Book Description
THE WORLD OF RICHARD DADD is an intriguing collection of poetry concerning the rememberances of a dark era, that is playfully autobiographical and hauntingly dreamlike in it's vision. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The worlds of Richard Dadd and Michael Mott
Richard Dadd is probably best known for two things: his enigmatic and hallucinatory fairy paintings and the fact that he murdered his father.

In 'The World of Richard Dadd', Michael Mott reflects upon Dadd, the artist and the son, but intertwines this with thoughts about his own childhood in north London on the eve of the Second World War; a childhood shared by Thom Gunn to whom the book is dedicated.

The strands of the book are skillfully mingled, partly because they share a similar mood where dreamlike memory distilled by time. Mott evokes a childhood where parents are distant exotic beings, usually viewed through the upstairs banisters, where children climb monkey puzzle trees and dress up in their absent parents' clothes.

This is not to say this is a comfortable book. Mott is painfully honest about the patriarchal society in which he was brought up, and its consequences in the wider world - the shadow of war hangs over the book.

All in all, a thought-provoking collection from an accomplished poet, full of allusive and memorable images.

My one criticism is of the reproductions of Dadd's work inside the book - they are murky and hard to discern. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent book on unusual painter (and paintings)
I read this book a decade ago, then lent it to someone and haven't seen it since. A pity, because it's seemingly impossible to find in librairies and bookstores. In English it is entitled "Richard Dadd" and is a fictionalized biography of the 19th century English painter of fairies who spent his last years in an insane asylum after at least attempting (as I remember) to kill his father. The prose is colourful verging on sugary, with Dadd's youth and delusional, paranoid madness well described. If one does get to read this book, as I would one day wish to do again, they could research Dadd's paintings, samples of which should beavailable in at least compediums of that era. They are unusual and give the book a background. Painting of fairies and like creatures (among the most popular done by Richard Doyle)were popular for a time in the past century. ... Read more

Book Description
It begins with a severed finger and with a gift in Winter. Not realising that she is being courted by a faery suitor, The Bride enters the cold and sparkling world of the Prince of Spiders. She takes the severed finger, unaware that such gifts carry consequences, and finds herself trapped. The Prince of Spiders rules this land of dreams, lost in glittering snow. As a Winter King, he should end his reign by dying at the coming of Spring. Until now he has delayed this by offering the blood of artists and poets to the ancient spirits of the land, eeking out his season long beyond its time. But now he has a more daring plan in his heart... a plan that is thwarted by the disappearance of his human bride. ... Read more

Book Description
Hailed for her “remarkably accomplished and poignant work” (Washington Post), acclaimed author Elizabeth McGregor returns with a haunting love story about two lost souls brought together by chance—and bonded forever by a mystery that transcends madness, tragedy, and time itself....

Catherine Sergeant is adept at going through the motions. After losing her parents at an early age, she buried her grief in the study of antiquities. Now, deserted by her husband without warning or explanation, she reports to work at Pearson’s auction house, exchanging pleasantries with colleagues, never revealing her pain. Cocooned in loneliness, she couldn’t be more surprised to find herself opening up to a total stranger—a new client, no less.

In widowed architect John Brigham, Catherine finds a kindred spirit. The two share a fascination with Richard Dadd, an early Victorian painter who lived most of his life incarcerated in an insane asylum. There he produced his most stunning works—works that have deeply moved Catherine and now draw her inexorably
to John. Soon the two are falling in love.

The reawakening of passion in a woman like Catherine is more than John ever hoped for. But when she discovers his possession of an unknown Dadd, it is just the first in a series of revelations that leave her wondering if she knows this man who has shown her life’s true beauty. For John, it may be a last chance to free himself from the priceless secrets he has been harboring too long. Secrets about a soul laid bare on canvas, and a legacy that could shatter all he holds dear in the space of a heartbeat…

A compelling blend of human drama, art, and history, this intriguing tale casts a spell that lingers far beyond the final page—and celebrates the strength we all must find within our hearts.Download Description
ELIZABETH McGREGOR is the acclaimed author of The Ice Child and A Road Through the Mountains. She lives with her daughter, Kate, on the south coast of England, in Dorset, where she is working on her next novel.


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Has promise, but misses the mark
I read this for our bookclub.I am a fan of Richard Dadd and was looking forward to this book.I was disappointed, however.The characters are not particularly sympathetic and the two parts of the book (the ongoing romance between John and Catherine; Helen's sinking pathetically into serious mental illness; Catherine and Robert's peculiar breakup--intercut with the peeping into Richard Dadd's psyche) just didn't work really well as an integrated whole.The pace was a bit slow, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, though the ultimate payoff did not make it worthwhile.Not a terrible book by any means, but not very memorable. If you are interested in Dadd, by all means take a look.

Not my kind of book
This may possibly be a good book - I found it so boring I gave up after reading only a third of it. Maybe I missed the good part. Although I am a compulsive reader (who ELSE reads the side of cereal boxes?), I couldn't force myself to finish it.

very pleased
Received in a very timely manner, book was new and I certainly enjoyed reading it. I would buy from this vendor again.

Well worth reading...
I had grabbed this book while passing thru a bookstore out of sheer desperation for something to read, and it has turned out to be a wonderful literary surprise.The author brings her characters to life, even the artist, Dadd, takes on a whole new meaning.I'm now anxious to learn more about him.But even more, I am looking forward to reading more of Elizabeth McGregor's books.She has an extraordinary talent in keeping readers interested, even as the story of both Dadd and the primary characters changes from one minute to the next.

I strongly recommend this for a really good read.

life imitates art imitates life
Oh, wow, I was impressed with this book. Two stories which turn out to be related, alternate. We open in a London insane asylum, 1844. In the middle of a scene remeniscent of the beginning of Amadeus, the artist Richard Dadd is painting the details of an insect's wing. Probably most Americans and people without an art history background have not heard of Dadd, but he was real and his work was fascinating. It's worth taking a look at some of his pictures on the web. He was put away for life after killing his father in the middle of a delusion (he was schizophrenic). Much of his best work was done while confined in mental hospitals. In present day London, art appraiser Catherine has been left by her husband Robert. In the course of her work, she meets John, who has a house full of art and collectibles and antiques. They begin a relationship that eventually leads back to Richard Dadd. The stories are well told, the descriptions are exquisite, and the author treats characters having major mental illnesses with sensitivity, although she also makes them realistic. One remarkable scene has Dadd being transferred from a hospital where he's been for 20 years to another institution outside London. It's his first time out and his first trip on a train. It's a Rip van Winkle kind of sensation; yet Dadd carefully notes every detail for future works because he knows he wont get the chance to see it again. This book is just so interesting and really a pleasure to read. I felt I learned quite a bit, and that's something for a novel. Highly recommended. ... Read more