Maison d'Être Philosophy BookstoreR. Buckminster Fuller
[1895-1983]
| short profile | ![R. Buckminster 'Bucky' Fuller [1895-1983] in 1966 {age 71} seated next to a geodesic stick model](images/BuckyFuller-color1966.jpg "R. Buckminster 'Bucky' Fuller [1895-1983] in 1966 {age 71} seated next to a geodesic stick model") |
"[Buckminster Fuller is] one of the most-powerful myth-makers and myth-exposers of our time . . . a controversial, constructive, endlessly-energetic
metaphor-maker who sees things differently from the rest of us, and thereby makes us see ourselves afresh." — Alvin Toffler [1928-2016]
B I O
t e x t
h e r e
Buckminster Fuller invented and created the original trim tab to steer the larger and larger 'ships of state' in WWII.
Buckminster Fuller patented the geodesic dome on June 29, 1954.
Buckminster Fuller was awarded 25 patents, wrote 28 books, and received 47 honorary doctorates in the arts, science, humanities, and engineering.
R. Buckminster Fuller entry at Wikipedia
R. Buckminster Fuller credits [1968-2011] at Internet Movie Database
browse R. Buckminster Fuller catalog at Amazon
browse 'Fuller as Architect' category {5 titles} at Amazon
Quotations of R. Buckminster Fuller
"For the first time in history it is now possible to take care of everybody at a higher standard of living "The most important fact about Spaceship Earth [is that] an instruction manual didn't come with it."
"I just invent. Then I wait until man comes around to needing what I've invented."
"Only the impossible happens. The Universe is impossible. You and I are impossible. And there it is."
"Whether humanity makes it or not depends on the way [that] we behave today."
"Man must learn to think for himself, rather than follow blindly what he has been taught."
"From now on you need never await temporal attestation to your thought. You think the truth. You do not have the right to eliminate yourself.
than any have ever known. Only ten years ago the 'more with less' technology reached the point
where this could be done. All humanity now has the option of becoming enduringly successful." (in 1980)
You do not belong to you. You belong to Universe. Your significance will remain forever obscure to you, but you may assume that you are
fulfilling your role if you apply yourself to converting your experiences to the highest advantage of others."
— text of Bucky's epiphany/revelation in 1927 (as reported by him)
see also the R. Buckminster Fuller Quotations Page at Working Minds
Bucky's Awards & Honors
awarded the Frank P. Brown Medal in 1960 from The Franklin Institute
elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1968
awarded the 1968 Gold Medal from the Royal Institute of British Architects
named 1969 Humanist of The Year by the American Humanist Association
nominated Nobel Peace Prize in 1969
awarded the 1970 Gold Medal from the American Institute of Architects
presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom on 23 February 1983 by President Ronald Reagan
The U.S. Postal Service released a commemorative stamp in July 2004 honoring R. Buckminster Fuller
on the 50th anniversary of his patent for the geodesic dome
Works by R. Buckminster Fuller
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in the continental contours and with no visible distortion of the relative size or shape
of any of the cartographic patterning." — first sentence of Bucky's "Critical Path" book [1981]
 | "4-D Timelock" [1928, reprint 1970] |
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"The Dymaxion World of Buckminster Fuller" [1960] by R. Buckminster Fuller & Robert W. Marks Doubleday Anchor Books 10x7 pb [12/73] out of print/40+ used Reinhold 10x8 hardcover [8/00] out of print/used |
"Education Automation" [1962]
"Ideas and Integrities" [1963]
"Nine Chains To The Moon" [1963]
"No More Second Hand God" [1963]
 | "Operating Manual For Spaceship Earth" [1963] by R. Buckminster Fuller Lars Muller Publrs pb [9/2000] out of print/used Dutton pb [3/78] out of print/used Pocket pb [11/70] out of print/used Penguin 7x5 pb [12/91] out of print/used Amereon 9x6 facsimile hardcover [7/78] for $18.95 online text at Future Hi |
"Utopia or Oblivion: The Prospects of Humanity" [1969]
 | "I Seem To Be A Verb" [1970] by R. Buckminster Fuller, with Jerome Agel & Quentin Fiore Bantam mass pb [1/80] out of print/used Bantam mass pb [1/80] out of print/used |
"Earth, Inc." [1973]
"Tetrascroll" [1975]
 | "Synergetics: Explorations In The Geometry of Thinking" [1975] by R. Buckminster Fuller Macmillan pb [4/82] out of print/used Macmillan hardcover [1/75] out of print/used "Synergetics 2: Further Explorations In The Geometry of Thinking" [1979] Macmillan hardcover [12/79] out of print/used Robert W. Gray's 'Synergetics' booksite |
 | "Critical Path" [1981] by R. Buckminster Fuller St. Martin 9x6 pb [2/82] for $13.27 St. Martin 9¾x6¾ hardcover [3/81] out of print/many used |
"Synergetics 2: Further Explorations In The Geometry of Thinking" [1979]
"Synergetic Stew: Explorations In Dymaxion Dining" [1982]
 | "Grunch* of Giants" [1983] *Gross Universal Cash Heist by R. Buckminster Fuller "When I read 'Grunch of Giants' I understood, I could see a different future for myself, my friends, my family, my company." — Robert T. Kiyosaki ("Rich Dad, Poor Dad") 99-page Kindle Edition from Estate of R. Buckminster Fuller [6/2016] for $7.99 St. Martin's Press mass pb [4/84] out of print/used Design Science pb [2008] for $34.02 St. Martin's Press 8½x5¼ hardcover [1983] out of print/used |
"Humans in Universe" [1983]
"Inventions: The Patented Works of R.Buckminster Fuller" [1983]
 | "Artifacts of R. Buckminster Fuller: A Comprehensive Collection of His Designs & Drawings" [1984] by R. Buckminster Fuller, edited by William Marlin
"Volume 1: Designs, 1947-1960" Taylor & Francis 12½x9½ hardcover [6/84] out of print/rare "Volume 2: Designs, 1960-1983" Taylor & Francis 12½x9½ hardcover [6/84] out of print/rare |
 | "Around The Universe With R. Buckminster Fuller: A Whole Systems View of Spaceship Earth" [1996] Bucky interviewed by Michael Toms New Dimensions audio [2/96] out of prodn/used |
 | "Your Private Sky: The Art of Design Science" [1999] by R. Buckminster Fuller, edited by Joachim Krausse & Claude Lichtenstein Lars Muller Publrs 9½x6¾ hardcover [7/99] for $32.75 |
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"Buckminster Fuller: Anthology For A New Millennium" [2001] Edited by Thomas T. K. Zung St Martin 9x6 pb [3/2002] out of prodn/used St Martin 9¼x6¼ hardcover [1/2001] out of prodn/used |
 | "Your Private Sky: Discourse" [2001] by R. Buckminster Fuller, edited by Joachim Krausse & Claude Lichtenstein Lars Muller Publrs pb [2001] for $31.50 |
 | "Buckminster Fuller: Lost Interviews" [2001]
UFO Video DVD [2/2005] 2 disks for $44.99 UFO Video VHS [10/2001] 3 tapes out of prodn/used not listed at IMDb |
 | "Only Integrity Is Going To Count" [2004] by R. Buckminster Fuller
the sound quality may be poor at times, but the content of these five hours of Bucky's lucid late-life lectures is excellent Critical Path Publng ABR audio CD [3/2004] 5 disks for $35.00 |
Domes & Housing
Buckminster Fuller patented the geodesic dome on 29 June 1954.
1946 4D Dymaxion House [restored 2001] at Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan 
article by Loretta Lorance at CUNY
'Dymaxion Wichita House' article by L. Michela (August 2012) on the DoCoMoMo weblog
Dome Home Companion
Bucky page at Lemelson-M.I.T. 'Invention Dimension'
Timberline Geodesics
article on Dymaxion Houses in Dwell Magazine February 2009 issue {not online 4/2009}
Architecture Pages / Domes Section at Spirit of America Bookstore
 | "Fuller Houses: R. Buckminster Fuller's Dymaxion Dwellings and Other Domestic Adventures" [2008] by Federico Neder of Switzerland Lars Müller Publrs 9½x6½ pb [9/2008] for $28.19 |
Dymaxion Automobile Prototype
Dymaxion cars entry at Wikipedia
Ben Discoe's very thorough Dymaxion cars fanpage
Original car #1 was badly damaged; rebuilt; caught fire in North Carolina and scrapped.
Original car #2 is restored and painted blue and on display at the Harrah Collection
of the National Automobile Museum in Reno, Nevada.
Original car #3 changed hands many times, its paper trail lost; presumed scrapped in the 1950s.
Replica car #4 {based on #2} was constructed by architect and student of Buckminster Fuller, Sir Norman Foster;
painted green and completed in October 2010.
Metropolitan Magazine of U.K.'s video [1:51] of Lord Foster driving his Dymaxion car
Replica car #5 {based on #1} was constructed by Czech restoration company Ecorra
and painted silver for the Lane Motor Museum in Nashville, Tennessee.
B.B.C. web article Nov 2013
Wall Street Journal test spin article April 2015
 | "Buckminster Fuller Dymaxion Car" [2010] by Jonathan Glancey Ivory Press 10x9¾ hardcover [10/2013] for $78.50 {sic} Ivory Press 10x9¾ hardcover [10/2013] out of print/used Ivory Press hardcover [2010] out of print/used |
"The Last Dymaxion: Buckminster Fuller's Dream Restored"
[Rocket Cat Films 2012]
 | Stage performer Noel Murphy {see below} spent two years filming interviews, then got help via Kickstarter to finish the film • Edited by Todd C. Hartman; featuring Jay Baldwin, architect Norman Foster, architect Luis Galliano, Jay Hubbard, car buff Jay Leno, Brian Mallow, Rick Overton, Ocean Robbins, daughter Allegra Fuller Snyder, Elizabeth Thompson (exec director of B.F.I.) & Lynne Twist
DVD/Blu-ray not available movie entry at Wikipedia • watch 11/2011 promo/trailer [4:41] on Vimeo |
Stage, Screen, Other Media
'Word: A (Bucky) Fuller Universe' online audio documentary [1994]
R. Buckminster Fuller credits [1968-2011] at Internet Movie Database
"The World of Buckminster Fuller" [1964] episode of "Horizon" TV series /tt1429716/
"Buckminster Fuller on Spaceship Earth" [1971] episode of "N.B.C. Experiment in Television" TV series /tt0243159/
"The World of Buckminster Fuller" documentary film [indep June 1974]
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Expanded from the 60-minute film "Buckminster Fuller On Spaceship Earth" Directed by Baylis Glascock & Robert Snyder [1916-2004], featuring R. Buckminster Fuller & Indira Gandhi • full credits at IMDb Masters & Masterworks color DVD [8/2015] for $24.95 Microcinema color DVD [5/2010] for $25.35 Mystic Fire color VHS [11/95] for $19.99 watch official trailer [1:28] online at YouTube watch full movie [1:19:55] online at YouTube |
"Conversations with Harold Hudson Channer" public access TV series based in Manhattan, NYC
Channer interviewed Bucky in July 1974, tape was lost, then refound in 2007 •
official website
watch 1/2007 repeat telecast [58:10] online at YouTube
watch 10/2012 upload [58:10] online at YouTube
"Reflections: R. Buckminster Fuller" [1977] /tt0243521/
Bucky travelled across America on a lecture tour with philosopher Werner Erhard, circa 1977-79, with many events captured on videotape.
1977 full-day lecture event with Bucky & Werner [7:10:44] online on YouTube
1979 Bucky & Werner interview [3:46] online at YouTube
Bucky's final interview on 3 April 1983, including praise for Simon Rodia's Watts Towers
recorded by Shari Morgan & Roger Kotila of EarthStar Radio two weeks before his death
watch 8/2014 "Bucky Fuller's Final Message" animated version [2:07] online at YouTube
listen to 1/2012 "Bucky Fuller's Final Message" remix version [4:44] online at YouTube
 | "Buckminster Fuller: Thinking Out Loud" documentary [P.B.S. 'American Masters' documentary Jan 1996] Directed by Karen Goodman & Kirk Simon DVD/Blu-ray not available • Zeitgeist color VHS [5/96] out of prodn/scarce full credits from IMDb • producer website |
"Critical Path: R. Buckminster Fuller" [2004] /tt0439521/
 | "I Build The Tower" tribute documentary [indep Feb 2007] 87-minute documentary film on Simon Rodia [1879-1965] and his amateur architectural masterpiece, the Watts Towers in South Central Los Angeles – "You got to do something they don't got'em in the world" A film by Brad Byer & Edward Landler, with archive commentary by Bucky Fuller National Film Network color DVD [2008] out of prodn/used full credits at IMDb |
Brad Armstrong's one-man play 'Bucky' [circa 2000]
 | "R. Buckminster Fuller: The History (and Mystery) of The Universe" [2000] written and directed by D.W. Jacobs, performed by Ron Campbell 'from the life, work and writings of R. Buckminster Fuller'; proprietary content 'by arrangement with the Estate of R. Buckminster Fuller' 2000 premier at San Diego [CA] Repertory Theatre [est. 1976]
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In 2009, Noel Murphy wrote & performed the one-man show "Buckminster Fuller LIVE!", which has since been performed
around the Santa Cruz area; there is also supposed to be a filmed version • watch 11/2011 promo/trailer [3:25] on Vimeo
The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art hosted "The Utopian Impulse", a multimedia exhibit about Buckminster Fuller's influence
in the Bay Area, featuring concepts, inventions, and designs for creating 'free energy' from natural forces, and for sequestering carbon
from the atmosphere. The show ran January through July in 2012.
Works About R. Buckminster Fuller
 | 'Portrait of R. Buckminster Fuller' (1929) chrome plated bronze by sculptor/architect Isamu Noguchi [1904-88] |
"In the Outlaw Area" article by Calvin Tomkins in The New Yorker, January 1966
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"Bucky For Beginners: Synergetic Geometry" [1984] by Mary Laycock Activity Resources 11x10¾ pb [6/84] out of print/used |
 | "A Fuller Explanation: The Synergetic Geometry of R. Buckminster Fuller" [1987] by Amy C. Edmondson
Birkhauser hardcover [1/87] out of print/used online text of the book |
 | "Buckminster Fuller's Universe: His Life & Work" [1989] by Lloyd Steven Sieden Perseus Books 8x5½ pb [8/2000] for $17.21 Plenum Press hardcover [6/89] out of print/used |
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"Bucky Works: Buckminster Fuller's Ideas For Today" [1996] by J. Baldwin John Wiley & Sons 9x8 pb [9/97] for $21.86 John Wiley & Sons hardcover [3/96] out of print/used |
 | "Buckminster Fuller: An Audio Biography" [2000] by Lloyd Steven Sieden, with host Laura Lee Radio Bookstore Press audio [9/2000] out of prodn/rare |
 | "American Dreamer: Bucky Fuller & The Sacred Geometry of Nature" [2007] by Scott Eastham Lutterworth Press 9½x6½ pb [7/2007] for $33.08 |
 | "Buckminster Fuller: Poet of Geometry" [2013] Written & Illustrated by Cole Gerst "hundreds of detailed illustrations" Overcup Press 8x10 hardcover [11/2013] for $34.64 Overcup Press 8x10 hardcover [11/2013] out of print/used |
 | "Inventor of The Future: The Visionary Life of Buckminster Fuller"  biography [2022] by Alec Nevala-Lee Apparently a thorough biography of Buckminster Fuller, but Amazon reviewers suggest too much emphasis on Bucky's personal foibles, not enough on his achievements & honors Kindle Edition from Dey Street Books [8/2022] for $17.99 Dey Street Books 9x6 hardcover [8/2022] for $29.04 |
Image Gallery
![R. Buckminster 'Bucky' Fuller [1895-1983] teaching in front of a chalkboard](images/RBFatchalkboard.gif "R. Buckminster 'Bucky' Fuller [1895-1983] teaching in front of a chalkboard")
Family & Friends
Richard Buckminster Fuller was born in 1895 in Milton, Massachusetts, and died at age 87 in Los Angeles in 1983.
wife Anne Hewlett Fuller [-1983] - married 1917-1983
daughter Alexandra Fuller [1918-22] who died from polio at age 3
daughter Allegra Fuller Snyder [1927-?]
son-in-law documentary filmmaker Robert Snyder [1916-2004]
grandson Jaime Snyder
grandaughter
artist & architect Isamu Noguchi [1904-88]
storyteller Dr. Hugh Morgan Hill [1921-2009] - student of Bucky, taught at Harvard
Bucky travelled across America on a lecture tour with philosopher Werner Erhard, circa 1977-79
1977 full-day lecture event with Bucky & Werner [7:10:44] on YouTube
Bucky was greatly impressed late in his life by the writings of John D. Hamaker [1914-94] of Lansing, Michigan
- specifically Hamaker's book "The Survival of
Civilization".
Hamaker entry at Wikipedia •
Renew The Earth website
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"The Survival of Civilization Depends Upon Our Solving Three Problems: Carbon Dioxide, Investment Money, and Population" [1982] Selected Papers of John D. Hamaker, Edited by Donald A. Weaver Hamaker-Weaver Publrs 9x6 pb [6/82] out of print/many used book entry at Wikipedia online .PDF etext at Soil and Health Library website |
L i n k s
![Buckminster Fuller Institute [est. 1983]](images/BFIlogo.png "Buckminster Fuller Institute [est. 1983]")
Buckminster Fuller entry at Wikipedia
Buckminster Fuller credits [1968-2011] at Internet Movie Database
Bucky page at Stanford Humanities Library
Buckminster Fuller Virtual University [est. 1997]
Bucky article at Encarta
GreatBuildings webpage on Fuller & Sadao
Fuller/Sadao Exhibit [Spring 2002] at Stanford
World Game Institute
Fuller Edutainment: Bucky's "Future of Business" event
Bucky article by Kirby Urner
Tetworld Global Strategic Gaming
ten audio "Artifacts of Buckminster Fuller" by Scott Carrier
'Starting With The Universe' exhibition [June-Sept 2008] at the Whitney Museum in NYC
EcoMall's Bucky fansite
CJF's Bucky FAQ site
LF's RetroFuture fansite
Robert W. Gray's 'Bucky Fuller Notes' fansite
Robert W. Gray's 'Synergetics' booksite
PRH's Bucky Fuller fansite
CR's Bucky fansite
RAS's Bucky fansite
Bucky Fuller fansite in German
here on Maison d'Être Philosophy Bookstore's R. Buckminster Fuller [1895-1983] Page
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