From Library Journal
This is the latest of several books written about the "organic" housing development laid out by Frank Lloyd Wright in New York's Westchester County. In 1945, a rural tract was purchased by a cooperative of young couples from New York City, who were able to enlist Wright to build his Broadacre City concept. Wright designed three homes himself and approved the other 44. Reisley, a co-op member who commissioned one of the houses by Wright, outlines the organizational and social life span of Usonia, from the pioneering days of construction work parties through financial crises to the current well-established community. He concludes with a chapter about his own positive experience as a client of Wright. Contemporary photographs help tell the story, and a visual index identifies the houses. Buy for regional collections, Wright collections, and where interest in the American cooperative movement warrants David R. Conn, Surrey P.L., B.C. Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.


Book Description
Usonia, New York is the story of a group of idealistic men and women who, following WWII, enlisted Frank Lloyd Wright to design and help them build a cooperative utopian community near Pleasantville, NY. Through both historic memorabilia and contemporary color photos, this book reveals the still-thriving community based on concepts Wright advocated in his Broadacre City proposals. Over the years, thousands of architects, scholars, planners, and students have visited the community, but no book has yet appeared on this remarkable site. Reisley, one of the original members of Usonia (and still a resident), has written the first full account to illuminate the events, problems, and passions of a democratic group of people developing a designed environment an hour from New York City and the ups and downs of working with America's most famous -and most famously volatile-architect.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

"Usonia, New York tells the story of a group of idealistic men and women who, following World War II, enlisted Frank Lloyd Wright to design and help them build a cooperative utopian community near Pleasantville, New York. Through both historic memorabilia and contemporary color photographs, this book reveals the still-thriving community founded on concepts in his Broadacre City proposals. Over the years, thousands of architects, scholars, planners, and students have visited the community, but no book has yet appeared on this remarkable story. Reisley, one of the early members of Usonia (and still a resident), has written the first full account to illuminate the events, problems, and passions of a democratic group of people creating a community with America's most famous - and most famously outspoken - architect." "Usonia, New York features Wright's famous drawings of the plan of Usonia; stories of Wright's designs for the Friedman (Toyhill), Serlin, Miller, and Auerbach houses; photos by Pedro Guerrero of Wright's early visits to the community; the author's recollections of building his own home with Wright; and an illustrated index of the forty-seven homes that make up Usonia."--BOOK JACKET.

FROM THE CRITICS

Library Journal