Breaking Ground: Adventures in Life and Architecture

This book was great. From the heart, real and geniune. At times I thought it bounced around a bit, but it always did so staying on trakc. This man has had an increadibly interesting life, from the old world of poland, to the fast streets of New York. He answers the question which many of us ask: How are sky scrapers built?

I watched the Frontline documentary. I followed the international competition for Ground Zero. Now I have read the book. This little man has more energy than 10 Oxen from my home country. To see someone face so very much difficulty in attempting to get something meaningful built and yet somehow transparently succeding to this point is a profile in courage. It is a quick read, but if you fear that architecture, politics, art, music, life, food, parties, and scandal are not interesting, you may be boring. If you like at least one of the aforementioned pursuits, you are in luck, here is a book for you. The color picutures of his beautiful architecture are just icing on the cake.

Breaking Ground: Adventures in Life and architecture, is wonderful piece of literature. Part biopic, part anecdotal, Daniel Libeskind's up-lifting story leads the reader through the trials and tribulations one faces when deseigning ground breaking controversial buildings around the world. He makes very clear that regardless of where his buildings are to be built, there are always forces that be that because of their limited vision and narrow minds find his emotionally charged touching work, too much to handle. This book provides every reader with life lessons on how to battle the goliaths that impede progress and vision. How does one man, passionate about an idea face off with an entire city's Building Senate? How does one man defend the rights of millions of New Yorkers against the desire the developer has for profits? How do you comprimise on your projects without comprimising on your core beliefs? Libeskind's book is beautifully written, and in addition to telling us a very touching story about his family's plight during and after the holocaust, he teaches us never to give up hope and give in to people who on the surface seem undefeatable, but in reality will crumble like the roman empire when faced with visionary ideas. A must have for any dreamer, any optimist, anybody trying to break their own new ground.

I figured, architecture, Libeskind ... I'd never understand this book. But boy, was I wrong. This book is so readable, so dramatic at times, so interesting and informative. And the photos are terrific. Sometimes the narrative jumps around a bit but overall, I couldn't put it down. That's how good it is.

A brilliant blend of ruminations on art, architecture and life's visicitudes. Imbued with palpable passion and well chosen anecdotes, this is pure pleasure to read, and a page turner rarely seen in this genre. I laughed, I cried, I was inspired. What else can you ask of a book?