Clara and Mr. Tiffany

A Novel

By: Susan Vreeland

Narrated by: Kimberly Farr

Length: 15 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's summary

Against the unforgettable backdrop of New York near the turn of the twentieth century, from the Gilded Age world of formal balls and opera to the immigrant poverty of the Lower East Side, bestselling author Susan Vreeland again breathes life into a work of art in this extraordinary novel, which brings a woman once lost in the shadows into vivid color.It’s 1893, and at the Chicago World’s Fair, Louis Comfort Tiffany makes his debut with a luminous exhibition of innovative stained-glass windows, which he hopes will honor his family business and earn him a place on the international artistic stage. But behind the scenes in his New York studio is the freethinking Clara Driscoll, head of his women’s division. Publicly unrecognized by Tiffany, Clara conceives of and designs nearly all of the iconic leaded-glass lamps for which he is long remembered.Clara struggles with her desire for artistic recognition and the seemingly insurmountable challenges that she faces as a professional woman, which ultimately force her to protest against the company she has worked so hard to cultivate. She also yearns for love and companionship, and is devoted in different ways to five men, including Tiffany, who enforces to a strict policy: he does not hire married women, and any who do marry while under his employ must resign immediately. Eventually, like many women, Clara must decide what makes her happiest—the professional world of her hands or the personal world of her heart.

©2011 Susan Vreeland (P)2011 Random House

Critic reviews

“The book brims with fascinating information about Tiffany's glassmaking and about New York as its gilded age gives way to a more progressive era. ...Vreeland's ability to make this complex historical novel as luminous as a Tiffany lamp is nothing less than remarkable.” (Washington Post)

“For the first time in my long life of reading novels, Susan Vreeland made me cry over the gloryof women's work. Clara and Mr. Tiffany is a noble and necessary book, lest we allow ourselves tobe ignorant of the struggle, courage, and vision of women who have come before us. Readers will never look at a Tiffany lamp or window in the same way again.” (Sena Jeter Naslund, author of Ahab's Wife and Adam & Eve)

Not the best Vreeland

The story was interesting however the performance was poor. The reader was not very convincing as she switched characters and I never could get into the story or past her reading. This is definitely not the best Vreeland novel.

Great story while cutting glass.

My favorite part, which brought tears to my eyes, was when they broke the mens line to go to work.

Wonderful read!

The intriguing story and wonderful narration combine in this riveting novel. I really enjoyed the history about the Tiffany stained glass production and the real life character Clara. I highly recommend this!

nice historical novel, based on true events

i've read a number of period novels, but this one stands out as particularly well written and authentic. the subject is very appealing as well.

Illuminous Writing!

This is an historical novel in the first order. Inspiring one to experience the social and environmental life in Manhattan and surrounding NYC as well as the eras of design and artistry. I became so fascinated that I found myself pausing the story to research and learn more in maps and pictures video and text.

Great imagery and story make this a most pleasant and vivid listen. A must read and or listen.

Fascinating !

Whether it is the artistic components or the personal, this book will not disappoint you .

Interesting Historical Fiction

What did you love best about Clara and Mr. Tiffany?

I really enjoyed the interesting story about the "Tiffany Girls" and their experience working as working women artists in the late 1800's and early 1900's in NYC. I found the author's description of the processes of creating the famous tiffany lamps and windows to be fascinating.

What other book might you compare Clara and Mr. Tiffany to and why?

Girl with a Pearl Earring because of it's women's perspective and art creation.

Which scene was your favorite?

I thought it was really interesting when the women stood up for their right to work and marched in unity down the middle of the road to protest the pressure they were receiving from the men's union.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

It wasn't a page turning thriller, but I found myself wanting to read it quickly.

Clara and Mr. Tiffany: A Novel

What made the experience of listening to Clara and Mr. Tiffany the most enjoyable?

Learning about the process of making Tiffany products, and the love that went into them.

What did you like best about this story?

The inspiration that Clara was constantly finding for her lamps.

Which character – as performed by Kimberly Farr – was your favorite?

Clara, of course!

If you could rename Clara and Mr. Tiffany, what would you call it?

Clara and her Tiffany Girls!!!

Any additional comments?

EXCELLENT BOOK! A lot of detail, so be prepared for that. However, well written.

Fascinating social history

Fascinating social history of the limitations placed on women and on the techniques of Tiffany floral productions but, can't say that the characters grabbed my interest.

This book needed an editor

The original concept for this book was sound, but the author couldn’t handle it. She clearly did a lot of research about Clara, Tiffany and that era in New York, and she felt compelled to tell us every single detail she found, whether or not it contributed to the story. For example, O’Henry is spotted at a restaurant. That’s all we know. How did that help the story? None of the characters is developed well, and the story doesn’t hang together. Cliché after cliché turns up. It’s honestly very tedious. I would have set the book aside if it weren’t for the fact that it’s a book club selection for me. Unfortunately, the author is also too much of a melodramatic reader. It was not enjoyable. 14 hours of not enjoyable.