The White Crucifixion: A novel about Marc Chagall by Michael Dean

(Thank you to Holland Park Press for providing me with a copy of this book!)

about book:

Fiction. Art. Jewish Studies. THE WHITE CRUCIFIXION starts with Chagall's difficult birth in Vitebsk 1887, in the present-day Belarus, and tells the unlikely story of how the eldest son of a herring schlepper became enrolled in art school where he quickly gained a reputation as "Moyshe, the painting wonder."

The novel paints an authentic picture of a Russian town divided by belief and wealth, rumours of pogroms never far away, yet bustling with talented young artists.

In 1913, Chagall relished the opportunity to move to Paris to take up residence in the artist colony The Hive (La Ruche). The Yiddish-speaking artists (Ecole Juive) living there were all poor. The Hive had no electric light, or running water and yet many of its artists were to become famous, among them Amedeo Modigliani and Osip Zadkine.

The novel vividly portrays the dynamics of an artist colony, its pettiness, friendships and the constant battle to find the peace and quiet to work.

In 1914 Chagall and Bella make what's supposed to be a fleeting visit to his beloved Vitebsk, only to get trapped there by the outbreak of the first world war, the subsequent Russian revolution, and the establishment of the communist regime which is increasingly hostile towards artists like Chagall.

Yet, Chagall keeps on painting, and the novel provides a fascinating account of what inspired some of his greatest painting. He manages to return to France and is reunited with his paintings only to be thwarted by yet another world war which proves disastrous for the people he knew in Vitebsk which include his uncle Neuch, the original "Fiddler On The Roof."

THE WHITE CRUCIFIXION is a fictionalised account of the rollercoaster life of one of the most enigmatic artists of the twentieth century.

my thoughts:

Wow! What a wonderful story - a fictionalized account of one of the greatest artists, Marc Chagall.  We learn about his birth, his upbringing, his art, his love, his passion, etc..  Talk about an exciting life!  I loved getting to know Chagall through this book - learning about the personal so that we could better understand his passion.  Michael Dean has written a beautiful novel chock full of emotion, history, and creativity - I loved it!

The White Crucifixion details different moments in Chagall's life as he grew and expanded into his artwork.  We learn about the ways in which war and his country inspired his paintings.  We read about the ups and downs he experienced throughout his life.  And we find a man who paints, paints, paints the world around him.  Its mesmerizing to read about Chagall's life - I found myself looking up his paintings as I read this book. I was captivated by the colors, images, history that flowed through his creations.  What a rich reading experience!  I would happily recommend this novel to fans of Chagall and anyone looking for their next great read - you will LOVE this book!



Thank you to Holland Park Press for providing me with a copy of this book!

Travels With My Father: An Autobiographical Novel by Karen Jennings

(Thank you to Holland Park Press for providing me with a copy of this book!)

about book: (from Goodreads)

Travels with My Father is a beautifully written autobiographical novel. Written from the point of view of a young woman, daughter and writer, it is a frank, yet delicate and moving, account of her relationship with her father and his influence on her own life.

In the footsteps of her father, the author travels the world. Yet, key scenes are set in Plumstead, a suburb of Cape Town, where her father lived most of his life.

The relationships and divisions between members of a family that does not wear its heart on its sleeve, and some of whom are real eccentrics, are sensitively recorded. It all adds to an intricate picture of a changing South African society.

my thoughts:

I'm really digging memoirs lately.  They are just so addictive and informative.  I'm starting to think they are the bee's knees.  So, when I was offered the chance to read Karen Jenning's autobiographical novel, Travels With My Father, how could I resist?

This is the story of how Jennings coped with her father's death.  Except, its much more than that.  Its about her relationship with him. Its about her travels. Its about her life and the ways in which he influenced it.  Its about dealing with death.  And its about living life. 

Travels With My Father is about so many things that we can relate to - family, love, loss.  Its chock full of vivid and heartbreaking details that will give you all the feels.  Its honest and raw with memories and realizations.  The writing is similar to stream of consciousness, with its barrage of memories that come one after the other in no particular order.  I think that this nonlinear manner provides an authenticity, because thinking in tangents is definitely something we do when trying to remember everything from our past (and even present).  Or at least I do.  Suffice it to say, I truly enjoyed getting lost in Jennings' personal stories about her life.  They were interesting, sad, relatable, and entertaining. I would definitely recommend this book to fans of memoirs, autobiographies - you will definitely ENJOY this book.


Thank you to Holland Park Press for providing me with a copy of this book!

The Yellow House: A novel about Vincent van Gogh by Jeroen Blokhuis

(Thank you to Holland Park Press for providing me with a copy of this book!)

about book: (from Goodreads)

The Yellow House, by Jeroen Blokhuis, paints a fictional picture of Vincent van Gogh’s life between August 1888 and December 1889 when he lived in Arles in Southern France and where he created many of his masterpieces.

In his debut novel Jeroen Blokhuis tells the story from van Gogh’s point of view, from inside his mind, providing a fresh and revealing look at how this intriguing painter worked.

The Vincent in this novel very much tries to fit in, but is often baffled by how people react. Almost as if he can only express himself through his paintings, which in turn flummox the public. In one scene people literally turn up to see Vincent and Gauguin paint Marie Ginoux, but he, Vincent, is just concerned about creating a good painting.

my thoughts:

When I think of Vincent van Gogh, I think of:

1. Starry Night.
2. Sunflowers.
3. Cafe Terrace at Night
4. He cut off his ear?

And now, having read The Yellow House: A novel about Vincent van Gogh by Jeroen Blokhuis, I think of:

1.  painting, painting, painting
2. Gauguin
3. friendship
4. belonging
5. the yellow house
6.  his ear
7.  sadness, confusion, madness

I feel as if I've just read van Gogh's journal for the year 1888 through 1889.  Blokhuis has written in such an engaging and open manner, that you can't help but feel as if you are there beside van Gogh.  I could taste the night air, hear the sizzle of meat hitting the frying pan as Gauguin cooked, and sit at the crowded cafe next to both artists as they people watch.  I can hear van Gogh's thoughts as he  wonders how Gauguin is able to befriend the people of Arles, while he can't even get them to converse with him.  He seems desperate for this friendship with Gauguin to succeed.  And then I see him hospitalized and trying to make sense of disturbing images that seem to plague him.  It is a mesmerizing peek into the life of a man who created such beauty, all the while suffering from such deep sadness, insecurity and despair.

I found myself captivated by this story.  I enjoyed getting to know van Gogh and Gauguin.  I loved the passion and talent they both had for art.  I felt that Blokhuis captured their relationship perfectly - dysfunctional with a capital D.  I found myself googling their paintings and getting lost in the images they created.  This book took hold and didn't let go.  I absolutely loved it.

I would happily recommend this novel to fans of Vincent van Gogh and anyone looking for their next great read - you will LOVE this book!




Thank you to Holland Park Press for providing me with a copy of this book!

He Runs the Moon: Tales from the Cities by Wendy Brandmark

(Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!)

about book:

He Runs the Moon is a collection of wonderfully atmospheric stories of life in the rundown Capitol Hill area of Denver in the early 1970s, in the Bronx, New York during the 1950s & 60s and in the Boston and Cambridge area in the 1970s.

Brandmark, a great storyteller in the American tradition, draws you in. Take the Denver stories which form a narrative of a Gothic city populated by people who feel they don’t quite belong. In one story female creative writing students are all secretly in love with their professor but does he really register them at all? Can a girl become emotional attached to a temperamental red Mustang? You bet, especially after her boyfriend leaves for Los Angeles.

Figures from the ‘old world’ haunt the children and adults in the Jewish community of New York City. A troubled granny with a head that is bothering her, and the ‘witch’ in the basement flat, who comes to the rescue when a child is lost and has dark marks, like figures from a book, on her lower arm.

In the Boston tales characters piece together dreams from the fragments of their lives. Be transported, for example, to the world of an obsessive dental hygienist, and the occupational hazards of sharing rooms in a dull green clapboard house which seemed to pitch and heave.

my thoughts:

Short stories are where its at! I'm serious! They are only a few (or several) pages long and have the ability to transport, transform, and entertain its reader.  Packed with depth, complexity, insight, and emotion - how can I not love the short story? They are simply the best! So, when I find a new-to-me author who writes short stories, I am beyond excited.  New stories to get lost in - what more could I want?

In, He Runs the Moon, a collection of shorts by Wendy Brandmark, I have found a new favorite.  I am in love with her writing, her characters, her storytelling prowess. She is the bees knees and I am hooked!

The stories are set in the 50s, 60s, and 70s in Denver, Boston, and NY.  They are diverse, interesting, and unputdownable!  I just loved the ways in which Brandmark explored the themes of relationships and displacement. She deftly captured the emotional and physical experiences related to emigration - in whatever form it may be (leaving one's country, moving to a new city, etc.).  And her realistic portrayal of the twists and turns in relationships is raw and honest. The way she manages to peel off the layers of these characters' emotions literally and figuratively via material objects and the surreal (dreams) was fantastic! You can't help but feel the pain, alienation, and fragility that these characters are experiencing.  Plus, I loved the  detached tone she used to express these stories in - it seemed to fit the narrative perfectly and add another layer of depth to her stories.  Brandmark did an excellent job with this collection.  I absolutely loved it!

I would happily recommend He Runs the Moon to fans of short stories and fans of Brandmark's writing - you will fall in love with this book!



Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!!