"I received a copy of this book in exchange for my opinion.

I need to preface my review by saying I knew nothing of Lee Krasner before reading this book. I knew of Jackson Pollock but only knew of him in the vaguest terms. I knew he was an artist and that he did drip paintings. But that was it. I didn't even know he was married. I thought I was going to find this book dry or boring, but I was pleasantly surprised.

This book follows Lee's life from the time she was a young art student in New York in the 1920's. It was very fast paced. The chapters were short and easy to read. It was an engrossing story. By the time that Lee met Pollock, I was already invested in her as a character. She was so fiery and determined to succeed as a woman in a male dominated world.

Following Lee through her ups and downs, both with and without Pollock, was eye opening. The author did such a meticulous job with the details that you feel like Lee could step off the page and talk to you about what was going on with her life at any time.

It took me a longer time to read this book than it normally would have, but that was because every time Penny Fields-Schneider mentioned a place, person, work of art, whatever, I went and did research on that particular person or item. I love when authors go the extra mile with their research and really stay true to their subject matter. I enjoyed seeing the works that Lee created. They are truly remarkable. Even more so when you consider that for most of her life, she was relegated to the title of Mrs. Jackson Pollock and not as an artist in her own right.

Lee's story was not easy, though. Jackson was a tortured genius. He struggled with alcohol and with self-doubt. They went through a lot together. They weren't always nice to each other, but they always loved each other underneath everything. And Lee was always Pollock's biggest supporter. But he was also her biggest supporter. I have no doubt that he would have been thrilled with her success if he hadn't died when he did.

For anyone who has even a passing interest in art, especially modern art, this book is one they should definitely read. Lee Krasner was a force of nature, one of those rare individuals that was consumed by the muses and created things other people couldn't. I'm sure this book will only lead me to reading more about both her and other artists of this time period.

My rating: 5 stars"

"The world of Krasner.

The engrossing world of modern art in the Twentieth Century and the life of Lee Krasner are brought to life in this well written book. Her struggles and accomplishments, relationships and friends are examined along with her tempestuous life with Jackson Pollack. Fact and fiction bring it all together."

"I liked the book and found it very engaging. I knew a bit about Lee Krasner and her relationship with her husband but I did not know much of her early life and how she continued to paint and r=create her entire life. She was so driven to be recognized as an artist and had to fight to be recognized and accepted among the male artists of the time. I have a great respect for her and now want to look at the art she created over her lifetime.
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