Book Discussions
The Music Lesson | Part 2
Wednesday, October 5
1:30pm
Location: Isabel HallBy Katherine Weber
Part 1: Art History Presentation September 21 • 1:30p Part 2: Book Discussion October 5 • 1:30pIsabel Hall
Event DetailsFIA book discussions focus on works of fiction and non-fiction related to art, art museums, or FIA collections. The first meeting for each book sets the stage by exploring artists and artwork related to the selected book. Two weeks later, the book is discussed. These free programs are offered on Wednesdays at 1:30p in Isabel Hall.
The Music Lesson
By Katharine Weber
Part 1: Art History Presentation
Sept 21 • 1:30p
Part 2: Book Discussion
Oct 5 • 1:30p
Isabel Hall
Patricia Dolan is alone with a stolen Vermeer painting in an Irish cottage by the sea. How she got here is part of the story she tells us: about her father, a Boston cop; the numbing loss of her daughter; and her charming Irish cousin, who has led her to this high-stakes crime. Her vigil becomes a tale of love, regret, and transformation. As Patricia immerses herself in the passions of her Irish heritage, she discovers what has been hidden beneath the surface of her own life--and what she must do to preserve the things she values most.
Books are available in the Museum Shop.
The Shadow of the Wind
By Carlos Ruiz Zafón
Part 1: Art History Presentation
Nov 2 • 1:30p
Part 2: Book Discussion
Nov 16 • 1:30p
Isabel Hall
Barcelona, 1945: A city slowly heals in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, and Daniel, an antiquarian book dealer’s son who mourns the loss of his mother, finds solace in a mysterious book entitled The Shadow of the Wind, by one Julián Carax. But when he sets out to find the author’s other works, he makes a shocking discovery: someone has been systematically destroying every copy of every book Carax has written. In fact, Daniel may have the last of Carax’s books in existence. Soon Daniel’s seemingly innocent quest opens a door into one of Barcelona’s darkest secrets--an epic story of murder, madness, and doomed love.
Books are available in the Museum Shop.
The Personal Librarian
By Marie Benedict & Victoria Christopher Murray
Part 1: Art History Presentation
Jan 18 • 1:30p
Part 2: Book Discussion
Feb 1 • 1:30p
Isabel Hall
The Personal Librarian tells the story of an extraordinary woman, famous for her intellect, style, and wit, and shares the lengths to which she must go—for the protection of her family and her legacy—to preserve her carefully crafted white identity in the racist world in which she lives.
Books are available in the Museum Shop.
Still Life with Monkey
By Katharine Weber
Part 1: Art History Presentation
Mar 8 • 1:30p
Part 2: Book Discussion
Mar 22 • 1:30p
Isabel Hall
Duncan and his wife, Laura, find themselves in conflict as Duncan's will to live falters. Laura grows desperate to help him. An art conservator who has her own relationship to the repair of broken things, Laura brings home a highly trained helper monkey--a tufted capuchin named Ottoline--to assist Duncan with basic tasks. Duncan and Laura fall for this sweet, comical, Nutella-gobbling little creature, and Duncan's life appears to become more tolerable, fuller, and funnier. Yet the question persists: Is it enough?
Books are available in the Museum Shop.
The Street of a Thousand Blossoms
By Gail Tsukiyama
Part 1: Art History Presentation
May 24 • 1:30p
Part 2: Book Discussion
June 7 • 1:30p
Isabel Hall
It is Tokyo in 1939. On the Street of a Thousand Blossoms, two orphaned brothers dream of a future firmly rooted in tradition. The older boy, Hiroshi, shows early signs of promise at the national obsession of sumo wrestling, while Kenji is fascinated by the art of Noh theater masks. But as the ripples of war spread to their quiet neighborhood, the brothers must put their dreams on hold―and forge their own paths in a new Japan.
Books are available in the Museum Shop.
