A wildly entertaining and surprisingly educational dive into art history as you've never seen it before, from the host of the beloved ArtCurious podcast We're all familiar with the works of Claude Monet, thanks in no small part to the ubiquitous reproductions of his water lilies on umbrellas, handbags, scarves, and dorm-room posters. But did you also know that Monet and his cohort were trailblazing rebels whose works were originally deemed unbelievably ugly and vulgar? And while you probably know the tale of Vincent van Gogh's suicide, you may not be aware that there's pretty compelling evidence that the artist didn't die by his own hand but was accidentally killed--or even murdered. Or how about the fact that one of Andy Warhol's most enduring legacies involves Caroline Kennedy's moldy birthday cake and a collection of toenail clippings? ArtCurious is a colorful look at the world of art history, revealing some of the strangest, funniest, and most fascinating stories behind the world's great artists and masterpieces. Through these and other incredible, weird, and wonderful tales, ArtCurious presents an engaging look at why art history is, and continues to be, a riveting and relevant world to explore.
Will Anderson and Elizabeth Hume are called to the vast Eloise Insane Asylum outside of Detroit, where Elizabeth's cousin Robbie is a patient and now a murder suspect. The victim, like three others before him at the asylum in recent months, was killed with the infamous "Punjab lasso," the murder weapon of the Phantom of the Opera. Certain of Robbie's innocence, they begin an investigation with the help of Detective Riordan. Will has himself committed to the asylum to investigate from the inside, and Elizabeth volunteers at Eloise and questions people outside the asylum. While Will endures horrific conditions in his search for the killer, Elizabeth and Riordan follow the trail of a murder suspect all the way to Kalamazoo, where they realize the killer might still be at Eloise, putting Will in extreme danger. They race back to Detroit, but will they arrive in time to save Will and bring the killer to justice? Filled with Johnson's trademark roller-coaster plot, nuanced characters, and brilliant historical research, Detroit Breakdown is a compelling, dark mystery set in the once- flourishing Paris of the West.
Wayne Countys Lost River Settlements is a history of six hamlets in southeastern Missouri that were destroyed by the government to clear the landscape for development of Lake Wappapello on the St. Francis River in the late 1930s. Several of the profitable river bottom homesteads had been in the families for well over 100 years, but with nothing else to do the evicted farmers moved on reluctantly in what became the greatest upheaval in the history of the county. With so much of Wayne Countys assessed valuation lost in the government buyout, it was feared remaining tax revenues would be inadequate to support essential services and that the countys various parts by necessity soon would be attached to adjoining counties. That didnt happen, but citizens at the doomed county seat, Greenville, struggled through an ordeal of pain and uncertainty that went on for several months before finally coming to an agreement to build a new town outside the flood plain. Greenvilles turmoil and fight for survival is covered in the concluding segment of the book. It lives on as the county seat in its new location, but little is known today of the lost settlementsChaonia, Taskee, Ojibway, Bethel, Center Ridge and Kime, each near the other and all at the time of their destruction closely aligned by blood and marriagewhich gives added significance to the discovery of the papers of Henry Yeakley Mabrey (1836-1915), who spent his childhood at Kime and for the greater part of the rest of his life resided a few miles to the south at Center Ridge, which was just north of Chaonia, whose birth he witnessed in 1888. Chaonia, a railroad town, became the trading center for one of the richest farming areas in the southeastern part of the state. Much of what is known of the settlements formative years is based on information gleaned from the Mabrey papers, which include school, church, governmental, and Civil War journals, as well as diaries, letters, and personal notes. Mr. Mabrey, a teacher, served in a number of political posts, including two terms as commissioner of public schools and two terms as probate judge of Wayne County. The author brings a unique perspective to the story, since he has lived with it since early childhood. As he states in the preface of the book, My involvement, my yen to write about these people, was possibly ordained, for I had heard much chatter about many of the families and of course the lost settlements while growing up at Greenville. It is his hope his work brings a measure of honor if not appreciation to the families in the lost settlements whose sacrifices for the common good were for the most part made without fanfare or public notice.
As an Amish midwife, Abigail Graber loves bringing babies into the world. But when a difficult delivery takes a devastating turn, Abigail is faced with some hard choices. Despite her best efforts, the young mother dies—but the baby is saved. When a heartless judge confines Abigail to the county jail for her mistakes, her sister Catherine comes to care for her children while Daniel works his fields. Catherine meets Daniel’s reclusive cousin, Isaiah, who’s deaf and thought to be simple minded by his community. She endeavors to teach him to communicate and discovers he possesses unexpected gifts and talents. While Abigail searches for forgiveness, Catherine changes lives and, in return, finds love, something long elusive in her life. And Isaiah discovers God, who cares nothing about our handicaps or limitations in His sustaining love. An inspirational tale of overcoming grief, maintaining faith, and finding hope in an ever-changing world. About This Series: Fans of superb Amish fiction will welcome the rich and moving stories of The Wayne County series by the bestselling author of A Widow’s Hope, Never Far from Home, and The Way to a Man’s Heart.
