The Annotated Mona Lisa: A Crash Course in Art History from Prehistoric to Post-Modern by Carol Strickland, John Boswell, Patty Brown (Editor)

Reads Great, less filling!by Evensteven58

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November 15, 2009: I purchased this book for myself and then as a gift for friends. This is a great introduction into art history without getting stuffy. A nice, breezy style of writing complemented with lush color photography. I enjoyed it enough to reread.

This is a balanced, clear guide to understanding the basics of Art History. "The Annotated Moby Anonymous

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August 16, 2009: Unlike the vast tomes of many authoritative voices of Art History, this book is comparatively brief yet never superficial of content, organized yet never montonous of style. It is easily accessible to the beginning student of Art History, as it is complementary ti the inquiries of the mature museum lover.

Many, if not most of the illustrations are in color, small representations (perhaps my main criticism,) but nevertheless well chosen. The cover alone will lure the reserved student to looking further into the text. Indeed, Strickland's choice of the title is sedcutive in a way, and yet it implies, or even affirms, that the average art viewer thinks of the Mona Lisa when first exposed to studying fine art painting. After all, I have never had a class in which a student fails to pose the inevitable question: "What's so great about the "Mona Lisa"? Yet this author offers answers to the simple questions about art as well as offering sufficient details to prod for further inquiry or research.

This tome can be a textbook (probably teenage level rather than college) or a faithful companion for the art lover. Perhaps the book's greatest asset is that it is so readable that the reader will want to pursue further into Art History. As a teacher, that is all I desire!