The Autobiography of an Idea

Louis Sullivan, the visionary architect dubbed the "father of the skyscraper," recounts his life and the genesis of his revolutionary "idea"—that "form follows function." But this isn't a typical architect's memoir. Written in elegant third-person prose, Sullivan largely bypasses details of his personal life and even his most iconic buildings, instead focusing on his formative years, education, and early apprenticeships. The narrative culminates not in a portfolio of structures, but in a philosophical deep dive into the principles that guided his work, particularly as they intersected with the rapid development of post-fire Chicago and the planning of the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. It's a testament to a mind grappling with the very essence of design in an era of unprecedented urban and technological change.