Product Description
In her acclaimed novels, Susan Vreeland has given us portraits of painting and life that are as dazzling as their artistic subjects. Now, in The Forest Lover, she traces the courageous life and career of Emily Carr, who—more than Georgia O’Keeffe or Frida Kahlo—blazed a path for modern women artists. Overcoming the confines of Victorian culture, Carr became a major force in modern art by capturing an untamed British Columbia and its indigenous peoples just before industrialization changed them forever. From illegal potlatches in tribal communities to artists’ studios in pre–World War I Paris, Vreeland tells her story with gusto and suspense, giving us a glorious novel that will appeal to lovers of art, native cultures, and lush historical fiction.Amazon.com Review
Novelist Susan Vreeland has made a career of fictionalizing the lives of artists andof particular paintings, like Artemisia Gentileschi¹s magnificentJudith in The Passion of Artemisia. In her third novel, The Forest Lover, Vreeland's subject is the courageous Canadian painter Emily Carr, who traveled through native villages and wilderness ofBritish Columbia in the early 1900s, often alone, on a quest to paint totempoles and other artifacts before the indigenous traditions died out and thepoles were destroyed or sold. Vreeland's Carr is deeply respectful of thepeople she meets, and is rewarded with their trust and their stories. Shebrings the same sensitivity with her to Paris to see the new art, isexhibited at the Salon d'Automne, and returns to Vancouver in 1912 with astyle so direct, and colors so expressive, that a conservative localreviewer dubs her a wild beast, literally, a Fauve. Vreeland's strength is inthe tacks of emotion during dialogue, and in her nimble, exact prose. Asshe depicts her, Carr is an endearing and believable balance of sensitivityand determination‹an artist of life as well as a remarkable painter. --Regina Marler ... Read more

Customer Reviews (50)

Artistic Impressions
The Forest Lover - Susan Vreeland
3 stars
Emily Carr was a post impressionist Canadian artist who died in 1945. Forest Lover is an uneven fictionalized biography of her life as a struggling female painter. I find the woman and her work to be fascinating, but this retelling of her life leaves much to be desired. The story begins with Emily as a grown woman trying to scratch a living as an artist. She teaches art to well-to-do ladies and their children, but is continually dissatisfied with the limits placed on her life and her art. Throughout the book Vreeland creates some fictional relationships for Emily, but none of these friendships seem to have depth and they continue to feel fictional as the story progresses.
After reading this book, I read more about the life of Emily Carr. The more I know about her, the less satisfied I am with The Forest Lover. Apparently, Carr first studied art in San Francisco and later in London. These experiences get only passing reference in Vreeland's book. Vreeland does capture the depth of Carr's interest and sympathy for native people, but again I felt the personal relationships were improbable.The redeeming feature of this book was Vreeland's descriptions of the physical difficulties Carr had to endure to create her master works. I couldn't believe the relationship with the French Canadian trapper/trader, but the details of the constant rain and the pestilential mosquitoes made me want to run for cover

Last two thirds of the book become interesting
Turn of the century historical novel about the life and paintings of Emily Carr. Emily Carr has been compared to Georgia O'Keefe and other female painters who have a distinguished artistic style. Emily Carr's subjects are the primitive British Columbia native tribal cultures, which her paintings preserved as the cultures disappeared. Emily lived until 1945: long enough to know her bold, huge, impressionist paintings were hung in Canadian museums and recognized as works equal to the male impressionists of the same period. The author creates interesting characters which are the backdrop for Emily Carr's history. The first third of the story starts out slowly, but becomes interesting so that the last two thirds make the book an interesting, educational, good ending read.

The Forest Lover
This was my first introduction to Emily Carr and her paintings. While I liked the character of Emily, I felt more drawn to the peripheral characters that Vreeland described for us as being a part of Emily's world. I wanted to know more about her sisters, especially the elder who seemed to have such a heavy burden placed on her at a young age what with having to raise her siblings. And my heart broke for poor Sophie Frank, and learning that Vreeland under-reported the number of children she lost is devastating, especially knowing that many of that time did not look kindly upon the native population. That Carr made it, even after having to stop painting for awhile, is thrilling and I cannot wait to view some of her works in person and to find out more about this fascinating personality.

Totemally awesome
This engrossing book examines a largely ignored art and the people who make and worship them. I have seen some totem poles in various museums and like this novel, they feel alive. Great so stay with it.

The Forest Lover
I read this book for a class and can't imagine why it was chosen.I really had a hard time getting through it.I liked Vreeland's other books but what happened to this one?It did inspire me to go to the web and view Emily Carr's paintings.Can't recommend this. ... Read more

Product Description
This luminous story begins in the present day, when a professor invites a colleague to his home to see a painting that he has kept secret for decades. The professor swears it is a Vermeer--but why has he hidden this important work for so long? The reasons unfold in a series of events that trace the ownership of the painting back to World War II and Amsterdam, and still further back to the moment of the work's inspiration. As the painting moves through each owner's hands, what was long hidden quietly surfaces, illuminating poignant moments in multiple lives. Vreeland's characters remind us, through their love of this mysterious painting, how beauty transforms and why we reach for it, what lasts and what in our lives is singular and unforgettable.

Named a Best Book of the Year by Publishers Weekly, the Christian Science Monitor, and the San Francisco Chronicle
Nominated for the Book Sense Book of the YearAmazon.com Review
There are only 35 known Vermeers extant in the world today. In Girl inHyacinth Blue, Susan Vreeland posits the existence of a 36th. The storybegins at a private boys' academy in Pennsylvania where, in the wake of afaculty member's unexpected death, math teacher Cornelius Engelbrecht makesa surprising revelation to one of his colleagues. He has, he claims, anauthentic Vermeer painting, "a most extraordinary painting in which a younggirl wearing a short blue smock over a rust-colored skirt sat in profile ata table by an open window." His colleague, an art teacher, is skeptical andthough the technique and subject matter are persuasively Vermeer-like,Engelbrecht can offer no hard evidence--no appraisal, no papers--to supporthis claim. He says only that his father, "who always had a quick eye forfine art, picked it up, let us say, at an advantageous moment." Eventuallyit is revealed that Engelbrecht's father was a Nazi in charge of roundingup Dutch Jews for deportation and that the picture was looted from onedoomed family's home:

That's when I saw that painting, behind his head. All blues and yellows andreddish brown, as translucent as lacquer. It had to be a Dutch master. Justthen a private found a little kid covered with tablecloths behind somedishes in a sideboard cabinet. We'd almost missed him.

Customer Reviews (205)

Lovely Listen
Well written and beautifully read aloud.Each story is read by a different actor.

Enjoy an easy read while you learn.
The title of Girl in Hyacinth Blue could also be titled Life of a Painting. All who read this book will enjoy art more because of the wonderful description of the painting and the way the owners of it enjoy its beauty.

Set in Amsterdam from 1939 to 1945, the story gives a wonderful history of the life of the people during WWII. Since the story gives the historical account of the painting Girl in Hyacinth Blue from present day to its beginning, you're reading a memoir backwards to find out how the painting came to be in the current owner's home.

Enjoy an easy read while you learn.

The Influence Of Art
When reading the book Girl in Hyacinth Blue, by Susan Vreeland, I found that it was a good and interesting read. The book takes place in the 1800's and although it isn't very modern, it was still relatable to modern times and easy to understand where the characters were coming from. The book wasn't a challenge to read, it was very basic and straight-forward with what was going on. The plot itself was based on a rare painting and how it affected each different person who gained possession of it. It wasn't a page turner and it was easy to guess what was going to happen next. The characters all had this sadness that came from their attachment to the painting while it was a part of their lives. I enjoyed how the author made all the characters different and the only thing they had in common was their unique attachment to the painting.I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys rare paintings and anyone who wants a good quick read. Overall, the book has a pretty interesting concept.When analyzing each of the stories separately and then putting them all together, you begin to realize how one painting can so powerfully affect many different lives.

Great book!!
I loved this book. It starts in modern times and goes back through all the owners of the painting to Vermeer who painted it. They all loved the painting and tried so hard to hold on to it but alas, were not able to. They were all mesmerized by its beauty. All of the owners found something about it that made it all their own. I would whole heartedly recommend this book!!!

Wonderful!
This book is a gem, like any and all of Susan's novels, it is superbly well written and carefully researched.The characters are engaging and the story compelling.A delightful read! ... Read more

Product Description
With her richly textured novels Susan Vreeland has offered pioneering portraits of the artist’s life. Now, in a collection of profound wisdom and beauty, she explores the transcendent power of art through the eyes of ordinary people. Life Studies begins with historic tales that, rather than focusing directly on the great Impressionist and Post-Impressionist masters themselves, render those on the periphery—their lovers, servants, and children—as their personal experiences play out against those of Manet, Monet, van Gogh, and others. Vreeland then gives us contemporary stories in which her characters—a teacher, a construction worker, and an orphan for example—encounter art in meaningful, often surprising ways. A fascinating exploration of the lasting strength of art in everyday life, Life Studies is a dazzling addition to Vreeland’s outstanding body of work. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

The Power of Art
Susan Vreeland has said that she wants to write about the enriching and uplifting power of art and she has certainly succeeded. The seventeen stories in Life Studies explore art of the past as well as art in our own time. One of the pleasures for the reader is discovering just what well-known painting is being described - sometimes even before it has been painted and is just planned by the artist.Her writing is firmly based in research and fleshes out dryer art history we may have studied.There is a great sensitivity to the writing as Vreeland brings out the humanity of the artists and those in their lives. She has said "Each time we enter imaginatively into the life of another, it's a small step upwards in the evolution of the human race."In this collection, we are also privileged to enter into Vreeland's childhood with "Crayon, 1955" For anyone who had encouragement, as a child, to explore a new world of thinking, it is particularly poignant. A really good read.

Lovely...
A friend that I take art classes with recommended this book. I've really enjoyed it. It's a collection of stories that show how deeply art can affect average people in their daily life.

The main quote of the book explains well the message of these stories: "The real question is: To whom does the meaning of the art of the past properly belong? To those who can apply it to their own lives, or to a cultural hierarchy of relic specialist? - John Berger, Ways of Seeing, 1977"

The author gives awesome examples of how art can touch you regardless of age, practice, education level, and culture. Some of the stories refer to renowned past artists and the inspirational effect they have on others, while others present average people opening to art.

Not a full 5-star though, as some of the stories could have taken a bit more work to get them polished at the level of a few, outstanding ones. I found the following excellent: The Yellow Jacket; Crayon, 1955; At Least Five Hundred Words, with Sincerity and Honesty.

A heart warming and inspirational book.

Captivating Portraits (possible spoilers)
Life Studies is a collection of short stories about art and artists by Susan Vreeland. I've read two of the stories so far and am in the middle of the third one.

All three stories show Vreeland to be a master at work as she deftly weaves together art history, human psychology, poignant metaphors and recurring motifs together with vivid descriptions of the French landscape and people. I was delighted at the "aha!" moment in each story has where it becomes clear which beloved artwork has been, is being or will be created.

I look forward to finishing the book, but highly recommend it based on what I have read so far.

Moments of intimate beauty
Susan Vreeland's first book, the exquisite "Girl in Hyacinth Blue," was told in a series of stories centering around one Vermeer painting. In this book she returns to the story form, this time concerning many artists instead of just one. It contains moments of real beauty and for those who love art, or grew up with artists as I did, quite real and memorable.

These are unusual stories in form and perception. Art and the artist are seen from an angle, often told from the perspective of a model or a child or a lover. It is as if you rounded a corner and bumped into Renoir's easel or noticed Cézanne across a country road talking to a friend. These artists touch you as they really lived, as rather ordinary people. The stories are sometimes as quiet as walk in the woods. But in the end you feel you have known the little boy who threw stones at Cézanne, or the tired banker who goes to a weekend gathering in Montmartre and finds, in a short conversation with the artist Renoir who lives upstairs, a new joy in his life.

Of the contemporary stories in the second half of the book, "Crayon," about a little girl and her dying artist grandfather is such a beautiful piece of writing.

This book is for any reader who would like to know what it was like to see one of these artists not as some sort of sexual athlete or superman but walking across the street quietly with his paint box in his hand.

Sometimes good but mostly thin
The state of literature currently: garbage. Put an emotional shell on a conclusion to have no conclusion, and you're a "genius" according to our esteemed literary rags and reviewers. This book has two high-quality stories, "Of These Stones" and "The Yellow Jacket," but they are more like children's stories than the great short stories of a F. Scott Fitzgerald or Flannery O'Connor. After you read those two, you may find yourself getting sleepy... the pattern repeats. The state of literature currently: garbage. This is garbage that has a few gilded peaks before lulling you into emotive but meaningless stupor. ... Read more

Product Description
Against the unforgettable backdrop of New York near the turn of the twentieth century, from the Gilded Age world of formal balls and opera to the immigrant poverty of the Lower East Side, bestselling author Susan Vreeland again breathes life into a work of art in this extraordinary novel, which brings a woman once lost in the shadows into vivid color.

It’s 1893, and at the Chicago World’s Fair, Louis Comfort Tiffany makes his debut with a luminous exhibition of innovative stained-glass windows, which he hopes will honor his family business and earn him a place on the international artistic stage. But behind the scenes in his New York studio is the freethinking Clara Driscoll, head of his women’s division. Publicly unrecognized by Tiffany, Clara conceives of and designs nearly all of the iconic leaded-glass lamps for which he is long remembered.

Clara struggles with her desire for artistic recognition and the seemingly insurmountable challenges that she faces as a professional woman, which ultimately force her to protest against the company she has worked so hard to cultivate. She also yearns for love and companionship, and is devoted in different ways to five men, including Tiffany, who enforces to a strict policy: he does not hire married women, and any who do marry while under his employ must resign immediately. Eventually, like many women, Clara must decide what makes her happiest—the professional world of her hands or the personal world of her heart. ... Read more

Product Description
Bestselling author Susan Vreeland returns with a vivid exploration of one of the most beloved paintings in history-Renoir's Luncheon of the Boating Party. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (68)

Skip the audio book, get a hard copy
I pretty much only "read" audio books these days and have found that the narrator can absolutely make or break a book.Having read hundreds of audio books, I've heard the gamut and this is the only time in memory that I couldn't get past the first disc because of the narrator.The story was quite nice and I may well try to get a hard copy to read, but the narration was deadly.Yes, she spoke clearly and her voice was light and lively, but there was no soul to speak of in her delivery.The coup de grace (was it grace?maybe not...) was her French pronunciation.It wasn't that bad, really, (I've heard worse), but the one word that was like a fingernail on a chalkboard for me was, "Montmartre", which due to the nature and setting of the story, was frequently employed.All you have to do is listen to the robot speaker in the webster online dictionary to get it close to right.

That said, I'm sure she's a perfectly lovely person, but she should probably stick to English narration.

Sorry...!

Painting with words
"There is no story. It's only a moment." Vreeland's historical fiction imagines the plotting, the painting, and the interactions among the subjects as Renoir worked to give birth to the Impressionist masterpiece "Le Dejeuner des conotiers." Vreeland uses language as masterfully as an artist would use oils.

A Terrible Book Despite the Hype.
I have a great love of Renoir and this painting in particular. I was eager to read the book after my daughter sent it to me (she couldn't finish it). Icouldn't either, after spending 4 of my last 12 years in France and being fluent in the language. The writer fills it up with so much descriptive non-sense full of adjectivitis and adverbatosis. She's too full of herself to deal with the subject matter. The reviews of this book by critics are ridiculously favorable. It's enough to make you feel like a fool reading their critiques. They're just shills for yet another corrupt industry. What else is new? Don't buy this book.

incompetent publisher
Publisher has no financial acumen, he favors power over profit. The executive making the pricing decision should be fired. Do the math, at $9.99 vs $12.99 profit would be 5x as great with more ebook sales and fewer hard book sales.I won't buy another ebook at more than $9.99. The book is OK.

Will It EVER End?
I listened to this book on CD.14 CDs, 16 hours and 51 minutes.I thought it would never end.Yes, I enjoyed parts of it, but it took until about disc 8 before I began to warm up to the characters.I think this same story could be told in an abridged version and we'd never miss the abridged parts.I stuck with it only because I am going to the Late Renoir exhibit at the Phila Art Museum and wanted to get a feel for the painter.The reader also does poorly with her French pronunciation. Had they used a native French speaker with understandable English, it would have added immeasurably to the French ambiance the author tried so diligently to portray.This was, for me, just an OK book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (106)

Stunning!
I read this while in Florence and it brought art and history alive for me.This is a spendid book as you can see by the glowing reviews!

Life of a Woman Artist in 17th century Italy
Susan Vreeland has the ability to capture a time & place through an artist's eye as she has done in her other books,"The Forest Lover"& "Luncheon of the Boating Party"(equally enjoyable).
"The Passion of Artemisia" gives a picture of 17th century Italy : the life of a woman painter (very unusual for that time ) who painted women realistically rather than an idealised version.Her father was a painter & taught her from an early age.She became the first woman admitted to the prestigious "Accademie" in Florence.You also learn the mores of the time , the power of the church, & the necessity of obtaining the patronage of a nobleman for an artist to be successful.
I thoroughly enjoyed this glimpse into the life of Artemesia & recommend to anyone with an interest in art, the time period or historical fiction.

Aesome!
Every woman who is trying to accomplish something should read this book. Though it takes place in the early 1600's, women in general still face some of the same ridicule and suspicions. The author digs deep into Artemisia's soul and brings out her inner most thoughts and feelings. I was really able to relate with her especially being an artist myself.

Wonderful!
This book is a gem, like any and all of Susan's novels, it is superbly well written and carefully researched.The characters are engaging and the story compelling.A delightful read!

Hollywood Version of her life; but would make a great movie!
I love everything Susan Vreeland writes, so there's not much to complain about here... she puts you right inside the action and keeps the multiple details of real life filtered enough that you can focus on the central characters.It's still very difficult and emotionally painful to realize how misogynistic our past history has been, yet these stories remind us that we still have much to improve upon even in our current society(s)... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

ORDINARY LIVES AFFECTED BY GREAT ART

With "Girl Hyacinth Blue" and "The Passion of Artemisia" author Susan Vreeland has done much to resurrect the reading public's interest in the lives of great artists.In this intriguing collection of stories her focus is again on art, but rather than relating an artist's life she comes to her subject from a different angle - the secondary characters who were part of the artist's lives and how art can affect ordinary people, both positively and negatively.

Fans of van Gogh well know that one of his favorite models was the son of the postman in Arles.This relationship offers Vreeland the opportunity to give readers a view of the young lad's personal life and how he is reacting to the world around him at this stage in his life.We find a gardener employed by Monet emotionally shattered when the artist destroys his Water Lily paintings.

The use of the physical and emotional investment of ordinary people in the lives of the great Impressionists and Postimpressionists adds a rich texture to the idea of what art can mean.

Film, stage and television actress Karen White reads these stories with lyricism and depth of understanding.Those who heard her on the audio version of Vreeland's "The Forest Lover" know they're in for another treat.

- Gail Cooke ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Best Story...A Must Read
I absolutely love this book. It's the true story of my friend Faith's mother and her life experiences after she went blind as a young girl. They even made a movie out of it, starring Richard Thomas and Annabeth Gish . I had a signed copy by Jean, but I made the mistake of loaning it out and it never got returned. That's why I searched so hard to find this book again. When I read it for the thrid time, it was still as exciting and interesting as it was the first time. I loved the journey of Jean learning to acclimate to the everyday challenges of being blind. Something that most of us would have considered horrible, butJean saw the blessings. The story evolves into the life of an amazing family that handles all the ups and downs of two blind people raising 4 children on their own. Their faith in God and good gave them the courage and strength to stand up to every situation as it came their way. Everyone who I suggested this book to has come back and thanked me with praise of it. You won't regret reading it.

Precious Sight!
Sight is one of those gifts a person takes for granted.I know I do, but after reading this book I don't think I ever will again.Jean loses her sight at the age of 12 and has so many things to overcome.Luckily for her, her parents didn't coddle her and made Jean do everything for herself that was possible.As the years go by she feels something is missing and after meeting Forest Holly, a man who also lost his sight, she knows that she needs to be married to him.This story takes in all the years from 1930 on through Jean and Forest's married life and all the challenges they face through lean years and the hardships of raising four children with little help.There were some hilarious parts, and some sad too.... This is truly a book that will make a person thankful for their sight and let you know that whatever adversities you may have to face, they can be overcome.A book I will recommend to everyone.

INDEPENDENCE
I THOUGHT THIS BOOK WAS GREAT AND VERY HEARTFELT IT SHOWS THAT EVEN IF TWO PEOPLE WHO ARE VISUALLY IMPAIRED THEY CAN STAND ON THEIR OWN.I WAS AMAZED HOW THEY RAISED FIVE CHILDREN .I HAVE A SEIZURE CONDITION SO I KNOW HOW ITIS TO BE LIMITED AND I STILL LIVE WITH MY MOTHER SO I CAN RELATE WITH HOWJEAN FELT WHEN HER FATHER KEPT TREATING HER LIKE A CHILD AND NOT LETTINGHER TAKE A WALK INTO TOWN WITH HER SEEING EYE DOG OR WHEN SHE AND GORDONWANTED TO GET MARRIED.

This book is about my grandmother and POP, it is wonderful.
If you are looking for a true love story and true dedication in a marriage, this book is for you.My grandparents overcame their blindness had four children, and conqured everything themselves.My grandparentshave given my such motivation, that I can do anything I set my mind to,they are the most wonderful people alive, besides my parents.This book istruly a wonderful book about love, hard times and good times, how they beatall of the odds.

This book is about my grandmother and POP it is wonderful.
This book is a great portriat of my family.They made this book into a movie on CBS, and if anyone has seen it, it really is thier life.My grandmother is doing great, my POP died awhile ago, but we still have thisliving memory of him.If you are looking for a true love story and a moralstory this book is for you to read.If you need motivation this book isfor you to read.Never think you can't do anything, because mygrandparents did everything, their blindness did not stop them at all. They are actually going to be making sequal to the movie, which willinvolve more of my dad which I can't wait to see.This is a must buybook!!!! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Real Gem
This book fascinated and pleased me.The author told the stories of each owner of the Vermeer painting, giving a sense of being an intimate onlooker, into the lives of each owner.I recommend this book, and I wish there were more like it. ... Read more