Frank Gehry

Frank Gehry: Biography by Caroline Evenson Lazo (Twenty-First Century Books) ISBN: 978082253887

Plot Summary

Evensen Lazo begins by discussing opening night of Gehry's masterwork: the Walt Disney Concert Hall.  After setting the scene, Evensen Lazo briefly discusses Gehry's childhood (emphasizing a particular reference to his grandmother allowing live carp to swim in her bathtub before making gefilte fish -- a memory that would later inspire Gehry to make sculptures in the shape of fish), his college career, and then discusses notable works of his early career including pictures of each: his own home, his Acropolis at Loyola Law School, the Cabrillo Marine Museum, and the Santa Monica Place shopping mall.  Many of these incorporate examples of what Gehry calls cheapskate architecture including prominent use of chain link.  The second half of the book details Gehry's use of computer technology in helping design some of his more remarkable buildings: the Weisman Art Museum in Minneapolis, the Guggenheim in Bilbao, the Experience Music Project in Seattle, and the Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Critical Evaluation

Evensen Lazo's style is dry but informative.  She does a commendable job of providing a context for Gehry to show just how outside the mainstream his work is.  But ultimately the prose feels clinical and workmanlike,  discussing another building, and another, and another.  This may be in part because it follows the model set by the A&E Biography series of which the book is part.  Still Evensen Lazo provides us pictures of each major work and occasionally pictures of the buildings that inspired Gehry.  The work focuses rather strictly upon his career, with only occasional mentions of his personal life to add color.

Reader’s Annotation

Frank Gehry has managed to make chain link chic, to design a building that resembles a smashed guitar, and make one of the most revered designs for a concert hall.

Information about the author

Lazo has written a number of biographical works on figures ranging from U.S. Presidents (Van Buren, Pierce, Truman) to authors (Fitzgerald, Alice Walker, Steinem) to athletes like Arthur Ashe to Emperor Qin's Terra Cotta Army.  She is also the author of the children's book Someday When My Cat Can Talk.

Genre

Biography

Curriculum Ties

The book might be useful in an art class or a class studying urban design or 20th century architecture.

Booktalking Ideas

1. The pictures of buildings he's done might spark a reader's interest.
2. Talking about the cheap materials he used early on might be inspiring.

Reading Level/Interest Age

6th grade and up.

Challenge Issues

There are no challenge issues to speak of -- the book is a rather dry account of Gehry's career.  On the off chance that a patron lodged a complaint, I would proceed as follows. I would openly greet any patron who presented a challenge to the work, giving them ample time to detail their complaint.  I would listen attentively.  To respond to these challenges I would have some reviews of the work on hand.   I would be prepared to explain that as a public institution libraries "cannot limit access on the basis of age or other characteristics" (ALA, 1999).  I would have copies of the library's collection policy on hand.  I would be prepared to politely discuss that parents can control what their children are exposed to by coming to the library with them and examining books they check out.  If the Teen Advisory Group had written reviews of the work I'd have them handy.  While it may be of little comfort to certain parents, I would also be prepared to discuss my staunch support of intellectual freedom and abhorrence of censorship.  As a last resort, I would be sure to keep copies or a reconsideration form on hand.

Why did you include this book in the titles you selected?

My wife's aunt and uncle live in the Santa Monica neighborhood where Gehry's original home is located.  The style is odd and inspiring, so I thought the marches-to-the-beat-of-his-own-drum style might appeal to teens.

References

American Library Association. (1999). Strategies and tips for dealing with challenges to library materials. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/advocacy/banned/challengeslibrarymaterials/copingwithchallenges/strategiestips 


Mason, A. (2011). Antony Mason: About. Retrieved from http://www.antonymason.com/about.htm