Betty Zane Book

Two people, selfish and completely self absorbed who flaunt convention and common sense while living their own self styled code of ethics "I want for me" A code invoked throughout their lifetimes with little consideration for the destruction, exploitation and pain caused for the adults and children left in their wake. 8 children and a niece who had already lost her own mother experienced directly the effects of this cavalier attitude toward responsibility. Fanciful thinking aside, I saw no courage displayed here. The more I read the more I yearned for some fiber of integrity to make its presence known in their consciousness, but no, that never happened.
Frank and Mamah possessed incredible genius, intelligence and the drive to accomplish something noble. My favorite Frank Lloyd Wright House is the Dana-Thomas House in Springfield, Illinois and proclaimed by the former Ill Governor, Jim Thompson, to be "the finest example of the creative and uniqueness characteristic of the Prairie School of Architecture." Mamah's quest to achieve advancement in "the woman movement" as she termed it, was very admirable and seemingly so ahead of her time. I was anticipating her breakthrough and was willing to relish her success yet my interest in her as a person waned as her character flaws inexorably mounted one upon the other.
The story near the end of the book crashes with a startling and unexpected twist; I did not see it coming. Nancy Horan's effort is a commendable mix of fact and fiction and fills in the blanks of a story that is typically unknown.