Title: The Lost Painting: The Quest for a Caravaggio Masterpiece
Author: Jonathon Harry
Genre: Art History
Format: Quality Paperback
Publishing Info: Random House Trade Paperbacks; Reprint edition (November 7, 2006)
List Price: $13.95
ISBN: 0375759867
BINC:
Page Count: 320
Summary: Prizewinning author Jonathan Harr embarks on an spellbinding journey to discover the long-lost painting known as The Taking of Christ–its mysterious fate and the circumstances of its disappearance have captivated Caravaggio devotees for years. After Francesca Cappelletti stumbles across a clue in that dusty archive, she tracks the painting across a continent and hundreds of years of history. But it is not until she meets Sergio Benedetti, an art restorer working in Ireland, that she finally manages to assemble all the pieces of the puzzle. (From amazon.com)
Best Bit: Harr doesn't really shy away from going into the personal politics in the art community. People are petty, back-scratchers, and obviously invested in getting credit for one of the most important Caravaggio discoveries in recent history.
Quick Review: When Harr switches gears from his overly descriptive prose and finally really digs into the events surrounding the discovery of The Taking of Christ, the book really starts picking up. Also, I love Caravaggio.
Final Grade: A
Author: Jonathon Harry
Genre: Art History
Format: Quality Paperback
Publishing Info: Random House Trade Paperbacks; Reprint edition (November 7, 2006)
List Price: $13.95
ISBN: 0375759867
BINC:
Page Count: 320
Summary: Prizewinning author Jonathan Harr embarks on an spellbinding journey to discover the long-lost painting known as The Taking of Christ–its mysterious fate and the circumstances of its disappearance have captivated Caravaggio devotees for years. After Francesca Cappelletti stumbles across a clue in that dusty archive, she tracks the painting across a continent and hundreds of years of history. But it is not until she meets Sergio Benedetti, an art restorer working in Ireland, that she finally manages to assemble all the pieces of the puzzle. (From amazon.com)
Best Bit: Harr doesn't really shy away from going into the personal politics in the art community. People are petty, back-scratchers, and obviously invested in getting credit for one of the most important Caravaggio discoveries in recent history.
Quick Review: When Harr switches gears from his overly descriptive prose and finally really digs into the events surrounding the discovery of The Taking of Christ, the book really starts picking up. Also, I love Caravaggio.
Final Grade: A
Title: Endymion Spring
Author: Matthew Skelton
Genre: Fiction (Independent Reader)
Format: Hardcover
Publishing Info: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (August 22, 2006)
List Price: $17.95
ISBN: 0385733801
BINC:
Page Count: 400
Summary:
From a review on amazon: He didn't find the book. The book found him. When American expatriate and teenager Blake moved to Oxford, England with his annoying little sister and scholar mother he expected to be bored. What he did not expect was to be bitten by an ancient crumbling novel with the words, "Endymion Spring" on the cover. Intrigued by his find, Blake suddenly finds increasingly strange things happening to him. He receives a little paper dragon that seems to have a mind of its own. His sister is acting quieter and more withdrawn than usual. By the time he understands what he's gotten into, it's far too late. Blake's fate is tied in with that of the original Endymion Spring, a boy apprentice to the great printer Gutenberg himself. Leaping between the past and the present, this tale draws together scholars of every age, the lure of power, and how one book can change the entire world. Magic and research combine in a terrifying mix.
Best Bit:
The big ending scene in the basement of the Oxford library. This book makes libraries cool. Sweet!
Quick Review:
Um, it's like the Da Vinci Code for kids. Which isn't necessarily bad, and it's engaging enough, but it's definitely not the best thing ever. Although hey, yey Oxford.
Final Grade: C
Author: Matthew Skelton
Genre: Fiction (Independent Reader)
Format: Hardcover
Publishing Info: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (August 22, 2006)
List Price: $17.95
ISBN: 0385733801
BINC:
Page Count: 400
Summary:
From a review on amazon: He didn't find the book. The book found him. When American expatriate and teenager Blake moved to Oxford, England with his annoying little sister and scholar mother he expected to be bored. What he did not expect was to be bitten by an ancient crumbling novel with the words, "Endymion Spring" on the cover. Intrigued by his find, Blake suddenly finds increasingly strange things happening to him. He receives a little paper dragon that seems to have a mind of its own. His sister is acting quieter and more withdrawn than usual. By the time he understands what he's gotten into, it's far too late. Blake's fate is tied in with that of the original Endymion Spring, a boy apprentice to the great printer Gutenberg himself. Leaping between the past and the present, this tale draws together scholars of every age, the lure of power, and how one book can change the entire world. Magic and research combine in a terrifying mix.
Best Bit:
The big ending scene in the basement of the Oxford library. This book makes libraries cool. Sweet!
Quick Review:
Um, it's like the Da Vinci Code for kids. Which isn't necessarily bad, and it's engaging enough, but it's definitely not the best thing ever. Although hey, yey Oxford.
Final Grade: C
Title: My Secret: A PostSecret Book
Author: Frank Warren
Genre: Art Monographies
Format: Hardcover
Publishing Info: Regan Books (October 24, 2006)
List Price: $19.95
ISBN: 0061196681
BINC: 1125333
Page Count: 144
Summary:
A PostSecret book consisting entirely of secrets from teens and college students. (How he knows the age of the secret writer is sort of a mystery... but whatever.)
Best Bit:
PostSecret is a lovely and interesting phenomenon. Warren places some random quotes amongst all the images, and I feel like this one sums up the social aspect of it best: "I don't feel entirely alone when I go through the postcards on your website, or rather, I still feel alone, but I feel like there are a lot more people alone with me."
Quick Review:
I enjoyed it, and while it's not a typical book like of the rest on this list, I still felt it merited inclusion. I'm especially excited about my copy, as Frank Warren came into our store and signed our copies, but I was able to quickly meet him as well. The idea is just so so so awesome.
Final Grade: A
Author: Frank Warren
Genre: Art Monographies
Format: Hardcover
Publishing Info: Regan Books (October 24, 2006)
List Price: $19.95
ISBN: 0061196681
BINC: 1125333
Page Count: 144
Summary:
A PostSecret book consisting entirely of secrets from teens and college students. (How he knows the age of the secret writer is sort of a mystery... but whatever.)
Best Bit:
PostSecret is a lovely and interesting phenomenon. Warren places some random quotes amongst all the images, and I feel like this one sums up the social aspect of it best: "I don't feel entirely alone when I go through the postcards on your website, or rather, I still feel alone, but I feel like there are a lot more people alone with me."
Quick Review:
I enjoyed it, and while it's not a typical book like of the rest on this list, I still felt it merited inclusion. I'm especially excited about my copy, as Frank Warren came into our store and signed our copies, but I was able to quickly meet him as well. The idea is just so so so awesome.
Final Grade: A
Title: The Dead Zone
Author: Stephen King
Genre: Horror
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Publishing Info: Signet; Reissue edition (January 6, 2004)
List Price: $7.99
ISBN: 0451155750
BINC: 123319
Page Count: 402
Summary:
Johnny Smith has a gift, and one that he never really wanted. If you were granted the ability to see flashes of the future, what would you use that power for? Smith must face these questions on a daily basis after he is almost killed in a car crash, but his ultimate test will change the course of history.
Best Bit:
This was probably one of King's best plots that I have read so far. His strongest stories come from character work, especially when the monsters are human, like Greg Stillson.
Quick Review:
I pretty much devoured this book in 2 days in the start of November. While King's books are almost always fast reads, sometimes I will wander away from one in the middle, and pick it up a few days later. Not the case with this one. I wanted to read it especially after reading his comments on it in On Writing, and I was not let down. Johnny Smith is a great every-man hero, much like Stu Redman or Larry Underwood of The Stand.
Final Grade: A
Author: Stephen King
Genre: Horror
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Publishing Info: Signet; Reissue edition (January 6, 2004)
List Price: $7.99
ISBN: 0451155750
BINC: 123319
Page Count: 402
Summary:
Johnny Smith has a gift, and one that he never really wanted. If you were granted the ability to see flashes of the future, what would you use that power for? Smith must face these questions on a daily basis after he is almost killed in a car crash, but his ultimate test will change the course of history.
Best Bit:
This was probably one of King's best plots that I have read so far. His strongest stories come from character work, especially when the monsters are human, like Greg Stillson.
Quick Review:
I pretty much devoured this book in 2 days in the start of November. While King's books are almost always fast reads, sometimes I will wander away from one in the middle, and pick it up a few days later. Not the case with this one. I wanted to read it especially after reading his comments on it in On Writing, and I was not let down. Johnny Smith is a great every-man hero, much like Stu Redman or Larry Underwood of The Stand.
Final Grade: A
