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 Professor And The Madman

by Simon Winchester

Publication year 1998

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Mental Health, Language

Tags European History, Mental Illness, Arts & Culture, Education, Age of Enlightenment, World History, Biography

The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary is a 1998 work of nonfiction by British-American journalist Simon Winchester. Originally titled The Surgeon of Crowthorne: A Tale of Murder, Madness, and the Love of Words upon its release in the United Kingdom, the book follows the story of the creation of the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) and the connection that developed between James Murray, the... Read The Professor And The Madman Summary

The Rape of the Lock

by Alexander Pope

Publication year 1712

Genre Poem, Fiction

Tags Narrative Poem, Arts & Culture, Social Class, Age of Enlightenment, Education, Education, British Literature, World History, Humor, Classic Fiction

“The Rape of the Lock” is a mock-epic poem written by Alexander Pope. A mock-epic poem is equal in length to a traditional epic but takes a satirical tone rather than a serious one. The poem was originally published in 1712 and contained only two cantos. Pope, wanting to further expand its epic format, rewrote the poem several times and finally published a five-canto version in 1717. This version is the version we read today... Read The Rape of the Lock Summary

The Red Pencil

by Andrea Davis Pinkney

Publication year 2014

Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Grief, Hope, Childhood & Youth, Family, War, Art, Coming of Age

Tags Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Military & War, Arts & Culture, Education, Gender & Feminism, Coming of Age, African Literature, History: African , Children`s Literature

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The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano

by Sonia Manzano

Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Memory, Race, Coming of Age, Family, Community, Immigration, Politics & Government

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

Written by Sonia Manzano in 2012, The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano is a middle grade coming-of-age story set in the heart of Spanish Harlem, New York, in 1969. The novel introduces Evelyn Serrano, a young Puerto Rican girl caught between her conservative family and the vibrant, radical spirit of the Young Lords Movement. As Evelyn becomes more involved with the movement, she starts to uncover her family’s complex history and the struggles of the Puerto... Read The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano Summary

The River

by Peter Heller

Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Safety & Danger, Fate, Appearance & Reality, Perseverance

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Action & Adventure, Animals, Education, Arts & Culture, Natural Disaster, Philosophy, Trauma & Abuse, Sports, Relationships, Science & Nature, Modern Classic Fiction

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The Sandman Omnibus Vol. 1

by Neil Gaiman

Publication year 2015

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Family, Truth & Lies, Apathy, Conflict, Forgiveness, Hate & Anger, Loneliness, Love, Revenge, Shame & Pride, Gender Identity, Sexual Identity, Loyalty & Betrayal, Literature, Justice, Fate

Tags Fantasy, Horror & Suspense, Arts & Culture, Love & Sexuality, Grief & Death

... Read The Sandman Omnibus Vol. 1 Summary

The Sea of Monsters

by Rick Riordan

Publication year 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Love, Appearance & Reality, Order & Chaos

Tags Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mythology, Relationships, Arts & Culture, Parenting, American Literature, Children`s Literature, Action & Adventure

Book DetailThe Sea of Monsters, published by Miramax Books in 2006, is the second installment of Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians fantasy adventure series for young readers. The novel begins the summer after the first book in the series, The Lightning Thief, ends and follows returning heroes Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase on a quest to save Camp Half Blood. The Sea of Monsters was a New York Times best seller and Book... Read The Sea of Monsters Summary

The Secret History of Wonder Woman

by Jill Lepore

Publication year 2014

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Equality, Truth & Lies, Love

Tags World History, Arts & Culture, Gender & Feminism, Women`s Studies, US History, Social Justice, Psychology, Biography

The Secret History of Wonder Woman is a nonfiction book by Jill Lepore, published in 2014. It falls into the categories of history, comics, women’s studies, and biography, and won the American History Book Prize from the New York Historical Society. Lepore is a professor of American history at Harvard University and a staff writer for the New Yorker magazine. This guide was written from the hardcover first edition.SummaryThe first section, called “Veritas,” includes nine... Read The Secret History of Wonder Woman Summary

The Septembers Of Shiraz

by Dalia Sofer

Publication year 2007

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Religion & Spirituality, Loyalty & Betrayal, Social Class, Safety & Danger, Art, The Past, Fear, Nation, Nostalgia

Tags Historical Fiction, World History, Arts & Culture, Middle Eastern Literature, Realistic Fiction, Life-Inspired Fiction, Incarceration, Middle Eastern History, Trauma & Abuse, Politics & Government, Jewish Literature

The Septembers of Shiraz (2007), a novel by Iranian writer Dalia Sofer, recounts the experiences of the Amins, an Iranian Jewish family, during the Iranian Revolution in the late 1970s. The book is closely based on Sofer’s family history: When Sofer was 10, her family fled Iran, crossing the border to Turkey with the help of smugglers. The Septembers of Shiraz depicts the changing atmosphere and events that characterize the treatment of the wealthy class... Read The Septembers Of Shiraz Summary

The Seventh Most Important Thing

by Shelley Pearsall

Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Tags Historical Fiction, Children`s Literature, Grief & Death, Realistic Fiction, World History, Arts & Culture

The Seventh Most Important Thing by Shelley Pearsall (Penguin Random House, 2016) is a historical middle-grade novel. The book follows young Arthur Owens as he grapples with grief, discovers his own heaven, and learns how people, himself included, can surprise you. The Seventh Most Important Thing was nominated for 16 state awards and was an ALA Notable Book, an ILA Teachers Choice, and a Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year. Shelley Pearsall based the... Read The Seventh Most Important Thing Summary

The Sisters

by James Joyce

Publication year 1904

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Religion & Spirituality, Childhood & Youth, Community, Good & Evil

Tags Classic Fiction, Irish Literature, Religion & Spirituality, British Literature, Arts & Culture, World History

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The Society of the Spectacle

by Guy Debord

Publication year 1967

Genre Reference/Text Book, Nonfiction

Themes Community

Tags Philosophy, Sociology, French Literature, World History, Philosophy, Arts & Culture, Politics & Government

Guy Debord’s 1967 philosophy text, The Society of the Spectacle, analyzes the phenomena of alienation and argues that alienation’s root cause is located within the economic, political, and cultural spheres of modern society. While previous periods of capitalist development saw the hyper-exploitation of workers, the period of capitalism after WWII saw an improvement in labor conditions for greater numbers of workers in society. However, for Debord, this improvement in work conditions did not translate to... Read The Society of the Spectacle Summary

The Song Poet

by Kao Kalia Yang

Publication year 2016

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Fathers, Family

Tags Arts & Culture, World History, Biography

Kao Kalia Yang’s The Song Poet: A Memoir of My Father was published in 2016; this guide refers to the Kindle edition of the text. The book won the Minnesota Book Award and was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award and the Chautauqua Prize. The Song Poet presents the story of Kalia’s father, Bee Yang, as an artist and a song poet.Song poetry is a traditional form of Hmong art. The Hmong... Read The Song Poet Summary