Now that fall is on the way, I'd like to use this space to tell you about some of the forthcoming books I'm looking forward to this season. For this week, I'd like to mention Hilary Spurling's Matisse the Master.

In the interest of full disclosure: I'm a total sucker for art biographies. I've never had an art history class and am no expert, but I love reading about what formed various artists. Plus: they almost always make great characters for biographies, either because they were troubled, reclusive, or (best of all) spectacular jerks.

Matisse, according to Spurling, was none of the above, yet her first volume of Matisse's life (The Unknown Matisse) unravels like a terrific mystery. She explains that his sudden reversion during a particularly daring part of his career to a safer style was owing to his in-laws involvement in a huge financial fraud scandal and his need to help them out. And she describes his advances in techique as breathlessly as she relates the story of that scandal. The first volume ends with Matisse about to achieve major recognition, and I've been waiting five years to find out what happens next.

In any event, I recommend in advance this sure-to-be-terrific second volume. We'll be featuring it as a Buyer's Choice (I would have had a tantrum otherwise) at 20% off. And we have terrific full-size paperback remainders of the first volume at only $7.98. Even if you're not a museum groupie, check them out—trust me, art biographies are (when done well, of course) as gripping as a thriller! If you already have an art bio you love, let me know at artbios@olssons.com.

Best wishes,

-Joe Murphy, Head Book Buyer