Amazon.com

The voluminous works of Henry Darger were discovered after his death in 1973 by his landlord in a crowded and almost derelict apartment on Chicago's Northside. Among the piles of newspapers, magazines, and hundreds of balls of twine were scrapbooks made from telephone books and an entire lifetime of creative work. Henry Darger: Art and Selected Writings is an amazing window into the extraordinary world of this outsider artist.

In order to escape his unhappy childhood in a mental institution and his reclusive adult life, Darger created his own salvation in the form of an intricate fantasy world of drawings and stories revolving around a set of little girl heroines, with vivid watercolors and collages of children engaged in battles against their enemies. The images are violent and strange, yet they achieve a fragile beauty. His work has taken a long time to gain attention in part due to his disturbing "obsession with little girls ... as hermaphrodites with small penises--and worse, a significant number of works that graphically depicted the strangulation, evisceration, and wholesale slaughter of children." Beyond the graphic nature of the artwork is a story that intertwines religion, superstition, loneliness, and bravery. This remarkable book offers the chance to take a journey through the life, mind, and creative process of a true artist, and it includes entries from his personal diaries and chapters from his fictional saga, "In the Realms of the Unreal." --J.P. Cohen ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Realms of the Unreal.
This isn't concerning the book but I thought I would inform everyone that there is a film on Henry Darger that will be at the Sundance Film Fest (Park City, Utah) The title of the documentary is called "Henry Darger: Realms of the Unreal." It looks to be a great film. The filmakers have also animated parts of his paintings. Hopefully the film will make to near your home in the future. I just picked up my tickets so if you can I would recommend it. Good Luck.

unexpected, inexplicable, and simply unreal...
Henry Darger (1892-1973) spent most of his life working as a dishwasher, janitor, and bandage roller at a hospital in Chicago. Darger's mother died in childbirth with his sister when Darger was 3 years old, and his father died when Darger was 15. The family was economically destitute, and the young Darger ended up in boys homes, orphanages, and such unsavory institutions as the "Asylum for Feeble-Minded Children" in Lincoln, Illinois. Darger lived most of his adult life in the same apartment, and when he died in 1973 his landlord found a number of homemade books containing three large manuscripts written and illustrated by Darger, each more than 5000 pages long.

The most important manuscript is the first, a 14 volume work titled "The Realms of the Unreal, or the Glandeco-Angelinian War Storm, Caused by the Child Slave Rebellion," which Darger spent two decades writing and illustrating. This epic is the chronicled history of a 4-year war on an imaginary world. On this world, children have been enslaved and a war breaks out to free them. Spearheading the rebellion are the seven Vivian sisters, little girl heroes--figures which seem to have been based, at least partly, on Joan of Arc. Among the story's other main influences are Frank L. Baum's Oz books, the works of Charles Dickens, and the history of the American Civil War.

Darger's artwork is both imaginatively vivid and disturbing. Most of the art involves little girls as the heroes and the victims, with men and supernatural creatures called "the Blegiglomenean Serpents" (or, "the Blengins") as their oppressors. The little girls are often depicted in idyllic portraits; however, they are also often shown being strangled or killed in battle. Also, they are often nude, and sometimes portrayed as hermaphrodites with male genitals. Much of Darger's work is composed of individual figures traced from magazines or comics. Artistically, Darger is compared with figures as diverse as Blake and Andy Warhol.

Visionary brilliance
Henry Darger, the janitor who spent a lifetime writing and illustrating a loving paedophile epic of staggering proportions never seen until his death, has not yet found his time but it will come. His frenzied Blake-like illustrations have had some exposure in museums which feature outsider and folk art (like the recent exhibit at P.S.1 in NYC) but this collection of his work exhibits a glimpse of the novel they were designed to support. With no training his obsessive masterpiece includes prose, poetry, songs and maps. Infectious in a raw undeniable way it is a spelendid, brilliant, disturbing and awesome.

very nice
I've waited for a collection of Darger's work ever since I first saw a handful of originals on exhibit at the County Museum. This volume has a lot (over 100?) of high quality color reproductions of the Vivian Girls leading the sometimes bloody, cosmic child slavery rebellion against the invading Glandelinians, along with source material, and some interesting shots of Darger's studio/apartment.

There are also some pretty interesting writing excerpts from Darger's mammoth source material, REALMS OF THE UNREAL (which dwarfs the notebook writing of David Fincher's antagonists in SEVEN and FIGHT CLUB). It's pretty genuine, and the editors contend to've kept the editing to a crucial minimum.

Tim Burton, et al., can claim to be as weird or on the fringe as much as they want, but they don't hold a candle to someone with a real chemical imbalance.

It's pricey, but well worth it if you're a collector of this sort of stuff. Now, if only someone would make a comparable collection for Adolfo Wolfi...

A necessity for understanding Henry
There have been several things written about Henry Darger and his art but this book is the definitive work. If you want to understand Henry Darger and get a full appreciation of his genius,, read this book and enjoy the beautiful illustrations. ... Read more

Book Description

Robert Hughes, who has stunned us with comprehensive works on subjects as sweeping and complex as the history of Australia (The Fatal Shore), the modern art movement (The Shock of the New), the nature of American art (American Visions), and the nature of America itself as seen through its art (The Culture of Complaint), now turns his renowned critical eye to one of art history’s most compelling, enigmatic, and important figures, Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes. With characteristic critical fervor and sure-eyed insight, Hughes brings us the story of an artist whose life and work bridged the transition from the eighteenth-century reign of the old masters to the early days of the nineteenth-century moderns.

With his salient passion for the artist and the art, Hughes brings Goya vividly to life through dazzling analysis of a vast breadth of his work. Building upon the historical evidence that exists, Hughes tracks Goya’s development, as man and artist, without missing a beat, from the early works commissioned by the Church, through his long, productive, and tempestuous career at court, to the darkly sinister and cryptic work he did at the end of his life.
In a work that is at once interpretive biography and cultural epic, Hughes grounds Goya firmly in the context of his time, taking us on a wild romp through Spanish history; from the brutality and easy violence of street life to the fiery terrors of the Holy Inquisition to the grave realities of war, Hughes shows us in vibrant detail the cultural forces that shaped Goya’s work.

Underlying the exhaustive, critical analysis and the rich historical background is Hughes’s own intimately personal relationship to his subject. This is a book informed not only by lifelong love and study, but by his own recent experiences of mortality and death. As such this is a uniquely moving and human book; with the same relentless and fearless intelligence he has brought to every subject he has ever tackled, Hughes here transcends biography to bring us a rich and fiercely brave book about art and life, love and rage, impotence and death. This is one genius writing at full capacity about another—and the result is truly spectacular. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Riveting Characterizations of Goya's Work!
Until about 12 years ago, I thought of Goya as a minor artist who had done few memorable works. Then, I happened to stumble upon a major exhibition of Goya's etchings and aquatints at a Rennes museum in Brittany. I was astonished and compelled by what I saw. Most of the exhibit focused on a theme of antiwar and I wanted to know more. Many people have told me since that it's hard to find good books about Goya's etchings and aquatints. So I picked up this volume hoping to fill the void. My expectations with regard to the etchings and aquatints were more than fulfilled. Thank you, Mr. Hughes.

The book offered me much more. It has very good coverage of all Goya's work and what is known about his personal life. Mr. Hughes also has a wonderful ability to describe a work of art in a way that helps you see it in its historical context . . . rather than just in terms of today. From those perspectives, I became equally enthused about Goya's Caprichos and came to understand more about bullfighting and witches than I ever would have otherwise.

The book has a personal touch to it that is compelling. Mr. Hughes suffered a horrible accident before starting this book and had a lengthy recovery before he could begin the work. All of that frustration seems to have energized him to make the book come to life more than one would have ever thought possible.

The book does have three flaws that you should be aware of before beginning. First, the reproductions are usually quite small. If Mr. Hughes hadn't pointed out the tiny details in many cases, no reader would have been able to discern those details from looking at the pages here. Second, you will probably learn more than you ever wanted to know about the Spanish Bourbons for whom Goya was the court painter. There is such as thing as too much historical context. Third, Mr. Hughes like to make unnecessary digs at historical figures that seem gratuitously related to the work here. For example, Ernest Hemingway is characterized as having modeled his style after a woman writer and therefore cannot write appropriately about bull fights.

But if you want to find lots of reasons to enjoy Goya, this is your book.

Good viewing!

The pictures help move this book along
I enjoyed Hughes's style and his illumination of Spanish history was quite intertesting, but I left the book feeling like I knew very little about Goya personally. I did, however, feel as though I really knew Goya's painting quite well and that's really the point isn't it?

Overall, a great primer, but not a fantastic biography.

Historical criticism at its finest
This book is the best to be written about Goya, placing him squarely in the modern arena, debunking most of the silly and trivial myths surrounding his life, and educating the public on one of the true masters. Hughes build-up is slow but thorough. The novice and art-historian alike are given a full historical context for Goya and his work. Hughes' payoff is a far better understanding of artist's life than any other writer as of yet has captured. With less obvious material than other biographers (letters, diaries, etc.), Hughes does a splendid job of re-piecing the cultural and political climate of Spain during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Even if you disagree with him at points and find his critique a bit stuffy, you can never argue with his passion for Goya's art or the research put into the book. His eye for detail and relentless pursuit of background material, make the author's style almost incomparable; because his points are made so plainly and lucidly, he conveys an appreciation of art that few critics can match. This book seeks to educate and entertain, succeeding on both levels. I highly recommend Goya to anyone interested in Modern or European art of the last 300 years.

Masterfully written, completely engaging
As a contemporary art historian, I've always been deeply influenced by critics, but I've also always had a passion for 19th century art. While I've sometimes found Hughes' past writings to be a bit acerbic at times (though always passionate), this is without question a wonderful book which clearly contains not only Hughes' rich efforts at research as well as a passionate love for his subject. Striking in its lucidity, emotional in its descriptions not only of the paintings but the context within which Goya worked, and even generous in its praise to other art historian to whom it is indebted, it is a book I cannot recommend highly enough.

The Penultimate Artist Biography
Throughout history we have examples of biographers so committed to the works of their artist subject that the reporting of the writer seems like the visual becoming oral. Such is the case of James Lord and Giacometti, David Sylvester and Francis Bacon, and now Robert Hughes and Jose de Goya y Lucientes. Hughes new publication entitled simply GOYA is the zenith work in the line of brilliant art history writing, books that include 'The Shock of the New' and 'American Visions' as well as definitive books on artists Frank Auerbach and Lucian Freud. His knowledge is both technically sophisticated and psychologically sound and he is a gifted writer in about any métier.

But there is something more to this book than biography. Goya has been important to Hughes throughout his life: his first art purchase as student in Australia was one of the etchings of Goya's 'Capricho' series. It wasn't until 1999, when Hughes came close to meeting death from an accident, was in a coma, then gradually recovered through a long series of debilitating therapies, that Hughes was able to overcome his writer's block and actually set about to write the biography of the artist who had become his obsession for years. Hughes admits that it was probably this experience coupled with a vision of Goya himself that made him truly comprehend and incorporate Goya's life of reactionary to the Church, to the absurdity and viciousness of War, to the Inquisition, and to the social injustices he observed. And the interesting parallel of course is that Goya suffered physically not only due to complete deafness, but also to undiagnosed maladies that made his life a trial but did not stop his painting.

Hughes writing style is urbane and conversational, informed and witty, impeccably researched and yet related as though the reader were sitting at the feet of an old longtime acquaintance of Goya. He obviously is in awe of Goya's works, allows him the court portraits and tapestries that Goya endured for money, and makes it a point to examine each painting with fine scrutiny - finding every self portrait of the artist in paintings most other scholars have missed. Rather that writing the life of Goya from his birth chronologically through to his death and epilogue, Hughes examines a life that is inevitably destined to paint the darkness of the Black Paintings and the Caprichos with frequent asides, a style that creates incredible energy in the telling of the life of this amazing artist. Example: In 1980 Goya applied to a "proper institution" - the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando and his entrance exam was a painting entitled "Crucified Christ". Hughes: "It is without much doubt the worst painting he ever did. How could a man who would emerge, some thirty years later, as the most powerful reporter of human anguish in all of Western art have produced this soapy piece of bondieuserie? The ladylike body, unmarked by torment; the absence of any kind of empathy with what real bodies underwent in the course of flogging and crucifixion; the enervated "correctness" of pose - all this combines to convey a sort of sickly, moaning piety that, if it were not for the relative liveliness of the paint and its impeccable provenance, would make you doubt it was by Goya at all." These are not damning critical flagellations: these are the responses of a writer who knows his subject well.

This richly illustrated volume (one only wishes the plates were larger) is well designed to keep pace with history, psychology, and a world timeline and it should be in the libraries of students, artists, art lovers, and scholars. In a line of important books, GOYA is most assuredly the finest product of the gifted Hughes' mind and pen. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. ... Read more

Book Description

By the author of The Comic Book Heroes, Killing Monsters, and scores of successful comic books and screenplays, Men of Tomorrow is the first book to tell the surprising story of the young Jewish misfits, hustlers and nerds who invented the superhero and the comic book industry. Among the characters in this vibrant panorama:

á Jerry Seigel and Joe Shuster, the goofy myopic creators of Superman, who sold the rights to the Man of Tomorrow for $130 to...

á Harry Donenfield, former pornographer and con-man, and his partner, Jack Liebowitz, founder of DC Comics, who went on to help build Steve Ross's legendary Warner Communications

á Batman's Bob Kane, who rose to fame and fortune in a career based entirely on lies and self-promotion

á Mort Weisinger, the ruthless editor of Superman, who suffered a nervous breakdown when he tried to be a superhero himself

á Plus Stan Lee, founder of a new kind of hero, including Spiderman, at Marvel Comics; Will Eisner, whose creation "The Spirit" has become a cult classic, and many, many more.

Springing unheralded out of working-class Jewish immigrant neighborhoods in the depths of the Depression, these young men transformed an odd mix of geekdom, science fiction, and outsider yearnings into blue-eyed chisel-nosed crime-fighters and adventurers who quickly captured the mainstream imagination. Within a few years their inventions were being read by 90% of American children and had spawned a new genre in movies, radio and TV that still dominates youth entertainment seventy years later.

Drawing on exhaustive research, including interviews with friends and relatives of the creators, Jones reveals how the immigrant experience and the collision of Yiddish and American culture-forged in the crucible of two world wars-shaped the vision of the make-believe hero. He chronicles how the comics sparked a frightened counterattack that nearly destroyed the industry in the 1950's and how later they surged back at an underground level, to inspire a new generation to transmute those long-ago fantasies into art, literature, blockbuster movies and graphic novels.

Animated by the stories of some of the last century's most charismatic and conniving artists, writers and businessmen, Men of Tomorrow brilliantly demonstrates how the creators of the superheroes gained their cultural power and established a crucial place in the modern imagination. ... Read more

Book Description

One of the major figures in American history, Andrew Carnegie was a ruthless businessman who made his fortune in the steel industry and ultimately gave most of it away.He used his wealth to ascend the world’s political stage, influencing the presidencies of Grover Cleveland, William McKinley, and Theodore Roosevelt.In retirement, Carnegie became an avid promoter of world peace, only to be crushed emotionally by World War I.

In this compelling biography, Peter Krass reconstructs the complicated life of this titan who came to power in America’s Gilded Age.He transports the reader to Carnegie’s Pittsburgh, where hundreds of smoking furnaces belched smoke into the sky and the air was filled with acrid fumes . . . and mill workers worked seven-day weeks while Carnegie spent months traveling across Europe.

Carnegie explores the contradictions in the life of the man who rose from lowly bobbin boy to build the largest and most profitable steel company in the world.Krass examines how Carnegie became one of the greatest philanthropists ever known–and earned a notorious reputation that history has yet to fully reconcile with his remarkable accomplishments. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Keep an open mind, but read Peter Krass' "Carnegie".
I just finished Peter Krass' excellent biography, "Carnegie". Krass is a gifted story-teller, so his narrative style made this a coherent and engaging read despite the necessary 600+ pages. He painted the portrait of Andrew Carnegie as the complex character he was, the conflicting motivations, the loyalty to family, childhood friends, his native Scotland and his new home, the United States. But, Krass shows us the other side, the relentless pursuit of ever increasing wealth, the vindictive investor mercilessly crushing competitors, business partners and employees. There are so many layers to the man, which Krass methodically revelaed.

Carnegie (the man) was a pivotal character in many of the developments of the Gilded Age apart from iron and steel and Krass succeeds in detailing his role one story at a time, in roughly chronological order. Carnegie associated with so many figures of the day, the uninitiated reader is well advised to keep crib-notes on the other players since their roles recur in other acts of Carnegie's life.

That is not to say the book is perfect. It suffers at times from inconsistent editing - which to be fair is difficult to maintain across a tome of this length. There are occasional wanderings where your crib-notes may help the reader keep the story line going even where the editors let Krass down.

Krass' treats the central character (Carnegie)with appropriate diligence and deference, and devotes himself to showing how conflicted and multi-dimensional Andrew Carnegie was. Others are not given the same consideration, often shown as flat and lifeless (sterotypical robber-barons) compared to Carnegie. Pierpont Morgan is given such treatment. The one to suffer most is Henry Clay Frick who is portrayed as a cold-hearted business machine (Krass even calls him such). In fact, Krass seems to let Carnegie off the hook for the Homestead riots while villifying Frick - a popular view that does not reflect the complexity of Frick and certainly not the extreme intricacy of the relationship between these two Titans of the steel industry.

The best part of the narrative is not how Carnegie made his money but how he went about giving it away. This was philanthropy to be sure, but in Carnegie's case it was an act of moral redemption. Krass chronicals the lifelong growth of the man well past the simple accumulation of great riches to the point where Carnegie himself was left in awe of the money and the body of philanthropic work it accomplished.

Don't be put off by Krass' introductory words in which he explains his motive in writing by outlining his family's role as laborers and activists in Carnegie's mills. It is simply his confession, but does not overshadow the treatment of this great public figure. In fact, Krass ends up being understanding of Carnegie, his motivations, and his legacy.

On the whole this is an excellent read, informative for the average reader and history buff. A healthy skepticism is in order, but Peter Krass' biography succeeds in telling the story of a famous figure in clear, understandable - and very human terms.

Carnegie: the capitalist, philanthropist, peace-seeker
Peter Krass's biography, "Carnegie", is a terrific look at a man whose name most of us have known all of our lives, but whose life has remained something of a mystery. The name "Carnegie" evokes thoughts of money and power and in this mature biography, Krass has managed to give us a thorough look at Andrew Carnegie, from his hardscrabble boyhood days in Scotland, to his eventual rise to the top of the business world and to the monetary charity that marked his final years.

Not only does the author spend time writing about Carnegie's achievements but he is careful to include the emotional state of his subject. Carnegie could be petty and vicious one minute then caring and loving the next. How that affected his business as well as his personal life is what makes this book so engrossing.

While most of us know that Andrew Carnegie made his millions in the steel business, his knowledge of other businesses and how they intertwined with his own (especially the railroads) is fascinating. Through his gift-giving for the erection of hundreds of libraries around the world he made sure that Andrew Carnegie's name would be remembered for generations. No small ego here! It would seem that the author has given Carnegie a balanced look with the good side outweighing the bad in the final analysis.

What I gleaned from Peter Krass is a part of Andrew Carnegie about which I hadn't known...his efforts in the "peace movement" of his day. How firmly committed to the abolishment of war was Carnegie and his means to that end are cleary laid out in this biography. Carnegie's close working relationships and correspondence with every president from Cleveland to Wilson is offered by Krass, giving an added bonus to those of us who enjoy biographies of U.S. presidents, and it marks some of the lighter moments of the book as Krass relates how Carnegie liked to meddle in the affairs of state, often without invitation.

Through all of Andrew Carnegie's duplicity and vindictiveness toward his own workers and colleagues as he rose to the top, he more than made up for it in his philanthropic works later in life. Carnegie was that "rare breed" and Peter Krass has captured all of it.

Highly Recommended!
In more than 600 pages, author Peter Krass delivers an almost overwhelming volume of facts about Andrew Carnegie, who certainly merits detailed study. Much in his life and work remains relevant today. The book is marred by frequent editorial asides and judgments. However, a man emerges out of the mountain of facts who was unusually sensitive to the impact of new technologies and extraordinarily able to position himself to take advantage of them. Carnegie was a man of contrasts, ruthless, hypocritical, forceful and diffident, idealistic and amoral, driven to amass a fortune and philanthropic. We appreciate the effort behind this full scale biography of Carnegie, the first one offered for almost 30 years, and recommends getting to know this American icon.

A Giant Scot
This biography of Carnegie is not only a great read about a great Scot, it tells of a time of great accomplishment amid the upheaval of the industrial revolution in Pennsylvania in the middle of the 18th century. Carnegie's father was put out of work by the automation of the knitting machines and defeated utterly, while the young immigrant who started in the most menial of jobs, progressed rapidly by his genius for hard work and risk-taking into upper management of the Pennsylvania railroad.

Parlaying what is today called insider trading into a modest fortune, he grew it into a vast fortune in the steel industry. Often reviled as a "robber baron," he then gave it all away in a philanthropic orgy of building public libraries for worthy communities.

Krass's task is to humanize the giant, and he doesn't settle for a simple-minded caricature of the ruthless, money grubbing capitalist. He very successfully portrays the man as a whole, with all the attendant contradictions of any man, and follows the evidence where it leads, in the spirit of an honest biographer. While he doesn't gloss over the cruel and difficult struggles to get the most out of his workers for the least pay, Krass shows the other side of a loyal friend and faithful family man, with high ideals and aspirations for the betterment of mankind.

Krass has given us a well researched book, an exemplar of the best in biography, and is a captivating tale of a time when giants populated the world.

Great look at the time period
One of the best things about biographies is that you can get a good grasp of what was happening around the main person. This book is no different. If you're interested in the Industrial Revolution or if you are interested in the Robber Barons then this book would be well suited for you. I first read Howard Zinns, "People's History of the US". After that I didn't like people such as Carnegie. But I gave the book its chance and I was more than surprised by the dichotomy of Carnegie's character. ... Read more

Book Description

Sixty Years of Photographs, back in print after many years, is one of the most comprehensive surveys of the power and force of a major photographic figure of our time. Before his death in 1976, Strand spent his last days going over his photographic prints and his many books with an eye to the completion of this volume. Because of his insistence on growth and movement toward perfection throughout his career, and to be true to his vision, the editors examined over three thousand photographs, constituting the main body of the work of Strand's lifetime. This volume, includes an insightful biographical profile by Calvin Tomkins and excerpts from Strand's correspondence, interviews, and other documents.
... Read more

Book Description

"William Nicholson is rightly regarded as one of the great artistic talents of the 20th century....His oeuvre was impressively diverse, and this excellent book covers his woodcuts, landscapes, still lifes, murals, portraits, and designs for theater costumes and sets. Edited by Nicholson's grandson, the informative text is based upon contemporary records, articles, and quotes from numerous letters Nicholson wrote to his family and friends. Much of this material is published for the first time, and with 110 color plates and 250 black-and-white illustrations, this is a highly useful overview of a remarkable talent." Antique Dealers and Collectors Guide ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Nicholson on Nicholson
Sir William Nicholson has been neglected probably more than he should have.As one of the most innovative graphic designers of the turn of the 20th century (along with his brother in law Jonathon Pryde), he rates more study than he has thus far achieved.A biography which manages to successfully focus on the particulars of his life and probably is in long overdue. Nicholson did have the sort of life that would interest a biographer, innovative and controversial artist (based on ground breaking depiction of Queen Victoria), father-in-law to Robert Graves, and painting instructor to Winston Churchill. Perhaps someone will discover Nicholson and produce the blockbuster life study that he deserves.

For the time being, this beautiful book addresses half of this equation in that it covers the work in comprehensive fashion.Lavishly illustrated one comes away with a sense of what made Nicholson a great artist and in a variety of mediums.

I must confess that my favorite works by Nicholson have been the early lithographs and advertising posters.The lithographs are still available to collectors (though generally not sold in sets as Nicholson intended) while outstanding examples of the posters were reproduced in the Maitres de l'enfich" series which are likewise highly collectable.This book provides ample representation of Nicholson's restained use of color and line to produce an end product that I think is incredibly amazing.

The only criticism that I have is regarding the section on paintings. I have viewed some of the originals in the Tate Gallery in London and in some cases the colors do not completely match the originals (which have far more depth).Other than this minor flaw I believe this to be one of the finest books on Nicholson and the best study of his work as a whole. ... Read more

Book Description

Alberto Giacometti, one of the most important artists of the twentieth century, was also one of the most enigmatic. In this major new interpretation of Giacometti and his work, art historian and psychoanalyst Laurie Wilson demonstrates how the artist’s secret beliefs and emotional scars are reflected in his evocative sculpture, drawings, and paintings.

Wilson’s Giacometti was an extremely imaginative child who entwined fantasy and real-life experiences. As he matured, the artist combined fact and fancy into evolving myths, part conscious and part unconscious. Drawing on biographical data uncovered during a decade of research, Wilson reconstructs traumatic events and issues in Giacometti’s life—including family births and deaths in early childhood, world wars and their aftermath, and his intense and ambivalent relationship with his parents—and examines their profound effects on his artistic evolution. These startling new interpretations will forever change the way we understand both the man and his work. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A meticulous, scholarly, seminal body of work
Laurie Wilson (Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry, NYU Medical Center, New York Center) has written the definitive biography of the skilled and talented artist Alberto Giacometti: Myth, Magic, And The Man. Tracing Giacometti's roots from his imaginative childhood the traumas in his early life, to surviving the hardships of world wars, and the effects of his life experiences on the nature, theme, and interplay of his art, Alberto Giacometti: Myth, Magic, And The Man offers a excellent wealth of documented insights into the creation and message behind one man's great art. Alberto Giacometti is a meticulous, scholarly, seminal body of work which is especially recommended for academic library collections.

Wilson's Giacometti and the vital necessity of art
This biographical work is an exquisite study of the artist and of the vital necessity of his work to himself and to us, his audience. Wilson traces his life with a sensitivity that matches its history of loss and trauma while weaving it into an emotionally attuned connection to his work. The effect is an indelibly affecting portrait of this quintessential 20th century artist. This portrayal blends the best traditions of the psychoanalytic method of examining a life with appreciation of the artist's work on aesthetic and art historical grounds. The author brings to it a richly textured language, which avoids the possible pitfalls of formulaic interpreting, and instead brings to life the artist's personal and artistic existence. This feels particularly satisfying because it echoes Giacometti's own accomplishment: a rendering of human fragility and yet transcending it, and helping us transcend it through art. ... Read more

Book Description

This elegantly illustrated book brings a new perspective to Martin Johnson Heade and his works, portraying the artist as one of the most original and productive of the nineteenth century. The book reproduces Heade`s 620 known paintings, many newly discovered. These include a spectacular array of landscapes, seascapes, still lifes, tropical studies, and original compositions pairing orchids and hummingbirds. ... Read more

Book Description

Mark Rothko (1903-1970) is generally considered, along with Jackson Pollock, the preeminent artist of the group of painters who, during the 1940s and '50s, re-invented American art and became known as the Abstract Expressionists. Yet despite his success--people cried when they stood in front of his sublimely spiritual canvases--he suffered from intense anxiety and depression, and eventually took his own life. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Wonderful Presentation !
This concise but very informational book is a must for anyone interested in the works of Rothko, and for those who want to know about the rise of abstract expressionism. There are full color illustrations provided which add greatly to the narrative!
The margin notes have a wealth of background material, without being too bogged down in minutia.
This work has been a wonderful addition to my art library as I am certain it will be to others.

A terrific book
A concise, well-written introduction to postwar American art through the work of one of America's greatest painters. Highly educational and a great read. Excellent reproductions. I coulnd't put it down. Makes a great gift, too.

Informative and entertaining
A terrific book for those who are knowledgeable about the artist and those who are not. Ottmann packs a lot of history into his stimulating and extremely well-written pages. Ottmann's compelling and accessible prose makes this book hard to put down. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Book Description

Alex Madsen brings to life Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel, the queen of fashion who revolutionized women's styles forever.
... Read more

Reviews (2)

tough read
I'm still reading but wanted to mention that if you have never taken a French class, it is very hard to pronounce most of the names in the book.

Although very insightful finding it a hard read.

Fascinating book, full of details and historically correct.
This book was extremely interesting to read. Considering Chanel's habbit of often lying about her past, many biographers had given up on trying to tell her story. That's probably why the book lacks reasoning behind certain facts of her life, although the author did the best he could to provide his own viewpoint about some of the unenswered questions. The book is wonderful and it leaves the reader with plenty of room to use his/her own imagination to reveal some of the mysteries behind Chanel's great genious. ... Read more

Book Description

From the way we build to the way we live, Frank Lloyd Wright’s influence onAmericanarchitecture is visible all around us. Now, Ada Louise Huxtable, the PulitzerPrize- winning architecture writer for The Wall Street Journal—and chiefarchitecturecritic for The New York Times for nearly twenty years—offers anoutstandinglook at the architect and the man. She explores the sources of his tumultuousand troubledlife and his long career as master builder as well as his search for lasting,true love. Alongthe way, Huxtable introduces readers to Wright’s masterpieces: Taliesin, rebuiltaftertragedy and murder; the Imperial Hotel, one of the few structures left standingafterJapan’s catastrophic 1923 earthquake; and tranquil Fallingwater, to whichmillions havetraveled to experience its quiet grace. Through the journey, Huxtable takes usnot onlyinto the mind of the man who drew the blueprints, but also into the very heartof themedium, which he changed forever. A story of great triumph and heartbreak,FrankLloyd Wright is, like Wright’s own creations, an expertly wrought tribute toa manwhose genius lives on in the very landscape of American architecture. ... Read more

Book Description

Widely recognized in his own time for extraordinary architectural achievements, Leon Battista Alberti continues to influence his field more than 500 years later. This full-scale study of Alberti provides a biographical account of the Italian Renaissance architect, new reconstructions and interpretations of some of his buildings, and a detailed discussion of each of his building projects. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

New York Review of Books
One learns an enormous amount about the buildings and the man from this beautiful book. Indeed it is the place to go for Alberti as master builder.

An impressive, learned book
Alberti's buildings were mostly left incomplete, altered, or unfinished by others, his original intentions often impenetrable. Tavernor goes further than previous scholars in untangling this confusion in his impressive, handsomely illustrated study. Though complex and learned, his book has a clarity and consistency of aim in its analysis of the process by which theory is related to architecture.

The best art book of the year
Robert Tavernor's On Alberti and the Art of Building is a book for which every student of Renaissance history in my young day would have sold his soul, for it presents this seminal theorist as an architect of rich intelligence and aesthetic sensibility, his excitement irresistibly infectious. With Tavernor's help we see through the alterations, false completions and unfinish of the buildings and comprehend Alberti's original intentions; reconstructions, models and photographs of astonishing documentary clarity support the exhilarating text. This book will no doubt pass unnoticed except by those few art historians whose imaginations were touched by Alberti when they first discovered him in Florence, Mantua and Rimini, and stood in awe of flawed perfection, but this monograph is, for me, the best art book of the year. Brian Sewell, Art Critic, London Evening Standard, 11 December 1998. ... Read more

Book Description

Did Patrizia Reggiani murder her ex-husband, Maurizio Gucci, in 1995 because his spending was wildly out of control? Did she do it because her glamorous ex was preparing to marry his mistress, Paola Franchi? Or is there a possibility she didn't do it at all?

In this gripping account of the ascent, eventual collapse, and resurrection of the Gucci dynasty, Sara Gay Forden takes us behind the scenes of the trial and exposes the passions, the power, and the vulnerabilities of the greatest fashion family of our times.

Reviews (25)

Dishy, Yet Intelligent
This is an amazingly detailed, perceptive, and engrossing read! I read it on a cross-country plane trip, and the hours literally flew by. Forden traces the history of the Gucci empire from its earliest beginnings to the present day. This history provides a context for the drama, upheaval, and legal battles that plagued the family in the 70s, 80s and 90s. Forden weaves the personal, public, and legal aspects of these battles in a seamless, cogent, and intelligent discussion. While it is a sensational story, Forden does a great job of getting to the facts that underly the disputes and presents them without fanfare - they speak for themselves.

The photographs and family tree are great additions to this book. You'll need the family tree to keep track, and the photos make the story that much more real.

Watching the characters' lives unfold was better than any soap opera, precisely because they are/were real people whose choices led them on a path of destruction. Even so, Forden's prose avoids the talk-show and tabloid cliches that have ruined many a biography.

Finally, as an attorney, this book provided me with interesting insights into family legal battles and corporate organization.

"Dynasty", "Dallas"...."Gucci"?
Having worked in the fashion industry for the likes of Gianni Versace and Georgio Armani, I was naturally inclined to read this intriguing book based on the rise, fall and rise again of the house of "Gucci". I found the first half of the book to be the most facinating. The author does an excellent job in vividly decribing the humble beginnings of Guccio Gucci's small leather goods business to its eventual capitulation into a Billion dollar company...

The book reads right out of a script of "Dallas" or "Dynasty"...with the squablings, betrayals, greed and glamour associated with those t.v. shows....only this book's storyline is real. I was particularly impressed with the great amount of effort put into decribing each of the important characters associated with the Gucci saga. One really walks away with a true sense of the mindset behind people like Marizio Gucci and his power-hungry wife...

I am confident anyone reading this book will find that it is hard to put down (and will encourage the reader to run to the latest "Gucci" boutique and pick up a crocodile handbag!)

reads like a history book
The story of Gucci was interesting. In fact, reality surpassses fiction in this case.
However, I was expecting more of a narrative feel; this reads like a collection of well researched facts. Some of the other reviews say it is like a novel - I think it is more like an interesting history book. Especially at the beginning -hard to get into the first few chapters it is written in such a factual, boring way.

Love it! Must-reading for those of you that own GUCCI
It's a great story that gives you amazing insight into the house of Gucci...loved it! Now I have countless anecdotes to go along with my handbags.

A Must-Have for Fashionistas
This book provides an insightful look into the history and development of the House of Gucci. I have learned everything about how the business started, the Gucci family turmoil, and the recent comeback and dominance of Gucci. This is a great read. ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Great Gossip and picture of the times
If you want a great picture of the New York scene in the 70s and early 80s you can't go past this book. Andy Warhol was the ultimate party animal, and his observations of the people he partied with and the places he partied at are witty and insightful.

But hey the gossip is great! Lots of people were uncomfortable when this was published, and with good cause. It is really quite revealing!

If you are interested in the arts scene of the times this is a really revealing book. If you like a good gossip this is for you. Enjoy Mr Warhol's 15 minutes of fame! He appeared to.

Stream-of-consciousness, Warhol-style
If you ever wanted to know what the New York state of mind was in the 1970s and 1980s, then this book is for you. Andy Warhol lived at the center of the "beautiful people" in the New York club/celebrity scene, from his Factory to Studio 54 and seemingly everywhere else. From hustlers and porn stars to the Hollywood glitterati and political movers and shakers, Warhol dictated it all to his diarist, Pat Hackett, who distilled it from 20,000 pages into this huge book. You will be shocked, you will be amused and you will see why there was only one Andy Warhol -- the artist and pop culturist who took a "New York" minute and turned it into 15 minutes of bizarre fame. Don't miss out on this book!

A Priceless Insight Into The World of a Superstar Artist
For centuries, the world of visual art was filled with mythical giants, people whose genius was not revealed to the world until long after said person's demise or people whose genius so overwhelmed others that no one dared get close to the figure. Thankfully, Andy Warhol was neither of those two types of artists. And the world knows this due to the IRS, a woman who originally just wanted a little excitement in her life, and a man who refused to censor himself.

Andy Warhol was a lifelong Democrat who criticized the Nixon administration, thus sparking a series of intense IRS audits. To help make these audits easier, he and his then-assistant Pat Hackett began cataloguing his daily expenses and saving every single receipt he received. This grew into a routine that lasted long after Hackett stopped officially working for Warhol, through phone conversations and taped recordings. Warhol would inject bits of his everyday life into the financial chatter and he and Hackett became close friends and confidants. Approximately two years after Warhol's passing, Hackett compiled all of her notes together, made it into a cohesive whole, and published it as The Andy Warhol Diaries. And the Warhol fan should silently thank Hackett every day for this.

Because of the intimate friendship these two people enjoyed, the reader is able to get a more personal, more vulnerable view of one of the art world's most original and celebrated figures. By devouring the pages of this easily readable text, one can understand that for all the glitz and glamour associated with this artist's public persona, his private life was actually not that much different from that of the "average" American. He went to work, he paid his bills, he interacted with his friends, he tried to navigate the tricky world of love and romance, and experienced the same level of disappointments, setbacks, rejection, and confusion as that of any other human being in the post-industrial world.

Though that isn't to say that Warhol's life was completely devoid of the glitter that seemed to shine on the surface. To delve into the diaries is to escape into the celebrity-filled world of Manhattan in the 1970s and 1980s, where one could bump into Jacqueline Onassis, Bianca Jagger, Diane von Furstenburg, or a massive array of other celebrities, all of whom Warhol had at least brief encounters with. Warhol did live what some might describe as a jet set lifestyle, flying off here and there to do promotional work, to attend various events held in his honor, to work with some new art patron of his, or on occasion to just relax and interact with his friends, both famous and non-famous. But he was by no means a spendthrift; indeed, many passages in the diaries indicate his desire to save money or to invest it, not wishing to squander his money away and return to the life he had as a child in a poor immigrant family. So his jet-set lifestyle did have its limits and he did end up spending a tremendous amount of time in and around his NYC home base, choosing to do most of his lounging at his vacation home in Montauk.

One might think that all of the above might tell the full story of The Diaries, that this means The Diaries are no longer worth checking out. One would be wholly incorrect, there, because The Diaries are so much more than just a chronicle of an artist's life. They give the reader an insight into the artist's personality that only his own words, lovingly preserved by his former assistant, can give. They make the reader fall in love with Warhol, make the reader forever protective of him, make the reader wish he or she could've gotten a chance to know the late artist before his untimely and unfortunate demise in 1987. For this and many other reasons, this publication is an absolute must-read for anyone even remotely interested in "that guy who painted Campbell's soup cans" and is worth every single penny of its list price and then some.

Something amazing on every page
I had this book for a while but found its size somehow intimidating. I guess I thought it would take too long to get through. Now that I'm almost done with it, I wish it wasn't going to end. (Though I definitely plan to read it again, maybe immediately after finishing it.) For anyone interested in/obsessed with celebrities, art, the 70s and 80s, media, you name it, Warhol lived it or knew it -- it's just a great read, and there's something inspiring or amusing or striking on every single page. A great book to read a few pages of before bed, though it's hard to put down. You'll never look at certain celebrities (Bianca Jagger, Truman Capote, Halston, Liza, and the list goes on and on) the same way again. BUY IT NOW!

Muito bom!
Apesar de que Pat Hackett suprimiu muito do volume original,ainda assim é um ótimo livro.Melhor ainda:Andy Warhol por ele mesmo! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Only a generation after Lewis and Clark's expedition, the artist and naturalist John James Audubon captured his contemporaries' imaginations with his illustrations in Birds of America. John James Audubon in the West celebrates a lesser-known work, Quadrupeds of North America, which is the focus of a traveling exhibition organized by the Buffalo Bill Historical Center of Cody, Wyoming. Audubon's Quadrupeds presented colored lithographs far superior to the outline engravings that normally illustrated encyclopedias and scientific volumes of his day. They have the same liveliness and sense of movement as the bird illustrations; background landscapes are small masterpieces in themselves; imaginative settings add a theatricality to many pictures, such as a tawny weasel at the throat of a farmyard chicken or a cougar with his kill; and details like the fur of squirrels and wolves are very fine. Audubon's research included a six-month field trip up the Missouri in 1843 that resulted in the discovery of several new species, including North America's only native ferret, the black-footed ferret--though the project was more important as art than as science. The 180 illustrations in John James Audubon in the West include the most successful of the animal pictures, preparatory sketches, and comparative material such as contemporary Western landscapes. Four essays by Audubon scholars analyze the artist's style, his Missouri journey, scientific collaborations, and the technical and commercial context for the publication of Quadrupeds. While his birds will always overshadow his work on mammals, John James Audubon in the West introduces an important pioneering study and a fascinating piece of American history. --John Stevenson ... Read more

Book Description

This final entry in Arnie and Cathy Fenner's Frazetta trilogy features 150 full-color paintings by the renowned artist and illustrator, ranging in subject matter from barbarian battles to erotica to religious art. Frank Frazetta's 50-year career is celebrated not only in these museum-quality reproductions of his art but also in photos from his personal archives, including shots of George Lucas visiting the Frazetta estate and Bo Derek posing for one of his alluring femme fatales. Comments and anecdotes by the artist and the editors, along with testimonials from graphic-art luminaries Dave Stevens, Bruce Timm, and Bernie Wrightson, flesh out this portrait of the artist. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

under- appreciated master
Frank Frazetta is not only the master of Fantasy art but one of the true fathers of todays artist (Vallejo, Mcfarlane, Hildebrant) his body of work has ranged from the early comic strips of the 50's , to the great interpretation of Fantasy heroes greatest, Tarzan, Conan, Kane and many others, but he has also created some of the most memorable images of the 20th century Sci-Fi and Fantsy art(Deathdealer and so on). This bookk ends a wonderful trilogy that started with Icon, and was followed by Legacy, those previous volumes introduced many to the great worlds depicted in Frazetta's paintings, this book is a treasure chest of less known but just as great works. True longtime fans of this great master will relish this additions to the already establish body of work. I urge all fans of the master to also visit his museum in Stroudsburg PA to view the original paintins in all their greatness.

20th century genius
Only Norman Rockwell is in the same league with Frank Frazetta. He is the most talented fantasy illustrator of his generation, no one else comes close. His work easily qualitfies as Fine Art. His draftsmanship is so good it seems beyond human, like Michaelangelo. His sense of drama is so assured, each image is like something out of a classic movie or great legend. But everyone falls all over themselves praising Frazetta. This is the third book of his work, and is more for hardcore fans and collectors. Icon and Legacy contain his most famous works, but I love this one for the insights it gives into his techniques, and for the many sensitive and exquisite watercolor nudes he gave his wife on birthdays and anniversaries. I've seen the guy in person twice in my life, but I never said a word to him. Still, Frazetta has made me a better artist.

Odds & Ends Collection, "Icon" & "Legacy" Better to Start
This is a beautiful book, but the more famous Frazetta works are to be found in the two previous books of this trilogy. So this book is great for serious Frazetta fans, but "Icon" and "Legacy" are better books for showing the most famous of his works.

This book, "Testament," is good for showing more of his unpublished stuff. It has many Playboy-type girlie paintings and drawings, some western themes, and his paintings for TV Guide, for the "Battlestar Galactica" show, (which look nothing like the actual TV program, but stand as terrific space fantasy works). The personal photos are also a very nice insight into his life.

All three books in this trilogy cover work from his whole life, and explain his career moves, with slight variations and different guest commentary. The printing is nicely done, so you can enjoy studying the paintings on glossy, quality paper. These three books are very nice additions to your personal bookshelf library.

If you're new to Frazetta's work, I would just suggest that you start in order, with "Icon," and then "Legacy," where the more popular works are printed, to be able to appreciate and understand Frazetta's work and influence in proper perspective. "Testament" is more for the confirmed Frazetta fans.

I wish this was not the last volume
Cathy and Arnie Fenner have done a marvelous thing. They considered the longtime followers of Frank Frazetta's art and gave them a gift of rareties. This last volume has more of Frank's obscure work than either of the previous books in this series. Obscure does not mean "bad" or "unworthy". Obscure in this case means more creative range and less commercial recognition. Page 107 is a perfect example of what I mean. I can't even describe the plate other than to say it's a fantastic horror composition without a monster in sight. From western to horror, erotic to fantastic, this volume is the best of the three. The commentaries from the various artists is also a nice touch and shows the respect that Frank and his work has established. I'm particularly fond of the words written by Michael Kaluta. All the comments and essays complete the image of Frank, his career, his art, influence and friendship. My pet pieces are on pages 40 (Warrior of Llarn), 45, 73 (it boggles the mind that he repainted this and refers to the original, as it's presented, as a piece of crap!), 105, 107 and 114. Frank Frazetta has rendered images from a rich pallet of differing themes and subjects. For his critics who are fond of lambasting Frank as a painter of fat women and barbarians, this volume should put the final nail in their coffin full of misinfomation. The burial of such rampant subjectivity should give rise to his critics' giving in and taking pleasure from the vital work of this artist.
I wonder if a fourth volume is possible?
One last thing. The selection for the cover art was not a standout choice, but the selection for the art used on the endpapers was marvelous. ... Read more

Book Description

An illuminating biography of the man who has arguably touched more lives than any American since FDR.

Working for four presidents over six decades, R. Sargent "Sarge" Shriver founded the Peace Corps, launched the War on Poverty, created Head Start and Legal Services for the Poor, started the Special Olympics, and served as ambassador to France. Yet from the moment he married Joseph P. Kennedy's daughter Eunice in 1953, Shriver had to navigate a difficult course between independence and family loyalty that tended to obscure his incredible achievements. Scott Stossel, through complete access to Shriver and his family, renders the story of his life in cinematic detail. Shriver's myriad historical legacies are testaments to the power of his vision and his ability to inspire others. But it is the colorful personality and indomitable spirit of the man himself—traits that allowed him to survive the Depression, WWII, and the Kennedy family—that will inspire readers today to expand the "horizons of the possible." 40 b/w photographs. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

AN ECELLENT BIO AND A WARM VIEW OF HISTORY
This book appeals to such a wide spectrum of people. If you grew up in the 60's and watched the mystique of "Camelot" unfold this book will reveal many of the behind the scenes events that took place. If you were a Peace Corps Volunteer, this story will show you where it all began. If you are an interested student of Modern History this is a detailed view of the times. If you are a patriot looking for an inspirational tale that will inspire you this is your text! Sarge Shriver's life and times is a wonderfully written, interesting account of a man who gave of himself and set aside many personal goals for the greater goals of a bigger picture. His passion, love of life, romantic zeal, and love for his country are qualities we need so depserately today. This is one excellent biography.

A wonderful biography
When I first heard about this book, my reaction was, "Why do we need a 700-page book about this guy?" But after I read some of the reviews of it (which made it sound interesting), I took the plunge. Now I understand why we needed a big biography of this guy--and I'm amazed that there hasn't been one before. This is not the genre of book one associates with "page turners" but I devoured this book over one long weekend. I read lots of literary biographies but not many political biographies, because they're usually stutifyingly dull. Not this one: it's right up there with the top two or three biographies I've ever read.

The image of the liberal spirit
To be called a "liberal" is often considered a bad word. We hunt for terms like "progressive" or anything that will not associate us with the "free-spending" myth of the Democratic politician. But if to be liberal, means to care for the poor, the disabled, the diverse in color and opportunity, then we will all find ourselves walking in the footprints of Sargent Shriver. Scott Stossel has caught the essence of a man who is guided by compassion and justice. What a legacy for us and his children! What an example. "Sarge" is a must read for every historian and every social justice activist in the world.

Very readable (and inspiring, too)
I found this book to be a fascinating way to look at 20th century American history through the prism of a very inspiring man's life. It was also pretty interesting to get the inside scoop on some of the personalities and behind-the-scenes maneuverings that shaped major events in our nation's history. What was maybe most interesting to me, though, was the thoughtful way the book explored what it was like for Shriver being sort-of-but-not-quite a Kennedy. Both the book and Shriver himself are inspiring. It seems like they don't make people like him anymore!

a returned Peace Corps Volunteer
When I was a Peace Corps volunteer in Nepal in the 1960s, Sarge Shriver was one of my heroes. This eloquent book makes him even more of a hero, a passionate idealistic citizen who has made a difference in so many arenas in American life. In a time when Americans view their leaders with such mistrust, this is an esssential book and a guide to how a good man can change the world without losing his goodness. ... Read more

Book Description

This book celebrates the landscapes, histories and habitats that have served as the famed North Carolina artist's inspiration. For more than twenty-five years, Timberlake's artistic efforts have been internationally acclaimed for their fine depictions of the region's life and heritage. ... Read more