Sister Wendy's 1000 Masterpieces

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Summary: Wendy Adventure To The Mall
Review: It was Wendy 8 Year old and Her mom took her to the mall and this is how it got started. This was one off the best book I read . It was a relly funny . It is one of the book I reconmon. She ends up getting lost in the mall . But she finds her mom in the mall and from then on she never left her moms side . In the mall or any where else and her mom stak by her to.

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Summary: A nice coffe-table book, but little more than just that.
Review: It would be hard to argue that, whether you love her or hate her, Sister Wendy has probably had more impact than anyone else on shaping what the wide, non-specialist audiences know about art. In spite of being a mega hit, her last best seller "The Story of Painting" has sometimes been criticized for its naiveté, and [perhaps rightly so] for too little scholarship, and far too much touchy-feely stuff. And yet, it was this combination of direct, and unabashedly personal take on art, along with DK's splendid reproductions, and accessible "perfect X-mas gift" pricing, that made Sister Wendy's book and TV series a well-deserved runaway success [and my students' favorite]. She was so different, so irritating, and yet strangely likeable, all at once. Now DK is back with another lavish Sister Wendy production, just in time for yet another X-mas season. Sorry to say it, but this one is sort of a dud. Arranged alphabetically like an encyclopedia or a dictionary, but far form encyclopedic depth, discipline, precision, or detail, this sizeable book crams 1000 reproductions on its by now regular-fare DK pages. It is an impressive, if odd collection, and yet, despite all this dazzling lavishness and colorful fireworks there is more glitter than substance here and, alas, all Sister Wendy's oddball charm and likeability are gone for good too. Sure, it's a nice coffee-table book, and at this price, with literally 1000 decent [not great] reproductions it's certainly a bargain. But the necessarily short sound bites that accompany most paintings are often banal, always shallow, and sometimes of arguably questionable interpretive accuracy [e.g. Frida Kahlo piece]. The text is hardly worth reading, having none of its predecessor's charm, coherence, and gusto. As for pictures, impressive collection that they are, many have frequently been reproduced in DK's earlier books, including Sister Wendy's own "Story of Painting." On the merit of its colorful variety alone [since clearly not for its text], this book deserves a place in any library's reference section. It will also be a wonderful gift for any experienced art aficionado: a quick review of the great and famous, with a few rare, bonus finds, but only if you know enough to fill in the fine details yourself. It's like a concert piano: unless you have the skill to transform it into art, it's just a piece of furniture, impressive as it may look in your living room. As an entry-level introduction to art, however, "The Story of Painting" remains an unbeatable champion, and neither this book, nor DK's similarly hefty, lavish, and even more failed "Art: World History" comes close.

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Summary: The book has beautiful reproductions.
Review: This book is a collection of the most beautiful reproductions and is a must-have for anyone who loves art. The comments are brief but insightful, but it is the quality of the art that makes the collection outstanding. At the price it's a steal.

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Summary: From an Artist...
Review: This Nun is a maverick in taking the reader off the beaten path of Art appreciation. Sister wendy has a great point of veiw in showing the power that Art has. It's endless capacity for Truth. How the pieces of Art in this book are a mirror showing us to ourselves. (not to mention some of the Art and Artists were new to Me also) No matter how much we think we know, there is always something new we can learn, and this wonderful book is an example of that.

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Summary: Excellent overview of classic paintings
Review: This tome is an excellent overview of classic and famous paintings through the ages. The art reproduction is very good and the commentary is usually incisive and engaging. I do recommend that this book be supplemented with one of the big art history references/textbooks in order to gain proper historical perspective, and to have a more objective and comprehensive general source on hand.

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Summary: Disappointing
Review: Usually a DK book is THE DEFINITIVE book on its topic. The problem with this book is that the "masterpieces" are not always the definitive ones. A number of the world's most famous works are missing and a number of inclusions are not so famous or particularly good. Suggest you go with her original, less expensive work, "the Story of Painting," and Wendy's videos, which are expensive, but very good.

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Summary: Superb reproduction and an excellent read!
Review: While presenting the subject in a serious light, Sister Wendy's approach to the evaluation and critique of art in this publication is both refreshing and entertaining. Sure, some of the more 'popular' Masterpieces are not addressed, but then it does not purport to be the all encompassing reference from A-Z. Her digression from the pathway of the pure academic is what makes the volume a pleasure to read and view; her comments stirring the imagination. The book is a veritable treasure of art and commentary and the photographic reproduction is absolutely superb. I have no hesitation in recommending this publication; even those for whom art is a bore will find this book interesting.