A rather interesting look at Minoru Yamasaki, the man who designed the original world trade center. The man led a rather interesting life. It's interesting to read about this architect, surprisingly.

this is an important book not only for its tracking of a prominent architect (designer of the twin towers, we are told) but for the tangential history of the era around the second world war and afterwards up to present day. the biography is the story of a poor man made good with additional burden of racism due to his Asian ancestry - but that is the least interesting part of it all. we are privy to his decisions about design and costs and politics that all architects on scale he worked are faced with. the fact he could surmount much is applauded by author and it's easy to see we should too. beautiful and plentiful images reveal a distinctive style - now one that is utterly recognisable but i never knew whose it was! really rewarding