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– Он потянулся к клавиатуре.  – Мистер Беккер, пожалуйста, продиктуйте надпись. Медленно и отчетливо. Дэвид Беккер начал читать, Джабба печатал следом за .

 
 

The Collector’s Apprentice by B.A. Shapiro

 
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The collectors apprentice book free download

 

For instance, a Renoir might feature prominently on a wall next to iron works of African art. For anyone interested in art, the Barnes was a marvel, an assemblage of some of the greatest paintings, sculptures and international work ever amassed by a single person. In his lifetime, Barnes was adamant about the visibility of the collection and that it should remain as he had placed it. In , many years after his death, his wishes were disrupted by a court ruling that ultimately moved the impressive works to a museum, fashioned after his own display, in Philadelphia and opened more broadly to the public.

Shapiro morphs real-life Barnes into eccentric collector Edwin Bradley, a chemist by trade in a loveless marriage who has a passion for art. The parallels are uncanny and purposeful. Shapiro creates a gripping thriller with a backdrop of enticing reality. For Clara, the terminal is the stepping stone to her future.

By: Fiona Davis. Chaz Wilmot makes his living cranking out old-master parodies for ads and magazine covers. When he’s offered a job restoring a Venetian palace fresco, he is at first, skeptical – he immediately sees it is more a forgery than a restoration. But he is soon seduced by the challenge and throws himself into the work, doing the job brilliantly. By: Michael Gruber. Australia, Orphan Jane Piper is nine years old when philanthropist siblings Michael and Elizabeth Quinn take her into their home to further her schooling.

But when Elizabeth reacts in terror to an exhibition at the local gallery, Jane realizes no one knows Elizabeth after all – not even Elizabeth herself. By: Tea Cooper. It’s , and on the surface, Laura Lyons couldn’t ask for more out of life – her husband is the superintendent of the New York Public Library, allowing their family to live in an apartment within the grand building, and they are blessed with two children.

But headstrong, passionate Laura wants more, and when she takes a leap of faith and applies to the Columbia Journalism School, her world is cracked wide open.

It’s the summer of , and year-old Paulien Mertens finds herself in Paris – broke, disowned, and completely alone. Everyone in Belgium, including her own family, believes she stole millions in a sophisticated con game perpetrated by her then-fiance, George Everard.

To protect herself from the law and the wrath of those who lost everything, she creates a new identity, a Frenchwoman named Vivienne Gregsby, and sets out to recover her father’s art collection, prove her innocence – and exact revenge on George. When the eccentric and wealthy American art collector Edwin Bradley, who is based on real-life museum founder Albert Barnes, offers Vivienne the perfect job, she is soon caught up in the Parisian world of post-Impressionists and expatriates – including Gertrude Stein and Henri Matisse, with whom Vivienne becomes romantically entwined.

As she travels between Paris and Philadelphia, where Bradley is building an art museum, her life becomes even more complicated: George returns with unclear motives Shapiro has made the historical art thriller her own. In The Collector’s Apprentice , she gives us an unforgettable tale about the lengths to which people will go for their obsession, whether it be art, money, love, or vengeance. I’ve learned much of what I know about art history from fiction novels.

This is the second audiobook I’ve listened to by B. Obviously, she is very knowledgeable when it comes to art and art history. XE Sands narrates both novels, and she does a good job in each instance. If you like art and you like fiction, it would be hard not to like this author’s work. Overall rating: 4. Third book of hers I have read.

As far as the prose goes. I feel like it want back and forth to much. Hard to keep straight what country an time frame it was. I found this to be an excellent topic.

It was filled with an artful story; an interesting plot; an ending, surprising yet justified. I loved the readers voice which seemed to add depth to the story. I really enjoyed the 2 previous B. Shapiro novels involving the art world. This one had too much bad romance and unbelievable twists. I didn’t even like the characters. I was curious enough to finish, to find out «whodunit» but I should have stopped listening.

At least I could do other things while listening, as opposed to reading the first 2 on my Kindle, so time was not completely wasted. I kept giving it the benefit of the doubt and continued listening despite its tedious story line and uneventful plot. The narrators voice and cadence was annoying but I could have overlooked it if the story had drawn me in. I liked the book but at times struggled with length.

Wonderfully written and executed! I like historical fiction, art history, and murder mysteries, and came across B A Shapiro’s work a few years ago. After reading her other ‘art’ novels, I was hooked, and delighted to land on this one from Audible.

Unfortunately, as others have written, it was very difficult to understand the reader, and I stopped listening about 15 minutes into the story, and didn’t return for a few weeks.

When I did return, I decided to up the volume, and that seemed to make the reader’s voice clearer, and I was able to finish listening to the story. To those contemplating buying this recording I say, if you like Shapiro’s work, you will likely enjoy this one, too–it has more twists and turns than some of the others. And try upping the volume. The story was pretty good, but the jumping back and forth in time and characters was confusing and detracted greatly from the enjoyment.

Audible and the producers must understand that a not small part of their market are people listening in cars while commuting. As one of those, i understand the urge to be dramatic and lower the volume, but much is list when listening in a car.

Very disappointing performance. The woman who read this had an extremely annoying cadence. Toklas as well. Shapiro develops Vivienne with a fine-tuned artistic sensibility. As Bradley’s collection grows, so does Vivienne’s desire to re-engage with her family’s lost art. She also wishes to once again connect with the conniving George. But will this ambition be her eventual downfall? I enjoyed The Collector’s Apprentice as Shapiro wraps it in true artistic appreciation. But Shapiro also adds heavy brushstrokes of human greed and desire.

Her characters take on a different hue when placed in iffy situations. You may want to check these out as well. Shapiro is a master at blending the art world with the art of fiction. My thanks to Algonquin Books and to B. Shapiro for the opportunity. View all 9 comments. Nov 05, Jeanette added it Shelves: abandoned. No rating. I couldn’t imagine giving it more than 2 stars for my own read. Just too many good ones there. It’s about a women of 20 in who makes a new life for herself in Paris working as an agent within the art sales of that period because of a Ponzi scheme fall out with her former fiance and her entire wealthy family.

Formerly wealthy- the Ponzi scheme, you know. Those readers here who are Romance genre l No rating. Those readers here who are Romance genre lovers and Paris sighers of gushing Seine placements will enjoy this one. I did enjoy the Art Forger although I did find it plodding.

This one also holds tons of instructive Post-Impressionist painting and sculpture of various types minutia and celeb artist intersect.

None of which seems remotely possible to me, btw. Absolutely not my cup of tea. Writing or plot. I would also categorize it as Chick Lit. Nov 08, Colleen rated it it was amazing Shelves: first-reads-giveaways , wheel-a-thon-iii. Shapiro has done it again. If you loved The Art Forger, you will love this one. Mystery, romance, art, and intrigue – what’s not to love? Highly recommended and suspenseful. A great novel and a great read. You won’t be disappointed – true to character and story line, you won’t want to put it down!

The question is not what you look at, but what you see. You have made yours and I have made mine, and they do not end in the s B.

You have made yours and I have made mine, and they do not end in the same place. These failures aren’t easy to accept, but berating herself will get her nowhere. Facing a death sentence changes your perspective, shifts your priorities. View 1 comment. Nov 21, Lynn Horton rated it it was ok. Maybe I’m over clueless, entitled heroines. In either case, Paulien didn’t do it for me. But at the percent mark I got bored and struggled to finish the book. Paulien was neither engaging nor relatable, so was unable to propel my interest through the rest of the story.

Nov 04, Daniel Villines rated it liked it. This is my second novel by Shapiro. The first, The Art Forger , was impressive. She used the magic of words to make paintings come alive so that they could be loved by the reader as they were loved by her main character; just as art has been loved by me from time-to-time.

And while the novel was technically a mystery novel, this tired format took a backseat to the power and beauty of art. Shapiro uses time and story to mask truths that are predestined to be revealed at the end of the book. The reader is simply following a string through a maze. I think that Shapiro could be a better writer rather than one that needs to rest upon mystery novels and it’s disheartening to see the mystery novel format taking hold over her ability to write beautifully about art.

Given the pure joy of experiencing her talent in making art come alive, I know there is an even better novel in her waiting to be written. Jan 17, Lynn rated it liked it Shelves: historical-fiction. She reinvents herself as Vivienne Gregsby, and gets hired by a renowned art collector, Edwin Bradley.

She eventually moves to Philadelphia and becomes indispensable to him as his assistant at his art school. A few years later, she is ac 3. A few years later, she is accused of his murder. I found the whole plot to be convoluted and at times absurd. At 20, she is supposedly worldly enough to impress Edwin and eventually have Henri Matisse lusting after her.

Edwin has a hair trigger temper and is hugely egotistical. George is a heartless con artist who is always looking for the next mark. There are a lot of historical characters in the book who interact with the fictional ones, but except for Matisse, they seem ancillary to the story and barely fleshed out. I found this book to be very disappointing. There is a lot of discussion about the post-Impressionist era and its artists, but those sections sometimes bog down the storyline.

The ending seemed rushed, unrealistic and unsatisfying. Sadly, I cannot recommend it. View 2 comments. Nov 07, Julia rated it liked it. Two and a half stars. I think I would have liked this book more if I weren’t thoroughly knowledgeable about Albert Barnes, the Barnes Foundation, and the battle over Barnes’ collection.

Shapiro states in the afterword that the book is «loosely based» on Albert Barnes and Violette de Mazio and that is very much the case. Why she even bothered to «loosely base» her book on Albert and Violette when most of the book was complete fiction, I cannot answer.

Oct 18, Robert Blumenthal rated it it was amazing. I have to admit, I am a sucker for novels that are based on the fine arts. This one is loosely based on the famous or infamous Albert Barnes who amassed a late Impressionist and Post-Impressionist collection of art that could be one of the finest in the world. He is such a famous figure that documentaries have been made about him, particularly around the issue of his will that limited severely what could be done with his artwork after he died.

The state of Pennsylvania and the city of Philadel I have to admit, I am a sucker for novels that are based on the fine arts. The state of Pennsylvania and the city of Philadelphia eventually got around this specific will and moved the art from his mansion in the Western Suburbs of Philadelphia to a new museum in downtown Philadelphia. This book plays very loosely with the lives of Barnes and a woman who helped him amass the collection and cowrote several books on artists.

Here she is a lovely young woman who was initially scammed by a handsome and cunning con artist which cost her and her family dearly. She ends up eventually in the suburbs of Philadelphia and becomes Barnes’ assistant the names are changed here to Edwin Bradley and Vivianne Gregsby.

She has the dual goals of getting her father’s art back to him which were sold to Bradley and to bring the con man to justice.

She ends up becoming accused of Bradley’s murder, which is revealed very early in the novel. There is much double dealing here, and the specifics of the cons and her attempts to alleviate them can be a bit hard to follow. Toklas, amongst others. The author explains at the end how she altered timelines and events to fit her narrative. Events might have been real, but would have happened at different times in real life. One of the most obvious is taking what was 90 years in the history of the Barnes collection and squeezing it into 10 years.

My parents went to classes at the Barnes and I have visited the original museum several years ago. I also watched the documentary The Art of the Steal about the state of Pennsylvania breaking Barnes’ will and moving the collection.

So I have quite a bit of knowledge about this issue and found the book fascinating and involving because of it. This is a rip roaring tale of deceit and revenge with a rather tightly woven plot. That being said, if love of art is not your thing, you may have some trouble with this novel.

I had no trouble with it at all. It is well written with constant twists and turns and introductions of fictional characters interacting with real life artists and art collectors like Henri Matisse, Gertrude Stein, Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald. It is a very entertaining read. Jul 02, Natalie rated it really liked it. This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

This is an incredibly interesting novel about the young woman who worked with the fictioalized Albert Barnes in assembling the magnificent Barnes Collection in Philadelphia. Vivienne had been duped by a con man and lost her comfort and her family. She totally reinvents herself and finds work as an assistant to the millionaire art collector. She works with him in Europe and ultimately moves to Philadelphia as his aide. What should have been a happy change in her troubled life, becomes a nightmare This is an incredibly interesting novel about the young woman who worked with the fictioalized Albert Barnes in assembling the magnificent Barnes Collection in Philadelphia.

What should have been a happy change in her troubled life, becomes a nightmare. Vivienne is wrongly accused and winds up in prison. There are endless twists and turns within the novel. The author also makes use of many famous people and gives the reader sufficient information to place them.

 
 

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Enter your mobile number or email address below and we’ll send you a link to download the free Kindle App. Then you can start reading Kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer – no Kindle device required. To get the free app, enter your mobile phone number. Her books have been selected as community reads in numerous cities and translated throughout the world. Before becoming a novelist, she taught sociology at Tufts University and creative writing at Northeastern University.

She and her husband, Dan, divide their time between Boston and Florida. The bestselling author of The Art Forger and The Muralist delivers a page-turning historical thriller of art and revenge, of history and love, that will transport readers to s Paris and America. When the eccentric and wealthy American art collector Edwin Bradley offers Vivienne the perfect job, she is soon caught up in the Parisian world of post-Impressionists and expatriates—including Gertrude Stein and Henri Matisse, with whom Vivienne becomes romantically entwined.

As she travels between Paris and Philadelphia, where Bradley is building an art museum, her life becomes even more complicated: George returns with unclear motives. Shapiro has made the historical art thriller her own. Read more Read less. Previous page. Print length. Algonquin Books.

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Login now. Toklas and Thornton Wilder; readers will be swept away by this thoroughly rewarding novel. Shapiro is back with a platinum potion of art, love, and scandal, set against the big backdrop of Paris between the wars. I read it in one sumptuous sitting. This is a big story, from a big talent. Shapiro has done it again! Readers will. Shapiro delivers another dose of art history, wrapped tightly in a thriller.

Don’t have a Kindle? Customer reviews. How are ratings calculated? Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon.

It also analyzes reviews to verify trustworthiness. Reviews with images. See all customer images. Top reviews Most recent Top reviews. Top reviews from the United States. There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later. Verified Purchase. The Collectors Apprentice is not at the same level The pacing seemed forced, all in the service of moving the story along but not particularly interesting.

It maybe was a fine book but I started with higher expectations for it so was a bit disappointed. I love the premise of the novel, and the way fact and fiction are interwoven. Clearly, Shapiro did a lot of research. I am an artist so I did not have to look up any of the artworks. However, Shapiro used a lot of cliches and skimmed too quickly over some parts. I would much prefer to read a book that is twenty pages longer and have it go smoothly.

This is the most interesting book I have read in a long time. Wonderful, complex reading for those interested in art, art history, aesthetics, the s decade Shapiro has a fine hand when it comes to the English language; she wields this admirable asset deftly and effectively. Example: Descriptive passages allowing the reader to visualize. She challenges the reader to keep up, and this is one of her many strengths. Example: Moving the story through time and space with ease and facility.

The story includes many historical characters who speaks as they would have spoken. Warning: Do not start this book at bedtime. You won’t be able to stop. I loved it. Henri Matisse’s ‘La Joie de Vivre’ is probably my favorite piece of art, so discovering this gorgeous work is central to The Collector’s Apprentice was a real treat!

As an art history buff, I knew a lot about the Barnes Foundation and his incredible collection. The book slowly draws you in but I found myself speed reading to the end because I couldn’t wait to see what happened next. It did take me a while to understand George’s role – he is quite an insufferable character – and it was only in the final chapters that it became clear why he was part of this story. I don’t want to give away too much, but can say the end is quite clever! This is the story about a fascinating era, the birth of incredible modern art collections, important artists, and strong-willed collectors.

Fans of art history and historical fiction will really enjoy this one. I was disappointed in this book it was not nearly as captivating as her earlier books. I found the language too simplistic and the plot boring. And I usually love books about art and art history. This one I put aside half read. Her third novel fell short. Her insight into Matisse and what he and his peers were trying to achieve was well done. By Barnes was inadequately developed, and his relationships with his wife, chief of staff and the key patrons of the Philadelphia Museum of Art were disappointingly shallow.

This book was difficult for me to read. Unlike a few other book group selections, I did finish this one. There was way too much descriptions of art and the art world for my taste. The story seemed very contrived. See all reviews. Top reviews from other countries. Translate all reviews to English. Esta entretenida pero no acaba de convencerme la trama. Report abuse Translate review to English.