Horan and enjoyed them both. (And the only book club I ever attended was about Loving Frank and most readers were loving Loving.) I probably would have started reading Suite right there at the library--I can't wait to hear how you like it. 7y
LeahBergen I liked Neither Here Nor There and Notes from a Small Island. I have The Road to Little Dribbling waiting on my shelf. 😀 7y
saresmoore @Hobbinol Technically, I started reading all of them a little bit in the library. ? I stood in one place juggling several fat hardbacks for kind of a long time. Suite Française is the most intriguing pick of the bunch, I think. 7y
saresmoore @LeahBergen Thanks! It sounds like we'll be Bryson experts before too long! 7y
LeahBergen Oh, yes. Suite Francaise (and the story behind it) blew my mind. ❤ 7y
Zelma Suite Francaise is one of my favorites. 😍 7y
saresmoore @Zelma I'm glad to hear it! I think that will be my first read from the stack. 7y
Ericmanciniwriter Bryson is really good airplane/waiting room reading. Light, easy to breeze through even with distractions. That maybe sounds like not an endorsement - but it is! 7y
saresmoore @Eamann It sounds like a great endorsement. I needed a ballet class read, so that will be perfect. I won't be doing the ballet, just to clarify. That would be a whole new level of multitasking. 7y
83 likes3 stack adds31 comments
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LauraBeth
Loving Frank: A Novel | Nancy Horan
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Remember when Carrie cheated on Big with Aiden while he was married to Natasha and all Carrie could think about was Aiden finding out and breaking up with her without once considering Natasha? This book is told from the vantage point of those having an affair with zero regard for their spouses. I actually thought the writing itself was quite good but at page 134 I couldn't take another minute of these characters justifying their affair #DNF

MrBook 😻😻😻 7y
Lynnsoprano Book? What book? Kitty! 😻 7y
MicheleinPhilly Ugh. Carrie Bradshaw was the WORST. 7y
See All 29 Comments
LauraBeth @MicheleinPhilly Yes, she WAS! 7y
LauraBeth @Lynnsoprano, @MrBook Bitsy's sister from another mister 😺 7y
AlaMich FLW was quite the dude. Brilliant, completely obsessed with detail, and not very troubled about the feelings of anyone not himself. 7y
EmilyAnne I listened to this one a few years ago and I HATED it. I get that he's brilliant but that in itself is not enough to fall in love with. I could never understand why she stayed with him for so long!! 7y
Bette ❤️️🐱 kitty! 7y
Sharpeipup This book, The Paris Wife, and The Other Einstein all bothered me for their portrayals of glamorous affairs. I did finish each but I walked away saddened by the open disregard for their spouses' feelings. I might have to drop Swans of Fifth Avenue because I cannot take anymore. 7y
LiteraryinLawrence Interesting! I picked it up at a library book sale last year but haven't gotten around to it yet. I've been warned. 7y
Reviewsbylola Oh man, I'm sorry this one didn't work for you. It set off a domino effect of me reading about FLW. He definitely seemed like the type to justify his affairs, as did his mistresses . . . until he did it to them too. 7y
rubyslippersreads @Lynnsoprano Yes, all I see here is a gorgeous kitty. 😻😻😻 7y
LauraBeth @AlaMich yep - brilliant and an ahole 7y
LauraBeth @EmilyAnne I agree! 7y
LauraBeth @Sharpeipup I have a tough time sticking with a book if the characters are so self-absorbed that there is never any growth and change 7y
LauraBeth @LiteraryinLititz I do know some people who read this book and loved it though - so give it a try 😀 7y
LauraBeth @Reviewsbylola I like FLW's work and I understand he was a flawed human being as we all are - and I don't think I have any right to judge him - so I think it was just because the entire crux of this book was all about his affair - it was tough for me to read about this one dimensional side of him. 7y
Mlfoley012 I loved this book! 7y
minkyb Never watched Sex and the City but I thought this book was well written and found it interesting. I don't live under a rock and do know who Carrie and Mr. Big are at least. 😅 (edited) 7y
LauraBeth @Mlfoley012 I did know of several people who really enjoyed it 😀 7y
LauraBeth @minkyb Sex and the City references date me 😂 7y
ultrabookgeek To be fair - Big wasn't too concerned about Natasha either so 😩 (I loved Aidan more than Big so I'm biased lol) 7y
LauraBeth @ultrabookgeek true - Big didn't care either! Her sabotaging the relationship with the "good" guy to be with the "bad" one: relatable on every level to me 7y
BookBabe 😻😻😻 gorgeous kitty! 7y
Jinjer Oh what a beautiful kitty!!!! 7y
Reggie On a side note I saw Serendipity with John Cusack for the first time this weekend and John Corbett and Bridget Monihan (Aiden and Natasha) play the bf and gf who get left so the main characters can be together. Weird right? 7y
LauraBeth @Reggie oh my gosh - I never made that connection with Aiden and Natasha in Serendipity! And don't forget Tom Brady cheated on Bridget Monihan with Giselle... 7y
164 likes9 stack adds29 comments
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Dolly
Loving Frank: A Novel | Nancy Horan
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On sale at BookBub today. Sounds intriguing. Shall I bite?

Jas16 I liked Loving Frank and would recommend it. 7y
MMenefee I second the Loving Frank like. 7y
LeahBergen Loving Frank 👍🏼 7y
britt_brooke I snagged Loving Frank! 7y
39 likes5 comments
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chuckstar158
Loving Frank: A Novel | Nancy Horan
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Mehso-so

I'm conflicted. I vaguely knew the history of this story and lacked a lot of the details.

Overall, the character's aren't particularly likeable and I wasn't surprised by it. The love story and their affair didn't bother me as much as it did some reviewers but I'm reading this over 100 years after it took place and I can't judge them for finding love with one another.

LauraBeth I bailed on this one but I kinda want to see how it ends (because I have no idea!) 7y
chuckstar158 @LauraBeth I can give you a private spoiler though so can Wikipedia. 😂 7y
LauraBeth 😂😂😂 7y
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review
Dirtyfeet
Loving Frank: A Novel | Nancy Horan
Pickpick

Story on the scandalous love affair of Mamah Borthwick Cheney and Frank Lloyd Wright. Nancy Horan's well researched book is told from Mamah's point of view and provokes deep thought on the subject of women's roles and the responsibilities of a mother versus the need to live an "authentic" life.

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Marchpane
Loving Frank: A Novel | Nancy Horan
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Pickpick

In 1909, Mamah Borthwick created a scandal by running away with famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright - both were married to other people.

The interesting subject matter carries this book, a fictionalised account. At times, it felt like the author's research was awkwardly shoehorned into the dialogue (especially Frank's), so it didn't quite ring true.

Had me googling FLW's designs and overall, an enjoyable read.

Sarah1960 I honestly enjoyed this book on many levels! It ended with me researching everything I could on Frank LW. Wonderful read. 8y
thegirlwiththelibrarybag Such a tragic end too 😭 8y
Marchpane @thegirlwiththelibrarybag the ending really came out of nowhere! So very tragic 😭 And then I found out the place burned down a second time years later (no one was hurt), how weird is that? 8y
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thegirlwiththelibrarybag @Marchpane, life is stranger than fiction. That's spooky! 8y
jetspins24 I really found Mamah a completely fascinating woman, and in comparison found FLW less interesting the longer the story went on. I bought this book at the gift shop at Taliesin while visiting my cousin who was living there. Fascinating, beautiful place, and Mamah's grave is on the property. Kind of cool to visit. 8y
Marchpane @jetspins24 oh that would be so fascinating to visit! Agree with you about FLW vs Mamah, she was a much more richly imagined character, whereas he seemed to be the product of research. 8y
jetspins24 @Marchpane it's a cool place. Very beautiful setting and the buildings are unique, because it's where FLW liked to experiment with things he would put into later projects. But nothing was ever quite done or properly finished, so a lot of it is decaying or in danger of falling down and needs restoration all the time. 8y
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Marchpane
Loving Frank: A Novel | Nancy Horan
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Note to self: when reading fictionalised biographies, do NOT stop halfway through to google the characters. Sure, you just want to know what they looked like, but you WILL be spoiled. You know this. So stop doing it.

PS this is apparently what Mamah looked like.

marixa I enjoyed this book very much. 8y
Marchpane @marixa I'm liking it a lot so far! 😊 8y
ValerieAndBooks I do the same thing...Googling people up when I read historical fiction!! Or even when it's non-fiction. Good book BTW. 8y
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Marchpane @ValerieAndBooks it's so hard to resist! Even with the little side characters and events 🙄 8y
Reviewsbylola I always do this. I like to have a realistic visual in my head. 8y
Reviewsbylola And I loved this book! 8y
LeahBergen Amazingly, this was one book that I DIDN'T do that with and was actually surprised! 8y
kammartinez Shouldn't do that with older books with multiple media iterations either ^^;. I did that with a Japanese space opera book I read recently because I was looking for images from the anime adaptation, and got spoiled big time for the death of one of my favorite characters :(. 8y
Marchpane @LeahBergen I've just finished Loving Frank and the ending still had plenty of impact! 😰 Turns out I only partially spoiled it. 8y
Marchpane @kammartinez oh no! That's the worst when it is the character you love 😢 8y
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review
Howseldomtheydo
Loving Frank: A Novel | Nancy Horan
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Pickpick

Still love his architecture. The man, not so much. This picture was taken at the Darwin Martin House in Buffalo NY.

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