The Autobiography of an Idea

by Louis H. Sullivan

Book Overview

The famous American architect's fascinating look at the early years of his pioneering work, which led to his being called the "father of the skyscraper." Far from an ordinary document of records and dates, Sullivan's passionate book crystallizes his insights and opinions into an organic theory of architecture. Includes a wealth of projects and evaluations, as well as 34 full-page plates.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 048620281X
• ISBN13: 9780486202815
• Release Date: June 2009
• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.4" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Well-written and enlightening, if self-indulgent.

Any student of architecture, particularly the modern movement, will enjoy reading this work by the mentor of Frank Lloyd Wright and, arguably, the father of modern architecture. In it, Louis Sullivan writes about himself growing from a child into a man, and recounts his personal drive, his fascination with nature, his love of man, bridges, engineering, and buildings, and his desire to create something new without the help of the dusty books of Neo-classicism. Louis Sullivan was never known for his modesty, and the tone of this book is nothing less than self-celebratory, which lends an overall optimistic tone to it. A bonus is the extensive photo plate section - it's interesting to see how his works grew as he did. Unfortunately the plates don't coincide with the text, which is the major flaw in this edition. Overall, though, it's wonderful insight into the mind of this influential architect.