Cecil Jenkins

This book was nonfiction gold! When I was younger, I was really into art so I decided to pick up this book about an artist that I was obsessed with when I was under the age of ten.

This novel follows Pablo Picasso and one of his many lovers, Dora. While the beginning experienced a slow start, once I was five chapters in I could not put this book down.

Many events in this book reflect the actual events that occurred, but are written in a more fictional way than a non fiction informational book. Having this book being written in the fictional, story telling format made this book more enjoyable and made me feel like I was actually there witnessing Picasso paint.

This book was beautifully written, and after the fact when I looked up the paintings to see how they compared to the descriptions in the novel, I was in awe of how descriptive the author was.

I usually dislike non fiction books, but picking this book up made me really reconsider the amount of dislike I have for them. If all works were based on non fiction like this book, I would feel the need to pick more books up.

The downside I saw to this book, was that I wanted a little more insight into the relationships Picasso had with the ex wife (who is only mentioned and not in a lot of the action of the novel) and with his currently lover and not mistress (Marie).

Overall, I loved this book. When this book finished, I was frustrated that I couldn't read more (which is not a bad thing at all)! I would definitely read another book by Cecil Jenkins after reading this amazing gem! This work of art (oh the puns and irony!).

Five out of five stars! I was unable to put this book down and I demand more! Also, it was signed by the author which made this book a little bit more special for me! (Okay, maybe a lot more special).

I received this book for free through Good Reads First Reads.… (mer)

Surprisingly well written and insightful history of France.

In fifteen short chapters Jenkins presents and analyses the social and cultural fabric of France, painting in thick and brightly coloured lines for early history (one chapter to bring us from Cro-Magnon man up to the Middle Ages; one bridging chapter to deal with the one hundred years war, delving deeper and elucidating more detail from the Sun King, Louis XIV, onwards).

What Jenkins does particularly well is to combine incisive, critical analysis of political developments with short biographies of key figures and linking the trends and actions of key movers with socio-economic and cultural developments (in society, literature, art, philosophy). As we approach the present-day, the tapestry becomes more detailed and intricate, with Jenkins spending the last half of the book (7.5 chapters) on the 20th and 21st century. I read the book simultaneously with a Gettyimages picture book on the last millennium of France, thus benefitting from a veritable flood of apt imagery to accompany Jenkins’ text. That is also my main criticism on this excellent history of France – it lacks pictures and maps (only two maps have been included, no pictures).… (mer)