Books About Art

This assortment of study guides focuses on the arts, from cinema to cuisine. Read on to explore Aristotle’s Poetics, which analyzes the nature and uses of poetry; An Actor Prepares by Constantin Stanislavski, a manual for actors based on the author’s work and teachings at the Moscow Art Theatre in Russia; and Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver, which chronicles the art of fine dining.

The Bridges of Madison County

by Robert James Waller

Publication year 1992

Genre Novella, Fiction

Themes Love, Art, Fate

Tags Romance, Arts & Culture, Love & Sexuality, Relationships, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction

A world-traveling photographer and a farmer’s wife connect in a sudden, impossible romance in The Bridges of Madison County, a 1992 novel by Robert James Waller. Lauded by critics as a soaring, spiritual story of true love thwarted, but ridiculed by others for greeting-card sentimentality, Bridges became a #1 New York Times bestseller and stayed on the list for three years. With theater and film adaptations, it is one of the most widely read books... Read The Bridges of Madison County Summary

The Circuit

by Francisco Jiménez

Publication year 1997

Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction

Themes Family, Justice, Immigration, Perseverance, Education, Childhood & Youth

Tags Historical Fiction, Poverty, Immigration & Refugeeism, Children`s Literature, Education, Education, Arts & Culture

... Read The Circuit Summary

The Cloisters

by Katy Hays

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Religion & Spirituality, Truth & Lies, Education

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Fantasy, Gothic Literature, Religion & Spirituality, Modern Classic Fiction, Arts & Culture

... Read The Cloisters Summary

The Closing of the American Mind

by Allan Bloom

Publication year 1987

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Education, Good & Evil, Community

Tags Philosophy, Education, Education, American Literature, Social Science, Sociology, World History, Philosophy, Arts & Culture, Politics & Government

The Closing of the American Mind: How Higher Education Has Failed Democracy and Impoverished the Souls of Today’s Students, by Allan Bloom, is a non-fiction book published in 1987. The work is a critique of American culture and higher education and was considered a landmark in the culture wars of the 1980s. It was a surprise bestseller and a New York Times Book Review Notable Book of the Year. This guide refers to the page... Read The Closing of the American Mind Summary

The Coddling of the American Mind

by Greg Lukianoff, Jonathan Haidt

Publication year 2018

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Community, Safety & Danger, Truth & Lies

Tags Anthropology, Education, Education, Sociology, Parenting, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Arts & Culture, Politics & Government

The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas are Setting Up a Generation for Failure is a psychology book written by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt and published in 2018. The nonfiction work, which expounds upon an essay the authors wrote for The Atlantic in 2015, became a bestseller and National Book Critics Circle Award nominee. The book argues that parents and schools, in an overabundance of caution, have taught children... Read The Coddling of the American Mind Summary

The Color of My Words

by Lynn Joseph

Publication year 2000

Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction

Themes Literature, Family, Grief

Tags Coming of Age, Arts & Culture, Children`s Literature, Realistic Fiction, Historical Fiction

Published in 2001 by HarperCollins, The Color of My Words is a children’s novel written by lawyer and author, Lynn Joseph. The novel follows an adolescent protagonist, Ana Rosa, as she observes the world around her and eventually discovers the power of her own voice through writing. The Color of My Words received significant critical recognition, and the International Reading Association and the American Library Association named it a notable book. This study guide refers... Read The Color of My Words Summary

The Death and Life of Great American Cities

by Jane Jacobs

Publication year 1961

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Community

Tags Sociology, Urban Development, World History, Arts & Culture, Politics & Government

The Death and Life of Great American Cities is a 1961 non-fiction book written by Jane Jacobs, an American-Canadian journalist, author, and activist with expertise in urban history and theory. This guide refers to the original edition published by the Vintage Books division of Random House. The title references the killing of cities by urban planners and to Jacobs’s ideas about the processes required to breathe new life into them. Jacobs’s overarching aim is to... Read The Death and Life of Great American Cities Summary

The Decay of Lying

by Oscar Wilde

Publication year 1889

Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction

Themes Literature, Art, Truth & Lies

Tags Philosophy, Victorian Period, Education, Education, Arts & Culture, Literary Criticism, World History, Philosophy, Victorian Era, Classic Fiction

... Read The Decay of Lying Summary

The Devil Wears Prada

by Lauren Weisberger

Publication year 2003

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Power & Greed, Appearance & Reality

Tags Humor, Satirical Literature, American Literature, Arts & Culture, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance

The Devil Wears Prada, published in 2004, is the debut novel of author Lauren Weisberger. It tells the tale of a hapless assistant working for a tyrannical boss in the fashion industry.The story takes place largely in present-day New York City, mostly in the offices of a high-fashion magazine called Runway. The central character, Andrea Sachs (who uses the nickname Andy), narrates the story from the first-person perspective, and the events she describes transpire over... Read The Devil Wears Prada Summary

The Discarded Image

by C. S. Lewis

Publication year 1964

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Appearance & Reality, Environment, Objects & Materials, Space, Colonialism, Art, Literature, Religion & Spirituality

Tags World History, Medieval, Philosophy, Arts & Culture, Literary Criticism, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Religion & Spirituality

Written by C. S. Lewis (1898-1963), The Discarded Image is a 1964 nonfiction book that explores the literary landscape of Europe during the Medieval Era. Lewis, who is best known for his children’s book series The Chronicles of Narnia, was also a literature professor at Oxford and Cambridge, as well as one of the most widely celebrated Christian apologists of his time. Published shortly after his death, The Discarded Image explores how medieval writers and... Read The Discarded Image Summary