Lilian J. Rice, Master Architect, a Biography

Architect to some of the nation's wealthiest achievers in the first half of the twentieth century, Lilian Rice has posthumously become a controversial figure. A woman in a man's world, she was given an unprecedented opportunity in 1923 when her employer asked her to oversee the design of Rancho Santa Fe, a master-planned community catering to the rich and famous. In recent years, critics have depicted her as deceptive, leading her early clients to believe she was a licensed architect to gain their trust and lucrative commissions. Did Lilian Rice misrepresent herself on her way to architectural fame, or is she being unfairly labeled to discredit and devalue the work? The book, researched by Rice's biographer, Diane Y. Welch, uncovers the truth about the obscure architect whose clients included some of Hollywood's brightest stars.