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The Lives of the Muses: Nine Women & the Artists They Inspired
by Francine Prose

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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39939.The_Lives_of_the_Muses_Nine_Women_the_Artists_They_Inspired?utm_medium=api&amp;utm_source=blog_review" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="The Lives of the Muses: Nine Women &amp; the Artists They Inspired" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1169340291m/39939.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39939.The_Lives_of_the_Muses_Nine_Women_the_Artists_They_Inspired?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_review">The Lives of the Muses: Nine Women & the Artists They Inspired</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/12180.Francine_Prose">Francine Prose</a><br/><br/>
  <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5819158?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_review"><h3>My review</h3></a>
  rating: 4 of 5 stars<br/>Offers engaging narratives and provided insightful details of the women's unconventional relationships with their artists and, in my opinion, the illusions/disillusionments that pervaded many of their relationships. Those who read The Meaning of the Oxford English Dictionary might be interested to read the chapters on Samuel Johnson and Hester Thrale and Lewis Carroll and Alice Liddell.  Ms. Thrale's friendship and support quite literally enabled Johnson to survive and write his dictionary.  The chapter on Lewis Carroll saddened me.  Alice in Wonderland just might be illustrative of the sublimation of personal desires, but his behaviors would be judged very harshly by today's standards.  Ms. Liddle's silence preserves the questionable, childlike innocence of the story.  The chapter on Dali and Gala-Dali was an eye-opener since I was unaware of his emotional disturbances.  Again I am saddened that artistic achievement is fueled by pathology.  Many of Dali's paintings manifest his inner view of Gala, and the one that gave me pause was the Madonna of Port Lligat.  The painting seems incongruous in light of Gala's tumultuous relationship with her daughter from her marriage with Paul Eluard, and with whom she maintained intimate relations while married to Dali, but interesting when viewed in light of her behaviors with Dali.  I won't comment on the Pope's sanction of this painting.  I chuckled at Lou Andreas-Salome's proclivity for intellectual relationships much to the physical dissatisfaction of her male counterparts.  She is connected with three artists, the poet Rilke, the philosopher Nietzsche, and the psychoanalyst, Freud.  Lee Miller's personal life is a revelation and certainly contributed to many of her emotional problems, possibly enabling her to learn from Man Ray and become an accomplished photographer in her own right.  Suzanne Farrell and George Balanchine show how a gifted artist and gifted muse can bring out the best in each other if they are able to overcome negativity.
  <br/><br/><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/347327?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_review">View all my reviews.</a>

Mymuseisme's review
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recommended for: people watchers

Offers engaging narratives and provided insightful details of the women's unconventional relationships with their artists and, in my opinion, the illusions/disillusionments that pervaded many of their relationships. Those who read The Meaning of the Oxford English Dictionary might be interested to read the chapters on Samuel Johnson and Hester Thrale and Lewis Carroll and Alice Liddell. Ms. Thrale's friendship and support quite literally enabled Johnson to survive and write his dictionary. The chapter on Lewis Carroll saddened me. Alice in Wonderland just might be illustrative of the sublimation of personal desires, but his behaviors would be judged very harshly by today's standards. Ms. Liddle's silence preserves the questionable, childlike innocence of the story. The chapter on Dali and Gala-Dali was an eye-opener since I was unaware of his emotional disturbances. Again I am saddened that artistic achievement is fueled by pathology. Many of Dali's paintings manifest his inner ...more Offers engaging narratives and provided insightful details of the women's unconventional relationships with their artists and, in my opinion, the illusions/disillusionments that pervaded many of their relationships. Those who read The Meaning of the Oxford English Dictionary might be interested to read the chapters on Samuel Johnson and Hester Thrale and Lewis Carroll and Alice Liddell. Ms. Thrale's friendship and support quite literally enabled Johnson to survive and write his dictionary. The chapter on Lewis Carroll saddened me. Alice in Wonderland just might be illustrative of the sublimation of personal desires, but his behaviors would be judged very harshly by today's standards. Ms. Liddle's silence preserves the questionable, childlike innocence of the story. The chapter on Dali and Gala-Dali was an eye-opener since I was unaware of his emotional disturbances. Again I am saddened that artistic achievement is fueled by pathology. Many of Dali's paintings manifest his inner view of Gala, and the one that gave me pause was the Madonna of Port Lligat. The painting seems incongruous in light of Gala's tumultuous relationship with her daughter from her marriage with Paul Eluard, and with whom she maintained intimate relations while married to Dali, but interesting when viewed in light of her behaviors with Dali. I won't comment on the Pope's sanction of this painting. I chuckled at Lou Andreas-Salome's proclivity for intellectual relationships much to the physical dissatisfaction of her male counterparts. She is connected with three artists, the poet Rilke, the philosopher Nietzsche, and the psychoanalyst, Freud. Lee Miller's personal life is a revelation and certainly contributed to many of her emotional problems, possibly enabling her to learn from Man Ray and become an accomplished photographer in her own right. Suzanne Farrell and George Balanchine show how a gifted artist and gifted muse can bring out the best in each other if they are able to overcome negativity....less

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