Creativity and depression engage in a strange dance. Creatives are more likely to suffer from depression, but at the same time, the act of creating can be a lifeline to people who are struggling with mental health issues. Boop and Eve’s Road Trip explores this theme through the character of Eve who is an aspiring fashion designer struggling with depression. At times her depression keeps her from creating but then in other times, it’s her art that saves her. I’ve found myself in a similar place with writing.
For this month’s book recommendations, I wanted to focus on beautiful books with an art theme.
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt is the dark, beautifully written story of Theo Decker. His tale begins when at 13 he and his mother are caught in a terrorist attack at The Met where she works. His mother dies, but Theo survives along with a painting of a bird, which he holds dear because it reminds him of his mother. Theo is adopted by wealthy friends, but his grief and inability to fit into this upper-crust world make for a lonely existence. Finally, his deadbeat dad shows up and whisks him off to Las Vegas where he makes shady friends and abuses drugs. I’ll stop there to avoid any real spoilers, but suffice to say Theo eventually finds himself enmeshed in the black market art world. If you want an epic story with rich writing and are intrigued by the darker side of humanity, then the Pulitzer Prize winning The Goldfinch is the book for you.
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie is my young adult pick for this list. One thing that makes this novel special is that it features cartoons created by the main character Junior. Junior is an American Indian whose artistic talent allows him to leave the reservation for school. However, as the only Indian at the white school in town Junior struggles to fit in. High school is tough in the best of situations. This isn’t the best of situations. The novel is based on Alexie’s own high school experience and won the National Book Award. If you’re interested in other books that feature American Indians, here’s a post with more American Indian book recommendations.
Still Lives by Maria Hummel is a page-turning thriller that kept me up until the wee hours! In it, Maggie Richter, who works for an art museum, is stuck helping out with the famous Kim Lord’s art exhibition. I stay stuck because Kim Lord is dating Maggie’s ex-boyfriend, and Maggie hasn’t gotten over him yet. The exhibition in question is a grisly depiction of eleven murdered women. When Kim Lord is a no-show at her art opening, Maggie finds herself wrapped up in solving Lord’s disappearance.
Set in Jaipur, India during the 1950s, The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi captures the period following Indian Independence from British Colonial rule and the tensions between tradition and modernization. It’s the story of Lakshmi, a henna artist who is in high demand amongst the upper castes. The story opens with Lakshmi on the verge of accomplishing independence as a self-made woman in a time and place where such a thing is almost unheard of. However, her dreams are put into peril with the arrival of her abusive husband and wild sister.
If you’re a fan of Georgia O’Keefe, then you must read Queen of the Owls by Barbara Linn Probst because in it the main character, Elizabeth, is writing her dissertation on O’Keefe’s Hawaiian paintings. When she meets an attractive photographer, Elizabeth gets seduced into recreating the nude photographs that Stieglitz did of Georgia. The experience is freeing for Elizabeth, but the exposure risks her marriage and her career. Women who enjoy art history and photography will find this book particularly interesting.