First published 1990
Two Americans leave their homeland behind to pursue art in Europe's glittering cities. Each carves out a distinct path through the expatriate communities of Paris, London, and beyond. One cultivates a bohemian lifestyle, embracing the freedom that distance from home provides. The other maintains a more disciplined approach, methodically building connections within established artistic circles. Their choices in love, friendship, and creative expression reveal fundamental differences in temperament and ambition. As both gain recognition in their fields, their contrasting personalities shape not only their art but their relationships with fellow expatriates and European society. The ocean between them and America becomes both liberation and loss, offering creative possibilities while severing familiar bonds.
Genres: fiction, art, literary-fiction, 20th-century, contemporary, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: character-driven, fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: America, Europe, London, Paris
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
403 pages · Hardcover · Dutton