Book Club: Designing a love affair The RAPS Book Club will meet on March 18 at the home of Sally Jacobsen, 2184 NW Kearney Street, Portland. Contact her at jacobsen_sally@msn.comor 971-570-2922 to RSVP and for directions. We will discuss Loving Frank, written by Nancy Horan. It is historical fiction; below is an excerpt from the jacket: I have been standing on the side of life, watching it float by. I want to swim in the river. I want to feel the current. So writes Mamah Borthwick Cheney in her diary as she struggles to justify her clandestine love affair with Frank Lloyd Wright. Four years earlier, in 1903, Mamah and her husband, Edwin, had commissioned the renowned architect to design a new home for them. During the construction of the house, a powerful attraction developed between Mamah and Frank, and in time the lovers, each married with children, embarked on a course that would shock Chicago society and forever change their lives. In this ambitious debut novel, fact and fiction blend together brilliantly. While scholars have largely relegated Mamah to a footnote in the life of America’s greatest architect, author Nancy Horan gives full weight to their dramatic love story and illuminates Cheney’s profound influence on Wright. Drawing on years of research, Horan weaves little-known facts into a compelling narrative, vividly portraying the conflicts and struggles of a woman forced to choose between the roles of mother, wife, lover, and intellectual. Mamah’s is an unforgettable journey marked by choices that reshape her notions of love and responsi- bility, leading inexorably to this novel’s stunning conclusion. We read The Lemon Tree, by Sandy Dolan, a nonfiction book that chronicles the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by telling the story of the relationship and experiences of Bashir Khairi, a Palestinian, and Ealia Eshkenzai Landau, an Israeli. The book was written from a Palestinian perspective. We intend to follow up in April or May by selecting a book from an Israeli perspective. Any suggestions would be appreciated. —Mary Brannan — 3 — RAPS club reports PAST TENSE 1955-1969: Portland State starts growing up If the Old West had its boomtowns, Portland State provided the New West with a “boom college.” Between 1955 and 1969— the years from PSU’s establishment as a four-year college to its promotion to university status—the institution added 26 buildings to its campus. Some were older buildings that were purchased, and several were new structures, including State Hall (now Cramer), Student Center (now Smith), and Neuberger Hall. The total space exploded from 135,000 square feet in 1955—represented by Old Main (now Lincoln)—to nearly 2 million square feet in 1969. One plan that never flew: a proposal by President John Cramer (originally suggested by his administrative assistant, Errett Hummel) to build a heliport atop one of the buildings—presumably for Viking One to take off and land. Source: Dodds, Gordon B. 2000. The College That Would Not Die. Oregon Historical Society Press. Past Tense features glimpses into Portland State’s history. To submit a story (or an idea for one), email the RAPS History Preservation Committee at raps@pdx.edu. Hiking Club: Hoyt Arboretum trek March 28 On Friday, March 28, we will hike trails in the Hoyt Arboretum. We’ll meet at 9:30 a.m. outside of the Hoyt Arboretum Visitors Center (4000 SW Fairview Blvd.). From the zoo parking lot, go all the way to the top at Fairview and turn right for a very short distance. The actual trails hiked will depend on what is blooming. We will keep the distance of the hike to four miles or less. Lunch will be at a restaurant in the area. We have hiking plans through April and will plan the May and June hikes at lunch. The April 25 hike will be at LaCamas Park. We hope to see camas in bloom. Confirm your March 28 participation by Thursday, March 27, to Larry Sawyer, 503-771-1616 or larry_sawyer@comcast.net. —Larry Sawyer Bridge Club: Shows its cards March 11 The RAPS Bridge Group will meet at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 11, at Willamette View. If you would like to play or have questions about the group, please call me at 503-292-0838 or e-mail colinkeld@gmail.com. —Colin Dunkeld
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