A definitive biography of an iconic Canadian architect--and a social
portrait of the midcentury design world he lived in.
Ron Thom came of age in the mid-20th century, just as the modern
movement and an impending building boom were about to reshape the
country. Talented in music and art as well as design, he rejected sleek
austerity in favor of modern architecture that is warm, intimate, and
beautiful. He worked from coast to coast, and his most renowned
buildings--Massey College, Trent University, the Shaw Festival Theatre,
and landmark houses--continue to inspire generations of architects, as
well as the legions of people who work, study, visit, and live in them.
In Adele Weder's new biography, Thom emerges as a complex figure, gifted
with creative genius but pursued by demons. More than just the life
story of one man, this book is a portrait of the society that shaped
him. His world included Jack Shadbolt, Arthur Erickson, the Massey
family, Barbara, and Murray Frum, and many other luminaries of
20th-century Canada.
To unpack this multifaceted story, Weder pored through institutional and
personal archives in Victoria, Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal,
Peterborough, and Toronto. She tracked down and interviewed Thom's
surviving friends, colleagues, and family members across the country,
from New Brunswick to Vancouver Island. Her extensive research serves as
the bedrock for Ron Thom, Architect--a book for anyone interested in a
transformative era in Canada's cultural history.
