Get The Picture

A Mind-Bending Journey among the Inspired Artists and Obsessive Art Fiends Who Taught Me How to See

By Bianca Bosker

The author worked in galleries, in an artist studio, and at the Guggenheim, in order to learn how to understand art, and in the process she gained insight into the crazy art world. I found the first part a bit whiny, but soon enough it started to provide some really valuable information about how the highbrow art world operates. Reading it, I was swung between despair and hope back and forth, trying to figure out how and if I could fit in. [non fiction, 370pp. incl. notes and index]

Link to book

The Maytrees

By Annie Dillard

A story of a family of sorts, connected to the water and the sand dunes off the shores of Massachusetts. It took me a while to get into this book. I think it's because the writing is very lyrical, and not always clear-cut. I'm not even sure of all the things that happen in there. Did I really get what I was reading? Retelling the story would probably add too much of my own interpretation of it. Was that what the author intended? [fiction, 216pp.]

Link to book

Move Like Water: My Story of the Sea

By Hannah Stowe

A memoir that's combines life experience with scientific knowledge and research of the oceans and the in them. The author weaves anecdotes from her life with the life history of specific organisms, providing information and lessons she learned from them, as well as what we can do to help save them from the damage we are causing them. [non fiction, 288 pp.]

Link to book