I always wanted to take an art history in college, but there was only one professor and he was infamous for his ridiculously high expectations. Plus, I couldn’t take any electives unless I first took a three-class intro sequence. Obviously, the professor was not interested in dilettantes, so I have remained clueless about art. I was very excited to see this challenge, which is to read six books-either fiction or non-based on art over the course of a year! Here are my choices, which lean towards the non-fiction side:

• Chagall: A Biography by Jackie Wullschlager: Chagall has been my favourite artist since I went to a Russian Museum special exhibition devoted to him while I was in St. Petersburg. I love his whimsey, his colours, his subjects…but I only know the basics about his life. This brand-new biography has gotten quite a bit of positive attention, and I’m excited about it!
• The Story of Art by E.H. Gombrich: I’m currently reading his A Little History of the World, and the intro said he was known for his art history survey. It’s aimed at absolute beginners, which is great since that’s what I am! It’s 688 pages in the new paperback edition, which is big but not unmanageable.
• The Needle in the Blood by Sarah Bower: I didn’t want to stick to traditional art, and I’ve been wanting to read this novel based around a tapestry forever, so I knew it had to go on the list!
• Loot: The Battle over the Stolen Treasures of the Ancient World by Sharon Wexman: this is a pretty new book about something I’m fascinated by, which the subtitle sums up nicely. I remember visiting the British Museum on a school field trip to see the Rosetta Stone; about a year later, I went to Egypt itself, and it seemed strange that I couldn’t see the Rosetta Stone there! Anyway, the reviews say Wexman gives a fair-handed analysis of the various issues, which is what I’m looking for.
• My Name Is Red by Orhan Pamuk: I didn’t enjoy The Black Book, but I’m determined to give Pamuk a second chance! I also wanted a book focused on the non-Western world, so this novel about Muslim illuminators seemed great.
• Brunelleschi’s Dome by Ross King: I suddenly realised that I’d picked all big books for the challenge, so this 192 page book focused on architecture seemed like a good way to round out the list. I know nothing about architecture, or about Florence, so it should be fun!