I went to the library book sale in October and picked up a few "surprises" boxes, this was one of the books I was not interested in that I found in a box.

Heading out in Books of Color book box -- starting with oliviapoolside in WA

I've got a copy of this book in Mt. TBR - I really ought to get on with reading it.

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This book enjoyed a brief stop in San Jose, CA before continuing its journey in innae's Color Bookbox!

Chosen from innae's Color Book Box.

A Dutch painting of a young girl, possibly a Vermeer, survives three and a half centuries through loss, flood, anonymity, secrecy, theft, even the Holocaust. This is the story of its sometimes desperate owners whose lives are influenced by its seductive beauty and mystery, and whose defining moments take place in its presence. Despite their unsatisfied longings, their own and others' flaws, the girl in hyacinth blue has the power to generate love in all its human variety.

The German-American son of the Nazi who looted it from a Jewish home in Amsterdam in 1942, hides it out of shame for his father's atrocities, loves it with awe and passion, wrestles with moral questions of unlawful ownership and his own responsibilities of penance and restitution, and, like his father, ultimately fails as a human being.

The rest of the eight stories which make up this composite novel move back in time to the Renaissance. In each episode, the painting figures in casual affairs, natural catastrophe, flawed marriages, domestic violence, a murder, a hanging, yet in spite of these dreary circumstances, the power of beauty and art elevates the characters in individual, subtle ways.

Loved this book. Looking for a new reader.

Off to lils74 for the 12 Days of Christmas RABCK. She gets 8 Maids-a-milking. Soooo...a girl is a maid, right. Had to stretch it a little, but it is one of her wish list books. Enjoy!

Oooo, how lovely! This arrived safely yesterday, part of a wonderful 12 days of Christmas package. It was very ingenious and creative thinking on your part, I must admit! I'm really looking forward to reading this book, thank you! Also included was a lovely card, several kinds of chocolate and candy (I'll look forward to trying the Milk Duds, I've never had them before!), cappucino mix, and an adorable cow themed fragrance sachet, complete with a tiny cow! I love all this, thank you so much, Heartthumper! And I see this book was registered by Innae--(waves to Innae)

I just finished this book, it was a quick and very good read. It took me a story or two to get in the swing of the writer's style, as I had expected a novel and this was more like a chain of interconnecting short stories; I also found the first story or so a bit wordy and as I said, it took me a while to get into the groove of it. But as I kept reading, I started to really enjoy the stories, especially as they moved backwards in time to the painting's inception, and I was really sorry when it ended. It really is a genius idea, the story's structure and how it follows and imagines the painting's path. There was a lot of sorrow in the stories, though, and I suppose it is realistic and life was difficult then. It was a beautiful read, and I would certainly look out for more by this author, and recommend the book to anyone.

Last night was a friend's birthday so we went to listen to some local live bands and play some pool. I left this on a couch by the pool tables in the Purple Haze bar in Thamel.

Happy travels, little book. I hope you go far!