The Art of Tasha Tudor

Rating:
Summary: Delightful and Insightful
Review: Having been a fan of Tudor's work since I was a small child, I was delighted to find this book and read it cover to cover in just one day.

I found Mr. Davis's relationship with Tudor to be interesting and insightful into what Tasha is like as a person, day to day. It was obvious in the book that they have had their differences, but I found Mr. Davis still maintained a profound respect and awe for this prolific artist. His viewpoints have rounded out my view of Tasha Tudor, offering a real person, rather than just the idealized version of her that I had previously.

I hope that I can give my two young daughters at least of fraction of the magic Tudor has interwoven into her own life!

Rating:
Summary: A Better Book Exists
Review: How can the jacket flap state that this book is to be the seminal book on Tashas's life and work when such a work already exists in the fine bibliography book, a work of true scholarship entitled Tasha Tudor, The Direction of Her Dreams by John and Jill Hare.

The Davis book is a disappointment with many illustrations taken from her newer books and works . I had hoped to see as yet unpublished works of Tasha's art from the past.....old Christmas cards etc....

Rating:
Summary: More Gossip Than Art; A Crass Attempt to Cash In on Tudor
Review: The jacket flap describes this book as "sure to become the seminal book on her (Tasha Tudor's) life and work". Hardly. The commentary on the images presented in this book are painfully brief and pedestrian at best; they add no new insight. Many of the images have been seen in many other books; those that are new aren't that interesting.

However, most disturbing is the text. Tasha Tudor is a woman known for cherishing her privacy. This book spends most of its time trying to destroy it, elaborating on information more suited to a scandal sheet than to a serious book examining Tasha Tudor's art. Vingettes about the author's involvement with Tudor are mean spirited in the extreme.

I'm sure Ms. Tudor, like all of us, has her moments, but in my opinion it is clear that this book was written by her former business partner as a form of revenge. If I could give this book zero stars I would. Please don't reward Mr. Davis' crass attempt to cash in on a former business relationship with a great illustrator.

Rating:
Summary: controversy should not be used in critiquing this book!
Review: When I bought this book I had no idea of its supposed 'unauthorized' status due to a parting of the ways between Tasha Tudor and the author; her agent Harry Davis. I wasn't made aware of this until after I had read the book, enjoyed the artwork and deemed it a worthwhile purchase. In fact, I felt that I appreciated Tasha more after reading the biographical portions of this book because it made her seem more human than some of the other books published about her. I felt that Harry Miles did a very fair job.This book is NOT a scathing, gossipy smear of 'Dear Tasha'. It is a lovely overview of her work and the life that was being lived when that work was created.