The Illustrated Dust Jacket, 1920-1970 by Martin Salisbury

Title: The Illustrated Dust Jacket, 1920-1970
Author: Martin Salisbury
Publication: Thames & Hudson, hardcover, 2017
Genre: Nonfiction/Books about Books/Art

Description: This book describes the history of the dust jacket, beginning in the 1920s, as an illustrated art form that is decorative and promotional, rather than merely providing protection.

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

Title: The Goldfinch
Author: Donna Tartt
Publication: Little, Brown & Co., hardcover, 2013
Genre: Fiction
Setting: New York, Las Vegas, Amsterdam

Description: On their way to what will be an unpleasant school meeting about Theo’s bad attitude, he and his mother stop at the Met to visit a Dutch Masters exhibit.

England 2018, Day 4

Hotel Arosfa on Gower Street in London was recommended by one of my Betsy-Tacy friends and I thought it was a good suggestion because I wanted to stay near Bloomsbury. It is a townhouse that once belonged to Sir John Everett Millais; most suitable given my love of the Pre-Raphaelites. The room is tiny and my mother and I keep crashing into each other but the breakfast room is charming and the breakfast itself was abundant.

Throughout London, there are Blue Plaques, put up by British Heritage, which celebrate notable people from the past at the locations where they lived. Several years ago, Georgette Heyer was honored with one at her birthplace in Wimbledon (maybe one day I can combine a visit there with some tennis viewing). It is great fun when you walk by one of these Plaques and recognize someone! The last time I was in London, my friend Nicky Smith surprised my friend Ellen and me by walking us down Wimpole Street where we saw the Blue Plaque for Elizabeth Barrett Browning, which was most gratifying. Strolling to the British Museum in this historic neighborhood led us past many Blue Plaques this morning, and I was pleased to see several of significance to me, including Anthony Hope, author of The Prisoner of Zenda, an old favorite, and Randolph Caldecott, noted Victorian artist after whom the ALA picture book award is named.

The Corbridge Lanx, Roman Britain - notable not only for being an exquisite silver platter but also because our guide said the scene depicted may be set on the shrine on the Greek island of Delos, the birthplace of the twins, Apollo and Artemis  (all roads lead to Betsy-Tacy, even at the British Museum).

The British Museum was impressive in its vastness but almost too huge to be enjoyable. We saw many beautiful things, found a tour on the influence of Greek gods which was good (our guide was very earnest and congenial), then spent a lot of time with the Parthenon Sculptures (formerly known as the Elgin Marbles). We were both tired and should have stopped for tea and cake.

Thalia, Muse of Comedy, 2nd century AD (for Antonia Forest fans)

When Mother went back to the hotel to write, I went on a pilgrimage to Persephone Books which was about 15 minutes away, and then walked to Liberty of London - both amazing places to window shop. I resisted any purchases because my luggage is heavy enough already and I haven't even been to Foyles yet! We ate dinner at Saucy, a casual Greek restaurant on Marchmont Street, halfway between our hotel and King's Cross.

One of many appealing displays at Liberty!

Miles walked: 7.4

A Piece of the World (Book Review)

Title: A Piece of the World
Author: Christina Baker Kline
Publication: William Morrow, Trade Paperback, 2018 (originally published 2017)
Genre: Historical Fiction

Plot: From the New York Times bestselling author of Orphan Train, a stunning and atmospheric novel of friendship, passion, and art, inspired by Andrew Wyeth’s mysterious and iconic painting Christina’s World.

“Later he told me that he’d been afraid to show me the painting. He thought I wouldn’t like the way he portrayed me: dragging myself across the field, fingers clutching dirt, my legs twisted behind. The arid moonscape of wheatgrass and timothy. That dilapidated house in the distance, looming up like a secret that won’t stay hidden.”

To Christina Olson, the entire world is her family farm in the small coastal town of Cushing, Maine. The only daughter in a family of sons, Christina is tied to her home by health and circumstance, and seems destined for a small life. Instead, she becomes Andrew Wyeth’s first great inspiration, and the subject of one of the best-known paintings of the twentieth century, Christina’s World.

As she did in Orphan Train, Christina Baker Kline interweaves fact and fiction to vividly reimagine a real moment in history. A Piece of the World is a powerful story of the flesh-and-blood woman behind the portrait, her complicated relationship to her family and inheritance, and how artist and muse can come together to forge a new and timeless legacy.

Audience: Fans of historical fiction, books set in New England; those who look at a painting and wonder about the people in it.

My Impressions: This is the third book by Kline I have read, and by far the best; I was completely captivated from beginning to end, and couldn’t wait to recommend it to my younger sister (can there be greater praise?). The author answers questions the rest of us had never gotten around to articulating but yes, now we realize we too wanted to know more about Christina and her world. Kline creates quiet characters whose personalities are larger than life as their strength is revealed.

The story moves back and forth from the past to the then-present in a way that is logical instead of jarring, as the author reveals family conflict and secrets. Christina’s story is sad and painful, and Cushing, Maine is not really the kind of place one wants to visit, but when she leaves briefly it is startling to realize she has never been farther from home than one ill-omened medical visit to Rockland. Fortunately, a kind train conductor makes sure that Christina and her brother get the most out of their first train trip when they travel to see a friend in Boston. There are many little details that show how difficult life was in rural Maine and that Christina was separated from the world not simply by a mysterious illness that crippled her but also physical isolation and parents who actively prevented her from expanding her horizons.  In Orphan Train, I much preferred the historical story to the present but here the timeline is all in the past, albeit at various times during Christina's life.

Purchase Links: Harper Collins Barnes & Noble Amazon IndieBound

Other: This paperback edition includes a color reproduction of Andrew Wyeth’s painting Christina’s World, along with a Q&A with bestselling author Kristin Hannah that would be suitable for book groups, also a bonus short story, “Stranded in Ice” about Christina’s unpleasant father.

Source: I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher and TLC Book Tours for review purposes.  You can visit other stops on the tour and read the reviews below:

Thursday, February 1st: Dwell in Possibility

Monday, February 5th: Instagram: @a_tad_bit_bookish

Wednesday, February 7th: BookNAround

Friday, February 9th: Peppermint PhD

Monday, February 12th: Openly Bookish

Wednesday, February 14th: Life By Kristen

Thursday, February 15th: Man of La Book

Monday, February 19th: Book by Book

Tuesday, February 20th: Rockin’ and Reviewing

Wednesday, February 21st: Instagram: @Novelmombooks

Friday, February 23rd: Instagram: @jackiereadsbooks

Sunday, February 25th: Instagram: @lavieestbooks

Monday, February 26th: Time 2 Read

Wednesday, February 28, 2018 Caryn, The Book Whisperer

TBD: Stranded in Chaos

TBD: 5 Minutes For Books