Turner Books

Trollope. Gender. Victorian era. Magazines. See how Mark W. Turner masterfully meshes all of the above in a brilliantly cohesive discourse.

Impressionist and post-Impressionist authority Pierre Courthion says that first tries often show the full range of an artist's talent: "Man at a parapet," aka "The invalid," painted harmonious curves, modulated planes, and straight lines; and "Head of a girl" brushstroked dark against light with the turned away face of an Italian painting and without contour lines. In fact, GEORGES SEURAT became the first painter to draw boundaries as spreading surfaces in lighted areas and as silhouettes in shaded areas. He went on to paint Impressionist-style themes of bourgeois city and countryside life, cafe and circus scenes, seashores and summer landscapes with dots blending into shimmering light and subtle color variations at a distance. The book's 40 colorplates, along with John Russell's SEURAT, show the most important of his 700 drawings and 200 paintings: the blue of "Bathing at Asnieres" and the immense scale of "Bec du hoc" from Bruegel the Elder; the dancing diagonals and slanting double bass of "Le chahut"; "The circus" clown, horse and lady rider galloping and jumping before a captivated audience in a composition of ellipses, ovals and trapezoids worthy of Raphael's "Transfiguration"; the frontal sunset of "Evening, Honfleur" hallmarking a great artist; the ancestors of abstract art in "Port-en-Bessin" and "Rue Saint-Vincent"; the differently brushstroked beach, cliff, mist, sea, ships and vegetation of "Shore at Bas-Butin"; and the David-Pierre Humbert de Superville-styled plumbline straight figures among sultry summer lights and shadows of the masterpiece "A Sunday afternoon on the island of La Grande Jatte". Readers can put pointillist art in context with Bernard Denvir's POST-IMPRESSIONISM, Walter S. Gibson's BRUEGEL and Wolfgang Stechow's PIETER BRUEGEL THE ELDER.

JMW Turner goes in and out of phase as far as appreciation for his gifts as a painter. There have been periods in history where his works were dismissed as irrelevant and of poor technical quality. But despite the varying critical evaluations, Turner's inimitable style of finding the transparency of that plane where water and air admix has always been viewed by those who are fortunate enough to approach his great works as that of an idiosyncratic romantic poet.

No subject better provided a venue for his vision than the mysterious and magnificent 'La Serenissima' - Venice, Italy. It is in this city that floats like a transient tenant on the sea, laced with canals, bathed in fog and rain and mist that Turner found the essence of the spirit of Venice. This lavishly designed and illustrated volume originally served as a catalogue for the exhibition by the same title that was staged at the Tate Museum in London and traveled thereafter. Curator Ian Warrell is to be commended for this largest collection of Turner's paintings and drawings ever to be assembled, and to top his achievement he produced this monograph which not only illustrates in rich color separations the glories of the paintings and the detail of the sketches, it also is graced by excellent essays by travel writer Jan Morris, historian David Laven and Venice specialist Cecelia Powell.

While there have been several fine books on Turner, this is the finest assemblage of works that inherently relate, a fact which induces a deeper appreciation for Turner's talent. Setting his paintings in context with the works of other painters, both his contemporaries and others, shows not only the 'how' of Turner's techniques, it informs us of the context of the views both historically and artistically.

The quality of the reproductions is first class and the quality of the paper of this book is of the highest order. This is simply a magnificent book visually and educationally...and romantically! Highly recommended. Grady Harp, April 05

I work on the road throughout Cook County, calling on clients. I use a street atlas, but this is an excellent supplement. Rather than trying to find Kedvale on a map I can look up the coordinates and find that it's 4132 west.

This pocket-sized book is easier to use in the car and I've never found an error.

Another great feature is the expressway chart. Can you exit the northbound Tri-State at Irving Park Road? No, according to the expressway chart, but you can get off at River Road.

My only complaint is that the suburban section covers only Cook County, not DuPage, Kane, or Lake.

This book is best suited to those who use Chicago city streets or Chicago area expressways and tollways.

An enigmatic gentleman, the great English painter J.M.W. Turner courted secrecy to the point that he is said to have painted with his door locked and, if he were working away from home, he would immediately cover his painting should anyone attempt to see his work. Did he fear that someone would try to take his method of painting, discover how he created such wondrous colors? No concern there as Turner was one of a kind and painted as only he could.

Now, in this beautiful volume published in association with Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery, England, the world is able to see these masterworks and enjoy them over and over again. They represent Britain as seen through the artist's eyes shortly after the Industrial Revolution.

Traveling by foot, horseback, coach or river boat he traversed his country capturing agrarian towns, growing cities, ancient castles, landscapes, churches, and more.

Thanks to James Hamilton "Turner's Britain" is a joy for those who appreciate art and a boon for art historians.

This is a well put-together and written book on Turner's early work. The color reproductions are good. However, as is the case with with reproductions of Turner's pencil works I've see, pencil sketches are frequently too light and consequently hard to see, especially in any detail. (This was the case with displays at a recent museum exhibit too.) What's particularly good in this volume are the insightful comments. It is evident the the commentator knows art and art-making well enough to provide interesting and useful (to an artist) information about Turner's habits and methods, etc.
Recommended to those who want to look into art history and Turner the artist.

My husband and I read "The Aviator's Apprentice," the first book in the Will Turner Flight Logs Series. We loved the style, characters, and the attention to details of planes and flight. We were incredibly surprised by "Turner's Flight," as we enjoyed it even more! My husband (who is a history and aviation buff) can't wait for Mr. Davey's next book, and I (a Midwestern soccer mom and community volunteer) can't wait for the TV series or movie.

Hollywood, are you listening? Jude Law would be perfect in the role of "Will Turner."

My grandfather wrote this book over the course of several years. I am proud to have encouraged and helped him to learn the basic word-processing techiniques that so many of his generation have dismissed as "young dog tricks". His research was the inspiration for many a conversation or well told rememberance. This book is not a straight read; it's more of a curiosity-quenching flip-through for those interested in the evolution of a small New England town. I'm sure those curious historians are few and far between, but my grandfather has served up a platefull for those who care to partake,

One of the best books of poetry I've read this year.

I find this book to be very spiritual. I felt the Holy Spirit was there when I read it. As a matter of fact, I could feel the Holy Spirit moving within my body; speaking to me. I could feel the author's frustrations and I could feel the Lord speaking with her in her time of need. I think the book is a very, very deep concentarted spritiual communication with God. It helped me to be able to understand more about the Word and the blessings that are ours if we seek Him [God] as she stated in her book. It truly is HOPE for people that may feel there are no more chances for them in their lives. I think she is a very good writer and is very compassionate. She expesses her feelings in a very comprehensive way. It is a book that you lose yourself in. You feel as though you are in the realm of God and the author makes you feel as if you were with her experiencing what she has gone through. You feel Him [God] around you and feel the Holy Spirit while you are reading this book. As a Christian, I value this author's work very highly. I would recommend this book (Twenty-Four Hours with God) not only to those that are already believers but, to anyone really seeking to know the Lord and His unlimited capacity for forgiveness.