American Mirror

Art critic Deborah Solomon provides an insightful examination of Norman Rockwell's place in American art and culture. Andrea Gallo narrates with wry humor and gives Rockwell's own anecdotes especially skillful renditions. Reflecting Solomon's anecdotal style, she illuminates the humor of the self-deprecating artist. In clear, breezy voice, Gallo presents discussions of Rockwell's SATURDAY EVENING POST classic images, including FOUR FREEDOMS, SAYING GRACE, and GIRL IN MIRROR. The author's admiration for the artist comes through to listeners. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine

June 15, 2014

Solomon (Utopia Parkway) meticulously researches beloved American artist and illustrator Norman Rockwell's life. She draws on letters, journals, newspaper clippings, Rockwell's autobiography, and other authoritative resources to deliver a detailed description of all aspects of his life, including his depression, artistic insecurity, and struggle to become a true artist. Andrea Gallo narrates with perfect intonation and accents, but she cannot hide Solomon's seeming contempt of Rockwell. The author uses every opportunity to pin the artist as a closeted gay, stretching at times to ridiculous proportions. In trying to interpret Rockwell's camping-journal statement that he "stripped and frolicked" near a waterfall as a sure sign of his hidden homosexuality, Solomon points out that he wrote the word frolicked, which includes the word licked. VERDICT Gallo's pleasurable tone keeps the well-paced story clipping along, and despite Solomon's obvious bias against Rockwell, the details are colorful and descriptive, bringing to life Rockwell, his family, friends, and the times in which they lived. ["An excellent overview of the period, with a touching portrayal of the man behind the images that cheered a nation," read the review of the Farrar hc, LJ 10/1/13.]--Susan Herr, Bulverde/Spring Branch Lib., TX

Copyright 2014 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.