*  Denotes  group  favorites.      AFRICAN  ART    *  Things  Fall  Apart,  by  Chinua  Achebe    This   classic   and   seminal   novel,   noted   for   its   brilliant   use   of   language   and   elegant   style,   is   a  moving  portrait  of  traditional  village  life  in  the  Ibo  culture  of  Nigeria.    The  Radiance  of  the  King,  by  Camara  Laye  This   masterpiece   of   African   literature   begins   with   the   story   of   Clarence,   who   has  been  shipwrecked  and  stranded  on  the  coast  of  Africa.  His  bewildering  travels   in  search  of  an  audience  with  the  king  combine  elements  of  Kafkaesque  absurdity  and  the  African  folktale.      ANCIENT  CULTURES    *  The  Lacuna,  by  Barbara  Kingsolver  Diary  entries,  letters,  and  newspaper  clippings  tell  the  story  of  Harrison  William  Shepherd,  as  he  moves  from  a  Mexican  hacienda  on  Isla  Pixol  to  the  incendiary  household  of  the  painters  Diego  Rivera  and  Frida  Kahlo  and  finally  to  McCarthy-­‐era  America.      *  The  Lost  Chalice:  The  Epic  Hunt  for  a  Priceless  Masterpiece,  by  Vernon  Silver  From  mythic  Troy  to  New  York’s  auction  houses,  this  true-­‐life  detective  story  traces  the  history  of  one  of  antiquity’s  most  prized  treasures,  a  wine  cup  depicting  the  death  of  Sarpedon  by  the  Greek  artist  Euphronios,  and  offers  a  riveting  portrait  of  the  modern  antiquities  trade.      

       

Artful  Readings  Past  Selections  

     

Stealing  Athena,  by  Karen  Essex  The  latest  work  by  this  award-­‐winning  author  traverses  a  millennium  and  intertwines  the  lives  of  an  ancient  Greek  courtesan  and  a  Scottish  heiress  to  explore  the  ambitions  and  controversies  surrounding  the  Parthenon  and  its  “Elgin  Marbles.”    Akhenaten:  Dweller  in  Truth,  by  Naguib  Mahfouz  Nobel-­‐winning   author   Naguib   Mafhouz’s   exploration   of   the   life   of   the   iconoclastic   pharaoh  Akhenaten  guides  our  literary  foray  into  the  history  of  ancient  Egypt.    Thebes  at  War:  A  Novel  of  Ancient  Egypt,  by  Naguib  Mahfouz  A  young  pharaoh’s  epic  struggle  to  regain  power  and  reunify  ancient  Egypt  after  200  years  of  foreign   occupation   depicts   harrowing   battles   and   undying   loyalty   on   the   eve   of   the   New  Kingdom.      Land  of  Marvels,  by  Barry  Unsworth  The   Booker   Prize–winning   British   author’s   latest   novel   is   a   tale   of   archaeological   exploration  and  global  political  cross-­‐purposes,  set  in  the  former  Mesopotamia  (now  Iraq)  in  the  immediate  pre-­‐war  year  of  1914.      ASIAN  ART  &  CULTURE    *  Peking  Story:  The  Last  Days  of  Old  China,  by  David  Kidd  When  a  Kentucky-­‐born  teacher  living  in  modern-­‐day  Beijing  marries  the  daughter  of  a  Chinese  aristocrat,  he  takes  a  ringside  seat  to  the  sweeping  changes  of  the  Communist  Revolution.  His  finely  wrought  memoir  evokes  a  world  of  unmatched  elegance  and  ancient  customs  on  the  eve  of  its  destruction.    *  The  Thousand  Autumns  of  Jacob  de  Zoet,  by  David  Mitchell  The  ambitious  new  novel  by  one  of   today’s  most  acclaimed  writers  vividly  evokes  Edo-­‐period  Japan  and  the  tale  of  a  young  clerk,  whose  five-­‐year  stint  with  the  Dutch  East  Indies  Company  takes  a  turn  towards  forbidden  love  and  surprising  adventure.    *  The  God  of  Small  Things,  by  Arundhati  Roy  Awarded   the  Booker  Prize   for   its   stunning  originality  and   intricate  style,   this  novel,   set   in   the  lush   southern   province   of   Kerala,   beautifully   untangles   one   family’s   tragic   history   and   the  collision  of  the  ancient  and  the  modern  in  rural  India.    *  Peony  in  Love,  by  Lisa  See  This  haunting  novel  steeped  in  the  traditions  and  rituals  of  17th-­‐century  China  tells  the  story  of  young  Peony  and  her  richly  imagined  journey  of  love,  sorrow,  and  destiny.    

     

*  The  Samurai’s  Garden,  A  Novel,  by  Gail  Tsukiyama  On  the  eve  of  the  second  World  War,  a  young  Chinese  man  recovering  from  tuberculosis  moves  to  his  family’s  summer  residence  near  a  seaside  village  in  Japan.  His  friendships  with  the  stoic  caretaker  and  a  secreted  community  of   lepers  emerge   in  a   tender  story  about   loneliness  and  friendship,  illness  and  wellness,  and  nature’s  beauty  set  against  the  brutality  of  war.      *  The  Hare  with  the  Amber  Eyes:  A  Family’s  Century  of  Art  and  Ideas,  by  Edmund  de  Waal  A  memoir  by  the  renowned  British  ceramicist  and  fifth-­‐generation  owner  of  a  large  collection  of  netsuke,  or  hand-­‐carved  Japanese  miniatures,  traces  his  family’s  astonishing  history  through  the  story  of  these  strange  and  charming  objects.    *  The  Man  Who  Loved  China:  The  Fantastic  Story  of   the  Eccentric  Scientist  Who  Unlocked  the  Mysteries  of  the  Middle  Kingdom,  by  Simon  Winchester  The   adventures   of   the   brilliant   and   quirky   Joseph   Needham   are   chronicled   in   this   riveting  biography   tracing   his   search   across   China   to   understand   the   origins   of   some   of   mankind’s  greatest  innovations.      The  Samurai  Banner  of  Furin  Kazan,  by  Yasushi  Inoue  This   epic   narrative   from   one   of   Japan’s   most   revered   authors   takes   place   during   the   16th  century,   when   rival   warlords   were   in   a   constant   state   of   turmoil.   It   centers   on   one   young  daimyo   and   his   brilliant   yet   disfigured   strategist,   whose   perspectives   on   military   strategy,  honorable  enemies,  and  his  master’s  love  affairs  provide  unique  insights  into  the  samurai  way  of  life.      Snow  Country,  by  Yasunari  Kawabata  Set  in  the  desolate  beauty  of  western  Japan,  the  snowiest  region  on  earth,  this  haunting  novel  of  impossible  love  embodies  the  suggestive  qualities  and  powerful  sense  of  motive  that  earned  the  author  the  Nobel  Prize  for  Literature.      The  Laughing  Sutra,  by  Mark  Salzman  This  comic  narrative  chronicles  the  search  for  an  elusive  Buddhist  scripture  that  allegedly  holds  the  key  to  immortality.      EUROPEAN  ART:  GENERAL      *  The  Elegance  of  the  Hedgehog,  by  Muriel  Barbery  Set   in   an   exclusive   Parisian   apartment   building,   this   enchanting   satire   weaves   philosophical  reflections   on   life,   art,   literature,   class,   and   privilege   through   the   voices   of   a   middle-­‐age  concierge  and  a  precocious  but  troubled  teenage  girl.    

     

*  A  History  of  the  World  in  10  ½  Chapters,  by  Julian  Barnes  This  ingenious  collection  of  short  stories  strings  together  revisionist  histories  that  are  by  turns  humorous,  harrowing,  consolatory,  and  absurd.  Often  staged  on  storm-­‐tossed  boats,  chapters  interweave   ideas  about   the  arbitrary  nature  of  history  and   the   transformative  powers  of   art,  including  Théodore  Gericault’s  The  Raft  of  the  Medusa.      *  Parrot  and  Olivier  in  America,  by  Peter  Carey  This   two-­‐time   Man   Booker   Prize   winner’s   playful   “improvisation”   on   the   life   of   Alexis   de  Tocqueville  morphs  into  a  picaresque  adventure  told  by  its  two  leading  characters  as  they  travel  both  together  and  apart  through  England,  France,  and  eventually  America.    *  A  Month  in  the  Country,  by  J.  L.  Carr  This  poetic  reflection  on  the  passage  of  time  and  the  power  of  art  centers  on  a  veteran  of  the  Great   War   and   his   memories   of   a   summer   spent   in   the   English   countryside   restoring   an  anonymous  painter’s  depiction  of  the  Apocalypse  in  a  parish  church.    *  Birth  of  Venus,  by  Sarah  Dunant    At  the  center  of  this  vivid  story  of  love,  art,  and  betrayal,  14-­‐year-­‐old  Alessandra  negotiates  the  realities  of  an  arranged  marriage  and  her  own  artistic  aspirations  as  Renaissance  Florence  finds  itself  changing  in  the  grip  of  the  fundamentalist  friar  Savonarola.    *  The  Monuments  Men:  Allied  Heroes,  Nazi  Thieves,  and  the  Greatest  Treasure  Hunt  in  History,  by  Robert  M.  Edsel,  with  Bret  Witter  This  inspiring  true  story  of  a  special  force  of  American  and  British  museum  directors,  curators,  and  art  historians,  called  the  Monuments  Men,  follows  their  heroic  efforts  to  mitigate  combat  damage  to  monuments  across  war-­‐torn  Europe  and  to  recover  artworks  looted  by  the  Nazis.    *  The  Lost  Painting:  The  Search  for  a  Caravaggio  Masterpiece,  by  Jonathan  Harr  As  vivid  and  suspenseful  as  any  mystery,  the  real-­‐life  story  of  a  young  art  historian  on  the  trail  of   a   long-­‐lost   painting   by   the   Italian   Baroque   painter   Caravaggio   leads   readers   across   a  continent  and  centuries  of  history.      *  Master  of  Shadows:  The  Secret  Diplomatic  Career  of  the  Painter  Peter  Paul  Rubens,    by  Mark  Lamster  Revered  by  his  contemporaries  and  sought  by  political  leaders  across  Europe,  the  great  Flemish  artist   Peter   Paul   Rubens   was   also   a   key   player   on   the   international   stage   of   17th-­‐century  diplomacy   and   political   intrigue.   This   gripping   drama   explores   Rubens’s   art   and   the   society,  culture,  and  private  passions  that  influenced  it.    *  Bring  Up  the  Bodies,  by  Hilary  Mantel  Hailed   around   the   world   as   a   stunning   literary   achievement,   the   second   work   in   a   planned  trilogy  delves  into  the  heart  of  Tudor  history,  the  cunning  designs  of  Thomas  Cromwell,  and  the  downfall  of  Anne  Boleyn.  Winner  of  the  2012  Man  Booker  Prize.  

     

*  The  Greater  Journey:  Americans  in  Paris,  by  David  McCullough  The   popular   historian   and   two-­‐time   Pulitzer   Prize   winner   sifts   through   mountains   of  correspondence   and   archival   records   to   tell   the   compelling   stories   of   the   19th-­‐century  American  novelists,  artists,  doctors,  politicians,  and  inventors  who  crossed  the  Atlantic  for  the  experience  of  a  lifetime.    *  Out  Stealing  Horses,  A  Novel,  by  Per  Petterson  Embraced  around  the  world  as  a  classic  of  universal  relevance  and  power,  this  novel  tells  the  story  of  a  67-­‐year-­‐old  Norwegian  man  whose  move  to  a  remote  cabin  triggers  memories  of  one  summer  with  his  father  and  the  decades  of  searching  and  loss  that  followed.    *  On  Beauty,  by  Zadie  Smith  A  Rembrandt  scholar  who  doesn’t   like  Rembrandt,  a  formerly  sexy  activist  struggling  with  her  own  identity,  and  three  children  passionately  pursuing  their  disparate  paths  are  at  the  center  of  the   cast   of   characters   in   this   irreverent   and   touching   book   reminiscent   of   E.   M.   Forster’s  Howard’s  End.      *  The  Goldfinch,  by  Donna  Tartt  On  the  most   fateful  morning  of  Theo’s   life,  a   terroist  bomb  explodes  at   the  Met,   leaving  him  without  his  adored  mother  and  in  possession  of  a  Dutch  masterpiece.  His  subsequent  coming-­‐of-­‐age   odessey   combines   unforgettably   vivid   characters,   mesmerizing   language,   and  breathtaking  suspense,  while  plumbing  the  deepest  mysteries  of  love,  identity,  and  art.    *  Derby  Day,  by  D.  J.  Taylor  The   great   horse   race   at   Epsom  Downs  was   the   spectacle   of   the  British   racing   season,  where  members   of   the   highest   and   lowest   classes   in   Victorian   society   found   themselves   rubbing  shoulders.  In  the  spirit  of  Thackeray  and  Dickens,  this  masterfully  written  intrigue  is  filled  with  chicanery  and  polish,  numerous  subplots,  and  a  motley  crew  of  colorful  characters.  Nominated  for  the  2011  Man  Booker  Prize.    *  The  Music  Lesson,  by  Katharine  Weber  At  the  heart  of  this  gripping  and  thoughtful  novel,  a  priceless  Vermeer  painting  stored  away  in  a  remote  Irish  cottage  is  the  silent  companion  to  a  woman  coming  to  terms  with  her  involvement  in  a  high-­‐stakes  crime  and  the  circumstances  that  brought  her  there.    The  Unknown  Masterpiece,  by  Honoré  de  Balzac  Heralded  in  the  New  York  Times  as  the  “greatest  novelist  of  the  19th  century  and  perhaps  of  all  time,”  Balzac  described  the  world  as  he  saw  it.  His  celebrated  classic  about  a  painter  struggling  with  the  limits  of  true  artistic  creativity  deeply  touched  such  masters  as  Cézanne  and  Picasso.    

     

Portrait  of  an  Unknown  Woman,  by  Vanora  Bennett  Set   against   the   turmoil,   intrigue,   and   tragedy  of  Henry  VIII’s   court,   this   novel   centers   on   the  family   of   the   king’s   advisor   Sir   Thomas  More   and   their   encounters  with   the   great   portraitist  Hans  Holbein.    Old  Masters:  A  Comedy,  by  Thomas  Bernhard  The  final  novel  by  one  of  Europe’s  finest  contemporary  satirists  is  the  uncompromising  portrait  of   an   aged   musicologist,   recounted   by   his   friend,   while   he   sits   immersed   in   his   regular  contemplation   of   Tintoretto’s   White-­‐Bearded   Man   at   the   Kunsthistorisches   Museum   in  Vienna.          Giovanni  and  Lusanna:  Love  and  Marriage  in  Renaissance  Florence,  by  Gene  Brucker  The  true  story  of  Lusanna  versus  Giovanni,  gleaned  from  15th-­‐century  legal  documents,  brings  to  light  the  complex  realities  of  love,  class,  and  gender  relations  in  Renaissance  Florence.      No  Tomorrow,  by  Vivant  Denon  This   stylish,   yet   brief,   tale   of   seduction   opens   a   window   on   the   precious   elegance   of   18th-­‐century   French   aristocratic   culture   and   the   fascinating   life   of   its   author,   the   first   director   of  French  museums  appointed  by  Napoleon.      Saving  Italy:  The  Race  to  Rescue  a  Nation's  Treasures  from  the  Nazis,  by  Robert  M.  Edsel  This   poignant,   captivating   story   of   the   little-­‐known   American   effort   to   save   Italy’s   most  treasured   monuments   and   masterpieces   during  World  War   II   recounts   a   dangerous   web   of  intrigue   involving   the   Vatican,   top   German   SS   generals,   Italian   officials,   and   American   OSS  operatives.    Headlong,  by  Michael  Frayn    This   intellectual   comedy   stars   a   “lost”   Brueghel   painting   and   an   art   historian’s   consuming  passion  to  both  possess  the  artwork  and  uncover  its  meaning.      Caravaggio:  A  Life  Sacred  and  Profane,  by  Andrew  Graham-­‐Dixon  This  compelling  new  biography  on  one  of  Europe’s  most  gifted  and  mercurial  artists  combines  fresh  art  historical  evidence  with  a  natural  storyteller’s  eye  for  the  grit  and  danger  of  Rome’s  backstreets.    The  Forgery  of  Venus,  by  Michael  Gruber  This   art-­‐forgery   conspiracy   tests   the   tenuous   lines   between   creative   genius   and   madness,  memory   and   illusion  when   a   gifted   painter   finds   himself   caught   up   in   a  mysterious  world   of  gangsters,  greed,  murder,  and  the  Spanish  painter  Diego  Velázquez.    

     

The  Accidental  Masterpiece:  On  the  Art  of  Life  and  Vice  Versa,  by  Michael  Kimmelman  In  his  reflections  exploring  how  life  shapes  and  is  enriched  by  the  creative  impulse,  the  chief  art  critic  for  the  New  York  Times  combines  memoir,  traveling  writing,  and  biography  to  illuminate  obsessive  collectors  and  enthusiasts,  alongside  great  artists  like  Bonnard  and  Chardin.    The  Leopard:  A  Novel,  by  Giuseppe  di  Lampedusa  This  beloved  classic  explores  the  decadent  world  of  the  Sicilian  aristocracy  in  late  19th-­‐century  Italy  and  the  forces  of  democracy  and  revolution  that  threaten  this  way  of  life.      The  Portrait,  by  Iain  Pears  In  this  suspenseful  tale  of  revenge,  a  Scottish  artist  paints  the  portrait  of  the  man  he  seeks  to  destroy—a  powerful  critic—and  shares  his   recollections  of   the  vibrant  art  scenes   in  Paris  and  London  at  the  start  of  the  20th  century.    Venetian  Stories,  by  Jane  Turner  Rylands  A  dozen  interwoven  vignettes  evoke  the  daily  encounters  and  mysterious  charm  of  a  city  that  has  enchanted  generations  of  natives  and  visitors.      The  Forger,  by  Paul  Watkins  The  murky  world  of  art  forgery  in  Paris  at  the  turn  of  World  War  II  emerges  from  the  shadows  in  this  riveting  intrigue.      EUROPEAN  ART:  IMPRESSIONISM    *  The  Masterpiece,  by  Émile  Zola    Claude  Lantier,  an  ambitious  and   talented  young  artist  who  has  come  to  Paris  determined  to  conquer   the   art   world,   is   at   the   center   of   this   tragic   novel   based   in   part   on   the   author’s  friendship  with  the  painter  Paul  Cézanne.      The  Ultimate  Trophy:  How  Impressionist  Painting  Conquered  the  Art  World,  by  Philip  Hook  The   senior   director   of   Sotheby’s   Impressionist   and   Modern   Art   department   charts  Impressionism’s   ascent   from   worthless   to   priceless   through   art-­‐historical   vignettes   and  personal  recollections.      The  Moon  and  Sixpence,  by  Somerset  Maugham  Loosely  based  on  the  life  of  Paul  Gauguin,  this  compelling  novel  studies  a  man  who  abandons  comfort  and  convention  to  pursue  his  obsessive  artistic  ambitions.      Renoir,  My  Father,  by  Jean  Renoir  This   delightful   memoir   from   the   renowned   filmmaker   recounts   the   life   story   of   his   famous  Impressionist  painter   father.  With  touching  remembrances  and  valuable   insights   into  Renoir’s  approach  to  painting,  this  book  is  an  important  document  of  Impressionism  and  its  artists.  

     

EUROPEAN  ART:  MODERN      *  The  Matisse  Stories,  by  A.  S.  Byatt  Three  short  stories,  each  inspired  by  a  painting  of  the  artist  Henri  Matisse,  beautifully  evoke  the  intimate  and  often  unexpected  connections  between  seeing  and  feeling.    *  The  Sun  Also  Rises,  by  Ernest  Hemingway  This   classic   novel   about   the   “Lost   Generation”   follows   a   group   of   Americans   and   Brits   from  Paris’s  Left  Bank  to  the  bullfighting  arenas  of  Pamplona,  Spain.      *  My  Love  Affair  with  Modern  Art:  Behind  the  Scenes  with  a  Legendary  Curator,    by  Katherine  Kuh    In  the  midst  of  the  Depression,  Katharine  Kuh  defied  the  odds  and  opened  a  gallery  where  she  exhibited   such   relatively   unknown   artists   as   Fernand   Léger,   Paul   Klee,   Joan  Miró,   and  Marc  Chagall.   This  memoir,   edited   by   Avis   Berman,   reflects   on   Kuh’s   experiences   as   collector,   art  writer,  and  the  first  curator  of  modern  painting  and  sculpture  at  the  Art  Institute  of  Chicago.                Picasso  at  the  Lapin  Agile,  by  Steve  Martin  Modernism  takes  a  humorous  turn  in  this  imaginary  Paris  café  encounter  between  young  Pablo  Picasso   and   Albert   Einstein,   highlighting   the   intersection   of   art   and   science   as   creative  endeavors.    The  Paris  Wife,  by  Paula  McLain  An   intimate  fictionalized  portrait  of  Hadley  Richardson,  Ernest  Hemingway’s   first  wife,  evokes  the   excitement   and   pitfalls   of   married   life   in   the   hard-­‐drinking   and   fast-­‐moving   expatriate  circles  of  Jazz  Age  Paris.      GENERAL    *  What  I  Loved,  by  Siri  Hustvedt  The  lifelong  friendship  of  an  art  historian  and  artist  begins  in  New  York  City  in  1975  with  a  single  extraordinary   painting   and,   over   several   decades,   evolves   into   a   deeply   moving   story   about  family,  art,  love,  loss,  and  betrayal.    *  Life  of  Pi:  A  Novel,  by  Yann  Martel  The  improbable  survivor’s  tale  of  a  young  castaway’s  227-­‐day  voyage  across  the  Pacific  with  a  450-­‐pound   Bengal   tiger   acts   as   a   classic   parable   about   philosophy,   art   and   life,   zoology,  linguistics,  and  God.  Winner  of  the  Man  Booker  Prize.    

     

Red  Brick,  Black  Mountain,  White  Clay:  Reflections  on  Art,  Family,  and  Survival,    by  Christopher  Benfey  In   searching   for   patterns   in   the   wanderings   of   his   far-­‐flung   family,   the   author   describes   his  narrative  as  more  geological  than  genealogical.  Threading  stories  about  bricklayers  and  Quakers,  North   Carolina   artisans   and   avant-­‐garde   exiles,   this   unconventional   memoir   explores   how  material  objects,  especially  from  the  clay,  populate  and  shape  our  lives.    A  Painter  of  Our  Time,  by  John  Berger  A   multilayered   mystery   by   Booker   Prize–winning   author   John   Berger   explores   the   motives  behind  an  artist’s  disappearance  and  response  to  the  demands  of  his  art  and  society.    The  Chemistry  of  Tears,  by  Peter  Carey  This  haunting  and  miraculous  tale  of  creation,  catastrophe,  and  the  chemistry  of  emotion  spans  centuries  and  continents  to  bring  together  a  grieving  mistress  and  the  19th-­‐century  Englishman  who  first  commissioned  the  extraordinary  mechanical  creature  she  must  now  restore.    Gentlemen  on  the  Road,  by  Michael  Chabon  This   Pulitzer   Prize–winning   author’s   contribution   to   the   tradition   of   epic   adventure   brings  together   a   pair   of   renegade   characters  who   find   themselves   embroiled   in   the   politics   of   the  medieval  Khazar  Empire.    An  Object  of  Beauty,  by  Steve  Martin  Described   as   a   primer   on   the   business   of   fine-­‐art   collecting   and   a   close   study   of   the  personalities  that  make  it  run,  this  caustic  tale  of  a  charismatic  and  fiercely  determined  young  art  dealer  parallels  the  New  York  art  market’s  turbulent  fortunes  of  recent  decades.      The  Museum  of  Innocence,  by  Orhan  Pamuk  Memories   of   Istanbul   shimmer   with   exquisite   detail   in   this   stirring   exploration   of   first   love,  lifelong   obsession,   and   the   everyday   keepsakes   that   symbolically   chart   one  man’s   emotional  fate.  Orhan  Pamuk  won  the  2006  Nobel  Prize  for  literature.      Year  at  the  Races:  Reflections  on  Horses,  Humans,  Love,  Money,  and  Luck,  by  Jane  Smiley  Called   a   “love   story”   in   the   book’s   introduction,   this   candid   exploration   of   the   world   of  Thoroughbred  racing  shares  original  insights  into  the  bond  between  humans  and  horses,  as  well  as  their  often  humorous  behavior.        ISLAMIC  ART  &  CULTURE    My  Name  is  Red,  by  Orhan  Pamuk  A  voice  from  the  grave  introduces  this  nontraditional  mystery  set  in  16th-­‐century  Istanbul,  where  stories  within  stories  explore  the  nature  of  art  in  Islamic  society  and  evoke  the  splendors  and  intrigue  of  the  Sultan’s  court.  Winner  of  the  2003  Dublin  Literary  Award.