Contemporary Art History

Turn your daily commute into an awe-inspiring cultural history adventure through two millennia of Japanese art. Wander through tranquil Shinto shrines, disciplined Zen monasteries, and modern galleries without ever leaving your seat. Let the contemplative beauty of this visual evolution turn...

The groundbreaking biography of Booker Prize-winning novelist and art historian Anita Brookner, from one of our leading literary biographers. Hermione Lee reveals the full story of a brilliant, idiosyncratic and complex woman and goes deep into Anita Brookner’s marvellous work in all its...

'I have never read such a stimulating short guide to art' Lynn Barber, Sunday Times Now Grayson Perry is a fully paid-up member of the art establishment, he wants to show that any of us can appreciate art (after all, there is a reason he's called this book Playing to the Gallery and not 'Sucking...

From young artists trying to elbow their way in to those working hard at dropping out, White's essential audiobook offers a once-in-a-generation glimpse of the inner workings of the American art world at a moment of unparalleled ambition, uncertainty, and creative exuberance.

The first biography of the large life of one of the most important, enigmatic, yet private artists of the twentieth century. Drawn from almost forty years of conversations with the artist, letters, and papers, it is a major work written by a well-known British art critic. Lucian Freud...

A New York Times Editor's Choice "A magnetic, atmospheric, razor-sharp work." —Aysegül Savas, author of Walking on the Ceiling and White on White An insightful look at a young woman’s search for meaning, independence, and belonging in the face of a consuming relationship Frances is an...

Brought to you by Penguin. A toymaker, a stolen tiger and an unforgettable journey. WONDER Under orders from the ruler of Mysore, young toymaker Abbas has created a spectacular mechanical tiger, unlike anything the world has ever seen. LOVE Abbas’s achievement opens up the opportunity of a new...

This program is narrated by Academy Award–winning actor, Tilda Swinton. It also contains a new afterword, read by the author. "[Tilda Swinton's] reading is sharp yet reflective, tinged with curiosity and melancholy." —The Guardian "Her ethereal, velvety voice and steady, measured delivery...

Brought to you by Penguin. Over a hot summer in New York a painter falls for a priest, in this captivating modern love story from the Booker-Prize shortlisted Brandon Taylor Wyeth is a newcomer to New York, a young Black painter who is trying to find his place in the contemporary Manhattan art...

“What if? These words tantalize and haunt us. . . .Cynthia Swanson takes us on a startling journey where a woman is thrust into the alternative world that might have been, had she made different choices.” — Randy Susan Meyers, author of Accidents of Marriage A provocative and hauntingly...

The follow-up to Susan Gloss’s successful debut, Vintage, is a charming mid-western story of artists, inspiration, and how to reinvent your life with purpose and flair. Nell Parker has a PhD in Art History, a loving husband named Josh, and a Craftsman bungalow in Madison, WI. But her last...

How did Richard Ford's cat influence his work as a novelist? HOW is Chuck Close's portraiture driven by his inability to remember faces? What pivotal moment helped Rosanne Cash understand the healing power of the stage? Creativity is an elusive subject. We enjoy its fruits—movies, novels...

New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Lowell creates another masterpiece of excitement and chills, passion and surprise. When Lacey Quinn inherits the striking landscapes done by her late, much-loved grandfather, she believes they are as good as anything hanging in museums. But the...

A sweeping story of three generations of women, crossing from London to Ireland and back again, and the enduring effort to retrieve the secrets of the past It’s London, 1960, and Aoife Kelly—once the sparkling object of young men’s affections—runs pubs with her brusque, barking husband...

In this enlightening and entertaining book, experience the evolution of country music, from the 1970s Appalachian hillbilly chitlin' circuit to the 1980s country music boom that paved the way for modern Americana. In a dim clearing off a county road in Kentucky sits a sagging outdoor stage...

It is True Dickinson's forty-third birthday, and her best friends have gathered on this snowy night in Cape Cod at a trendy neighborhood restaurant to celebrate. True has never felt more alone. It's been eight years since the death of her husband, leaving her to raise their son on her own. Both...

"Sanam is a carefree, but headstrong young girl. A spat with a politician's son pushes her take up a big challenge-to become an IAS. At the same time, a small-town boy, Aamir, is nudged into studying for the civil services too. Their hard work pays off when both become rank holders.And soon...

“Vintage Contemporaries is about being young and becoming less young, exploring friendship (sometimes magical, sometimes messy), parenthood (ditto), and how to reconcile youthful ambition and ideals with real life. It’s a warm and big-hearted coming of age story that made me wistful for my...

Award-winning author Michèle Phoenix weaves an unforgettable tale of hope and survival in The Space Between Words. In this split-time "powerful and compelling novel" (Library Journal starred review), one woman recovers from a traumatic event by uncovering secrets from the past. "There were...

The mysterious disappearance of Michael Rockefeller in New Guinea in 1961 has kept the world and his powerful, influential family guessing for years. Now, Carl Hoffman uncovers startling new evidence that finally tells the full, astonishing story. Despite exhaustive searches, no trace of...