What Are You Reading This Summer? (Curious Monday)

In the realm of Art and Art History I’m reading The Art Detective by Philip Mould, A Painter’s Quest by Peter Rogers and Paintings in Proust by Eric Karpeles.

A wonderful book for artists: Priceless – How I went undercover to rescue the world’s stolen treasures by Robert Wittman (Founder of the FBI Art Crime Team). A riveting account of this investigator going undercover to rescue some of history’s greatest masterpieces.

My reading consists of listening to audio books while working in th studio. I am currently listening to “The Muralist” by Barbara Shapiro. Barbara was a participant in a panel discussion at the Tucson Festival of Books that I attended and her description of how she researched and used historical events in her fiction books intrigued me.

From the Amazon description of the book:
“Entwining the lives of both historical and fictional characters, and moving between the past and the present, The Muralist plunges readers into the divisiveness of prewar politics and the largely forgotten plight of European refugees refused entrance to the United States. It captures both the inner workings of New York’s art scene and the beginnings of the vibrant and quintessentially American school of Abstract Expressionism. “

I’ve always got two books going. One – audio – for when I’m on the road. I live in the middle of nowhere so the shortest trip I take pretty much anywhere is about 30 minutes and usually more like an hour plus. The other is my ‘breakfast book,’ since I make a big deal out of my breakfast as part of a leisurely start for my day but since I’m a big fan of learning, the breakfast book is usually fact-based. Currently it’s a book on Human Design called The Global Incarnation Index by Ra Uru Hu.

In the car, I’m listening to a book called The Land of the Painted Caves by Jean Auel. It’s an older book but I’d never even heard of it and I am particularly enjoying the take on prehistoric cave painting as imagined by other prehistoric peoples! It’s well over 20 CDs and I almost wish it would never end.

Just finished one of the most amazing books I’ve ever read: The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. (It won the Pulitzer.) Not only is the story riveting and powerful, but the philosophy behind it — the existential search for Beauty and the meaning of Art.

I’ll echo the endorsement for the Goldfinch! Just finished listening to Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee. Interesting to think about her not wanting to have the book published. I also recently enjoyed This House of Sky by Ivan Doig, one of my favorite authors. One of my next possibilities is The Hare with the Amber Eyes, recommended by an artist friend.

Ravensbruck, Life and Death in Hitler’s Concentration Camp for Women by Sarah Helm.

This is a difficult read, but one I feel everyone must read. Most of the records of this camp were destroyed as Hitler didn’t want the world to know what was being done to women. The story is a result of much research and interviews with survivors.

After I am done with this I have Sally Mann’s book, Hold Still waiting for me to read.

I just finished “American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America” by Colin Woodard and it has forever changed how I understand US history and current affairs. If anyone wants to see the roots of our national tensions, our voting habits, our loose and changing federations laid out plainly, this book will give you the full story. (I always wondered why it was SO culturally different here in Santa Cruz compared to the decade I spent in the Sierra foothills or my time in Santa Barbara. Easy: SC is The Left Coast, the Sierras are The Far West and Santa Barbara is El Norte. And I agree in hindsight from my own experience!) Next up for summer reading: something fluffy.

Hi Alyson, I finished a great book that all of the artists will enjoy. It’s called “A Not-So-Still Life” by Jimmy Ernst. He was the son of surrealist Max Ernst born in pre-war Germany. It is well written and so enjoyable to read!
Another artist from the KAW group first told me about it. One can imagine growing up at the time Hitler came into power. A lot of history, humor and tragedy. Jimmy eventually came to New York and became an artist in his own right. His father also joined him but unfortunately Jimmy’s mother stayed behind.

I am in trouble now! My TBR list just got a lot longer! I love this question and being able to mine everyone’s posts for more good reads.

I just finished Julia Cameron’s “Letters to a Young Artist”. It’s a little treasure full of sage advice and interesting observations on living the life of an artist at any age. It reminds me of “The Art Spirit” by Robert Henri. I am also reading “How to Sell Your Art Online: Live a Successful Creative Life on Your Own Terms”.This is a brand new book by Cory Huff. I am about halfway through it and have learned some very interesting things about the online environment that I didn’t know.

Although I love real books, I have just finished re-reading Joyce Washor Saltzman’s fabulous e-book “Oil Painting Harmony: The Tao of the Complementary Palette”. This book has “how to” videos embedded in it ,and it’s just a wonderful book on mixing color. I don’t do oils, but I used it to figure out color charts to mix PanPastels which are non-traditional soft pastels that are mixable. Great resource!

I also loved The Muralist by Barbara Shapiro as well as her previous book The Art Forger. The Goldfinch is one of my all time favorites. I’m going to pick up Art and Fear again as I never finished it and hope to start My Brlliant Friend. Thanks for all of the great suggestions! Happy Summer!!

I loved the Hare with Amber Eyes.. And recommend my Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante.. The Neapolitan trilogy is so wonderful. I read all 4 in this last month as I could not put it down.. More favorites
My Name is Red and Shantaram

Re-reading some of my favorite watercolor books (Stephen Quiller, Nita Leland, Catherine Gill, & Jean Haines).
Working through Heal Yourself with Writing by Catherine Ann Jones.
Adding expertise for my job with The Skillful Teacher by Stephen D. Brooks and Becoming an Academic Writer by Patricia Goodson.

I enjoy marketing books! I am currently reading Market Yourself by Tara Swiger, How to Style your Brand, Fiona Humberstone, and Finding Divine Inspiration by J. Scott McElroy. Thank you for asking this question. Now I have some diverse options to try.

Oh my gosh! Everybody’s reading lists are magnificent! I’m studying English Literature so my reading list is not my own right now but all the same this next 6 months is a study on Australian stories, Summer of the Seventeenth Doll – Ray Lawler, The Boat – Nam Le, Bitin Back – Vivienne Cleven, Johnno – David Malouf, and Dead Europe – Christos Tsiolkas. I feel like I need to make a list of everybody else’s books for future reference ????

I enjoyed What Are You Looking At? – have it on my shelf to dip into again. All the Light You Cannot See and the Goldfinch were both excellent, I also enjoyed Against A Darkening Sky – when Christianity first came to Britain. Next novel to read (just got it) is Annie Proulx’s Barkskins. I’m also looking for the second volume of Nilanjana Roy’s The Wildings-which will be called The Hundred Names of Darkness- they are about a cat colony in India and are a bit like Watership Down. On the practical side, I’m reading Mieshelle Nagelschneider’s The Cat Whisperer because I have a cat with anxiety problems. I am also working my way through a stack of old Horizon’s and enjoying them- and I haven’t finished all John Berger’s essays on artists in Portraits. – and I’m always re-reading Ian Robert’s Creative Authenticity – subtitle – 16 Principles to Clarify and Deepen Your Artistic Vision…. very worthwhile.

I am reading the portfolio from the Denver Art Museum “Women of Abstract Expressionism. It was a great birthday present to visit.
Also I’m reading Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, a 10 year old book, that offers pointed insight into todays politics as well as historical insight into the United States civil war.

I am visiting Amsterdam later this year and to get ready; I am reading a book about Vincent van Gogh.
🙂

All the Light We Can Not See, by Anthony Doerr…..loving this one.

I’ve just received Old Friend from Far Away, by Natalie Goldberg in the mail. So excited to begin! Beginning the long-time dream of incorporating writing many memories into my creativity practice.

I have been reading nonfiction this summer. “Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation” by Michael Pollan inspired me to catch wild yeast and make my own sourdough starter, and also taught me how to ferment vegetables, so I made kimchi.

I just finished Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert and I loved it. A few of my favorite quotes from the book:

“Do whatever brings you to life, then. Follow your own fascinations, obsessions, and compulsions. Trust them. Create whatever causes a revolution in your heart. The rest of it will take care of itself.”

“You do not need anybody’s permission to live a creative life.”

“At some point, you really just have to finish your work and release it as is – if only so you can go on and make other things with a glad and determined heart.”

“Failure has a function. It asks you whether you really want to go on making things.”

“And what if people absolutely hate what you’ve created? What if people attack you with savage vitriol, and insult your intelligence, and malign your motives, and drag your good name through the mud? Just smile sweetly and suggest—as politely as you possibly can—that they go make their own [expletive] art.”