by Simon Schama
First published 2010
Simon Schama opens his world to readers through a collection that spans continents and centuries. The New York Times celebrates this historian for weaving past and present into continuous meaning. His previous works like The Power of Art and National Book Critics Circle Award finalist Rough Crossings earned praise for their intellectual richness and entertainment value. Here Schama turns his critical eye toward an eclectic mix of subjects both grand and personal. He writes about food and family alongside Winston Churchill. He examines filmmaker Martin Scorsese and photographer Richard Avedon next to painters Rubens and Rembrandt. His travels take readers from Brazil to Amsterdam, from New Orleans during Katrina to distant corners of human experience. These essays first appeared in The New Yorker, Vogue, the New York Review of Books, and the Guardian. The collection reveals Schama's humor, curiosity, and personal quirks while offering fresh perspectives on our diverse world through the lens of an intelligent and original observer.
Genres: history, essays, non-fiction, biography-memoir, art-history, academic
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: eclectic-mix, fresh-perspectives, intelligent-observer
Setting: Amsterdam, Brazil, New Orleans, New York
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
432 pages · Hardcover · Ecco