I just finished this book on Frank Gehry by Paul Goldberger. It’s a quick read, feels like an extended New Yorker article. Interesting about career building when you want to do your stuff and not kowtow to the accepted norms for the sake of financial success.Gehry was in his fifties before his work really took off (he’ll be 87 in February). I feel like Goldberger does spend a lot of time telling the reader over and over just why we should appreciate Gehry’s approach—and if one is already enough of a fan to have picked up this book (I got it for Christmas), it is overkill. Overall I’d give it a solid B.

BUT, right on the next to last page is this great quote from Igor Stravinsky:

The faculty of creating is never given to us all by itself. It always goes hand-in-hand with the gift of observation and the true creator may be recognized by his ability always to find about him, in the commonest and humblest thing, items worthy of note. He does not have to concern himself with a beautiful landscape, he does not need to surround himself with rare and precious objects. He does not have to put forth in search of discoveries: they are always within his reach. He will only have to cast a glance about him. Familiar things, things that are everywhere, attract his attention. 

That insightful quote might raise the overall grade to B+.