Showing titles in History & Criticism

A rollicking account of a celebrated artist’s coming of age, full of outrageously bad behavior, naked ambition, fantastically good music, and evaporating barriers of taste and decorum, and featuring cameos from David Bowie, Andy Warhol, Patti Smith, and many more. “A phantasmagoria of...

The Wall Street Journal called him “a living legend.” The London Times dubbed him “the most famous art detective in the world.” In Priceless, Robert K. Wittman, the founder of the FBI’s Art Crime Team, pulls back the curtain on his remarkable career for the first time, offering a...

An intimate biography of Richard Avedon, the legendary fashion and portrait photographer who “helped define America’s image of style, beauty and culture” (The New York Times) by his longtime collaborator and business partner Norma Stevens and award-winning author Steven M. L. Aronson...

Art historian Catherine McCormack challenges how culture teaches us to see and value women, their bodies, and their lives. Venus, maiden, wife, mother, monster—women have been bound so long by these restrictive roles, codified by patriarchal culture, that we scarcely see them. Catherine...

From one of our most widely admired art critics comes a bold and timely manifesto reaffirming the independence of all the arts—musical, literary, and visual—and their unique and unparalleled power to excite, disturb, and inspire us. As people look to the arts to promote a particular...

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER PULITZER PRIZE FINALIST NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD WINNER ONE OF TIME’S 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE A ruthlessly honest, emotionally charged, and utterly original exploration of Asian American consciousness “Brilliant . . . To read this...

WINNER OF THE 2023 HILARY WESTON WRITERS' TRUST PRIZE FOR NONFICTION FINALIST FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS BOOK CIRCLE AWARD IN NONFICTION NAMED A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR BY THE NEW YORK TIMES THE GLOBE AND MAIL GRANTA THE NEW YORKER ...

The summer of 1957 pressed down on the Choctaw communities like a hand over a mouth, suffocating and relentless. In the pine-shadowed hollows of Neshoba County, Mississippi, the heat rose from red clay roads in shimmering waves, distorting the view of weathered houses that leaned like tired...

Explore breathtaking prehistoric art and solve ancient archaeological mysteries from the depths of the Late Ice Age. Perfect for an educational morning commute, this engaging narrative transports curious history buffs straight into the underground chambers of 1940s France. Experience the thrill...

Discover the awe-inspiring engineering and dramatic ancient history behind humanity's most legendary vanished monument. Perfect for an educational commute, this immersive deep dive transports armchair travelers straight into the heart of the Hellenistic Mediterranean. Experience the turbulent...

Explore a breathtaking archaeological mystery and witness the dawn of human creativity in the depths of the Ice Age. Transport yourself to the atmospheric landscapes of prehistoric France, where nomadic hunter-gatherers left behind a stunning visual language. Perfect for a focused commute or a...

Dive into a gripping true mystery of WWII looted art and a legendary lost treasure that vanished without a trace. Perfect for your daily commute, this captivating historical investigation traces a shimmering chamber of fossilized resin from ancient Baltic forests to the heights of Russian...

Experience the awe-inspiring ancient history of a colossal lost wonder that defined classical art and mythology. Perfect for your morning commute or a deep-focus learning session, this immersive audio journey transports you directly to the sacred valley of Olympia. Stand alongside ancient...

Resurrect a lost ancient wonder of classical antiquity and explore the awe-inspiring archaeology behind a vanished god. Perfect for an educational commute or an evening of armchair travel, this immersive history transports you directly to the sacred, sun-drenched sanctuary of ancient Greece...

Uncover the Renaissance art mystery and true crime heist behind history's most enigmatic masterpiece. Perfect for an immersive morning commute or armchair travel, this intellectual deep-dive transports you directly into the bustling streets of sixteenth-century Florence. Experience the restless...

Unearth the archaeological mysteries of Mesoamerica and explore the forgotten empire that sparked a civilization. Perfect for your daily commute or an immersive learning session, this captivating historical narrative transports you directly into the humid lowlands of the ancient Gulf Coast...

Unearth the accidental discovery of a hidden underground world where prehistoric art forever changed human history. In the shadowy hills of 1940s rural France, ordinary schoolboys stumbled upon an Ice Age masterpiece. This vivid historical narrative pulls you straight into the cavernous depths...

Journey into deep time to decode ancient Egypt's ultimate enigma, exploring the true archaeology behind a global icon. Whether you are seeking an adventurous escape during your daily commute or satisfying a curious mind, this immersive historical exploration transports you directly to the...

Unearth the Mesoamerican secrets of a lost civilization that forged colossal stone monuments in the deep jungle. Perfect for an educational commute or immersive travel listening, this atmospheric deep-dive transports you to the tropical Gulf Coast. Step into ancient cities where early rulers...

Experience the epic rise and tragic collapse of Europe's first maritime civilization in this immersive ancient history. Perfect for a captivating commute, this swift journey transports you to the Bronze Age shores of the Aegean Sea. Discover how a scattered community of early farmers transformed...