House of Moffitt, The First 20 Years A Memoir

The author s observations and comments range from descriptive to reflective, humorous to poignant interweaving the observations of a five-year-old boy with his mother at the 1939 New York World s Fair with an adult s perspective on The Great Depression and World War II. Together, this mosaic provides a rich, coherent picture of the life of this accomplished man, alone worth reading for the insight and joy it provides about him ... DeGowin s significant contribution to the history and literature regarding a rather remarkable mid-Twentieth-Century home building effort. The Moffitt houses involved the unique design, materials, building techniques, motives, economics, business acumen, impact on a community, and politics of a man named Howard Moffitt. Moffitt was, among other things, willing to rent homes at reasonable rates in Iowa City, Iowa, what today we might call affordable housing. For anyone interested in the history, impact, occupants (including the DeGowin family), and other persons involved with Moffitt houses, this book is destined to become the go-to first source they should consult. Nicholas Johnson, JD., Adjunct Professor of Law, University of Iowa, College of Law