Books About Art

This assortment of study guides focuses on the arts, from cinema to cuisine. Read on to explore Aristotle’s Poetics, which analyzes the nature and uses of poetry; An Actor Prepares by Constantin Stanislavski, a manual for actors based on the author’s work and teachings at the Moscow Art Theatre in Russia; and Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver, which chronicles the art of fine dining.

Publication year 2001

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Family

Tags Children's Literature, Education, Education, Arts / Culture, Biography

Breaking Through, an autobiography by Francisco Jimenez, is a work of juvenile literature that was published in 2001. The book records the childhood experiences of the author as he struggles to become familiar with American culture, and has been awarded a number of prizes, including The Americas Award for Children’s and Young Adult Literature and the Pura Belpre Honor Award.The story commences with a description of the then 4-year-old author, his parents, and his older... Read Breaking Through Summary


Publication year 1999

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Class, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags History: European, Arts / Culture, Renaissance

Brunelleschi’s Dome: How a Renaissance Genius Reinvented Architecture is a 2000 nonfiction book by Ross King. The book describes how Filippo Brunelleschi radically altered the course of architectural history, defying expectations by designing and building the dome for Florence’s cathedral during the early Renaissance. Receiving widespread praise from critics, King has been commended for making a complex subject accessible to lay readers. King is a bestselling nonfiction writer who lectures across Europe and North America... Read Brunelleschi's Dome: How a Renaissance Genius Reinvented Architecture Summary


Publication year 1995

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Art, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Realistic Fiction, Arts / Culture, Grief / Death, Psychology, Education, Education, Classic Fiction


Publication year 1997

Genre Novel, Fiction

Tags Realistic Fiction, Education, Education, Urban Development, Arts / Culture

Buried Onions (1996), by Gary Soto, is a heart-wrenching slice-of-life, stream-of-consciousness novel that allows us to peer into the lifestyles available to young men growing up on the poverty-stricken and predominately Mexican-American south side of Fresno, California.The novel guides us through several weeks in the life of Eddie, a nineteen-year-old Mexican American and the narrator of this first-person story. Eddie strives to be responsible, is mostly honest, and attempts gamely to understand the world around... Read Buried Onions Summary


Publication year 1999

Genre Poem, Fiction

Tags Lyric Poem, Arts / Culture, Education, American Literature


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Race, Relationships: Marriage

Tags Historical Fiction, Race / Racism, History: World, Arts / Culture


Publication year 2004

Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction

Themes Society: Immigration, Relationships: Family, Identity: Language

Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Latin American Literature, Arts / Culture


Publication year 1945

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Community, Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Friendship

Tags American Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction, Arts / Culture, Anthropology, Animals, Class, Education, Philosophy, Poverty, Relationships, Science / Nature

Cannery Row by John Steinbeck was originally published in 1945. A Nobel Prize-winning writer, Steinbeck grew up in Salinas, California, which is near Monterey—the location of Cannery Row. Aside from a few years in Palo Alto, New York, and Los Angeles, Steinbeck spent most of his adult life living in Monterey County, and he drew on his personal experiences to write Cannery Row.Considered literary fiction or classic literature, Cannery Row is realistic and was written... Read Cannery Row Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Music, Society: Community

Tags Arts / Culture, Race / Racism, History: U.S., Social Justice, Poverty, Music

Can’t Stop Won’t Stop (Young Adult Edition) is an abridged version of the original 2005 non-fiction historical account of the origin and evolution of hip-hop culture written by Jeff Chang and David “Davey D” Cook. Jeff Chang is an American journalist, music critic, and historian who, in 1993, co-founded the hip-hop label Solesides, which aided in the launching of artists like DJ Shadow and Blackalicious. Jeff Chang earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the... Read Can't Stop Won't Stop (Young Adult Edition) Summary


Publication year 2015

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Natural World: Environment

Tags Lyric Poem, Race / Racism, Education, Education, Science / Nature, Arts / Culture, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2004

Genre Novel, Fiction

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Realistic Fiction, Arts / Culture

Chasing Vermeer is the debut novel of children’s author Blue Balliett. First published in 2004, the book is a children’s art mystery novel. The novel won several awards, including the Edgar Award for Best Juvenile Novel, the Agatha Award for Best YA Novel, and the Chicago Tribune Prize for Young Adult Fiction. An interactive experience, the novel uses maps, pentominoes (or Tetris-like puzzles), and coded graphics by illustrator Brett Helquist, to hide secret messages.The novel’s... Read Chasing Vermeer Summary


Publication year 2010

Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Economics, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government

Tags History: World, Biography, Chinese Literature, Arts / Culture, Politics / Government


Publication year 1990

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Tags History: World, History: U.S., Urban Development, Sociology, Arts / Culture, Politics / Government

Mike Davis’ City of Quartz: Excavating the Future in Los Angeles, won the 1990 Social Science Association Best Book Award. Davis is a Marxist urban theorist, historian, and political commentator who, following the success of City of Quartz, has written monographs on other American cities, including San Diego and Las Vegas. In his writing for The New Left Review journal, he continues to be a prominent voice in Marxist politics and environmentalism. His acclaims include... Read City of Quartz Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Society: Education, Identity: Race, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Equality, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Realistic Fiction, Arts / Culture, Class, Diversity, Education, Race / Racism, African American Literature, Children's Literature, Education, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1914

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Midlife, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Equality

Tags Irish Literature, Classic Fiction, British Literature, History: World, Arts / Culture


Publication year 1911

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality, Modernism, Philosophy, Arts / Culture, Classic Fiction


Publication year 1987

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Space & The Universe, Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags Arts / Culture, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure


Publication year 2004

Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction

Themes Natural World: Food, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Economics

Tags Humor, Arts / Culture, Philosophy, Animals, Food, American Literature, Journalism, Modern Classic Fiction, Philosophy


Publication year 2006

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Globalization, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government

Tags Philosophy, Education, Education, Sociology, History: World, Philosophy, Arts / Culture, Politics / Government

Cosmopolitanism: Ethics in a World of Strangers (2006) is a philosophical text written by Kwame Anthony Appiah. Appiah, a philosopher and ethicist who teaches at New York University, grew up in Kumasi, Ghana, where his father was a Ghanaian political leader and his mother a British expatriate. His family’s multicultural background, as well as the experience of growing up in diverse Kumasi and then attending school in the United Kingdom, informed Appiah’s thinking about communicating... Read Cosmopolitanism Summary


Publication year 1914

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Identity: Masculinity, Society: Colonialism, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Fathers, Society: Politics & Government

Tags Education, Education, History: World, Irish Literature, Arts / Culture, Classic Fiction