About this item
B. A. Shapiro once again pens the art world into vivid, sensual life. Set during World War II and the dawn of Abstract Expressionism, "The Muralist" is an intriguing story masterfully imagined about art, war, family, truth, and freedom. If you liked "The Art Forger, "you're going to love "The Muralist" Lisa Genova, author of "Still Alice" Alizee Benoit, an American painter working for the Works Progress Administration (WPA) , vanishes in New York City in 1940 amid personal and political turmoil. No one knows what happened to her. Not her Jewish family living in German-occupied France. Not her artistic patron and political compatriot, Eleanor Roosevelt. Not her close-knit group of friends, including Mark Rothko, Jackson Pollock, and Lee Krasner. And, some seventy years later, not her great-niece, Danielle Abrams, who while working at an auction house uncovers enigmatic paintings hidden behind recently found works by those now famous Abstract Expressionist artists. Do they hold answers to the questions surrounding her missing aunt? Entwining the lives of both historical and fictional characters, and moving between the past and the present, "The Muralist" plunges readers into the divisiveness of prewar politics and the largely forgotten plight of European refugees refused entrance to the United States. It captures both the inner workings of today s New York art scene and the beginnings of the vibrant and quintessentially American school of Abstract Expressionism. B. A. Shapiro is a master at telling a riveting story while exploring provocative themes. In Alizee and Danielle she has created two unforgettable women, artists both, who compel us to ask, What happens when luminous talent collides with inexorable historical forces? Does great art have the power to change the world? And to what lengths should a person go to thwart evil? B. A. Shapiro s "The Muralist" is an expertly constructed, riveting tale of art, politics, love, and consequences in the Depression Era . . . It rings with originality and authenticity. What a compelling read Jami Attenberg, author of "The Middlesteins" I am a great fan of B. A. Shapiro, especially her new novel "The Muralist. " It is a tantalizing mystery, as well as an involving meditation on the meaning of art over time. Scott Turow, author of "Identical" " From our buyer, Margaret Terwey: Abstract Expressionism is beginning in New York. European refugees are seeking asylum in the US. A brilliant young artist vanishes. Seventy years later, her great-niece is piecing together the truth about her disappearance. Moving between the past and the present, and entwining the lives of historical and fictional characters, The Muralist plunges readers into a gripping mystery.
About the Author
I am the author of THE COLLECTOR'S APPRENTICE as well the bestselling novels The MURALIST and THE ART FORGER, all set in the art world. I am also the author of five previous novels (THE SAFE ROOM, BLIND SPOT, SEE NO EVIL, BLAMELESS and SHATTERED ECHOES) , four screenplays (BlindSpot, The Lost Coven, Borderline and Shattered Echoes) and the non-fiction book, THE BIG SQUEEZE. In my previous career incarnations I have directed research projects for a residential substance abuse facility, worked as a systems analyst/statistician, headed the Boston office of a software development firm, and served as an adjunct professor teaching sociology at Tufts University and creative writing at Northeastern University. I like being a novelist the best.I began my writing career when I quit my high-pressure job after the birth of my second child. Nervous about what to do next, I said to my mother, "If I'm not playing at being superwoman anymore, I don't know who I am." My mother asked, "If you had one year to live, how would you want to spend it? " The answer: write a novel and spend more time with my children. And that's exactly what I did. Smart mother. My husband Dan and I raised our children in Boston and now divide our time between Boston and Florida. And yes, I'm working on yet another novel but have no plans to raise any more children. You can visit me at www.bashapirobooks.com.
