Georgia

A Novel of Georgia O'Keeffe

By: Dawn Tripp

Narrated by: Ann Marie Lee

Length: 12 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • In a dazzling work of historical fiction in the vein of Nancy Horan’s Loving Frank, Dawn Tripp brings to life Georgia O’Keeffe, her love affair with photographer Alfred Stieglitz, and her quest to become an independent artist.

This is not a love story. If it were, we would have the same story. But he has his, and I have mine. In 1916, Georgia O’Keeffe is a young, unknown art teacher when she travels to New York to meet Stieglitz, the famed photographer and art dealer, who has discovered O’Keeffe’s work and exhibits it in his gallery. Their connection is instantaneous. O’Keeffe is quickly drawn into Stieglitz’s sophisticated world, becoming his mistress, protégé, and muse, as their attraction deepens into an intense and tempestuous relationship and his photographs of her, both clothed and nude, create a sensation.

Yet as her own creative force develops, Georgia begins to push back against what critics and others are saying about her and her art. And soon she must make difficult choices to live a life she believes in.

A breathtaking work of the imagination, Georgia is the story of a passionate young woman, her search for love and artistic freedom, the sacrifices she will face, and the bold vision that will make her a legend.

©2016 Dawn Tripp (P)2016 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“Complex and original . . . Georgia conveys O’Keeffe’s joys and disappointments, rendering both the woman and the artist with keenness and consideration.”—The New York Times Book Review

“As magical and provocative as O’Keeffe’s lush paintings of flowers that upended the art world in the 1920s . . . [Dawn] Tripp inhabits Georgia’s psyche so deeply that the reader can practically feel the paintbrush in hand as she creates her abstract paintings and New Mexico landscapes. . . . Evocative from the first page to the last, Tripp’s Georgia is a romantic yet realistic exploration of the sacrifices one of the foremost artists of the twentieth century made for love.”—USA Today

“Sexually charged . . . insightful . . . Dawn Tripp humanizes an artist who is seen in biographies as more icon than woman. Her sensuous novel is as finely rendered as an O’Keeffe painting.”—The Denver Post

loved it!

its like listening to Georgia's thoughts. Georgia seemed austere but her paintings are those of a passionate person, and this book gives us a glimpse of that. I also enjoyed the narrator she was very easy to listen to. She made the book more real!

A real fiction

Would you try another book from Dawn Tripp and/or Ann Marie Lee?

no, too much sex

What do you think your next listen will be?

not sure, If I want a romance book I will choose N. Sparks or Sandra Brown

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

No tried to sound whispy or airy.

Did Georgia inspire you to do anything?

yes, paint

Any additional comments?

I hold Georgia O'Kefee in such high regards, I just did not see her the way the writer did.

Beware - Graphic sexual descriptions

Not exactly what I was expecting. Some very graphic sexual descriptions, while helping to explain the relationship between O'Keefe and Steglitz, also seemed to cheapen the story. I found my mind wandering during the second half of the book, as it tended to get repetitious. But it did make want to look through a book of her works.

Understanding a Complex Artist's Mind

The pace is slow, but the description of Georgia's thought process was enlightening and I have a greater appreciation for art in general. Afterward, I was compelled to see The Georgia O'Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe and visit Ghost Ranch.
"Audible 20 Review Sweepstakes Entry"

Could have done without all the sex, but

Interesting tale of an artist I knew nothing about. the middle dragged a bit--lots of the same.

Gorgeous

At first I wasn't sure about the depiction of her early life and relationship with Stiglitz, but as I neared the gorgeous and moving completion, I realized it was necessary for the full picture of her life. I loved this so much.

Unbearably slow narration

I am returning this book to audible- I will read it instead. The narration is painfully slow and the actors voice is weak. Perhaps this is intentional, to reflect the age of o’keefe at the time, but I just can’t fathom the idea of listening to it for hours on end.

Gruesome choice of narrator

She should be reading teen romances.o’keeffe was way beyond her. But quite an interesting look at O’Keeffe, Stieglitz, and the period.

Titillating and Brilliant

If you could sum up Georgia in three words, what would they be?

Senual, Bold, Suspenseful

What was one of the most memorable moments of Georgia?

Georgia's Handling of the Mural Job in NYC without Steiglitz's help.

What does Ann Marie Lee bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Her emphasis of Tripp's beautiful sentences have just the right touch.

Who was the most memorable character of Georgia and why?

Georgia: she was a trail-blazing female artist who has yet to get her due in the artistic canon!

Any additional comments?

I highly recommend this gorgeous and intoxicating read about not just a love story between to iconic artists, but a woman's drive to realize, protect and pursue her dream despite an unwelcoming world for a devoted artistic woman.

Georgia:talented artist whose art developed in conjunction with her womanhood.

Her love for Alfred S allowed him to dominate her art. He was narcissistic in that he was first and foremost. She tolerated his infidelities because she depended on his management skills. At one point, it seemed that he used her art to further his photography. When he died, she gained control and became miraculously independent and told one of his lovers to take her work out of Georgia's gallery.

So often, I observe women who assume the dependent role with their significant others and when separated, they mature or simply show that they are capable after all. This dependent role seems necessary in many relationships.

Narrator's voice was childlike in the beginning, annoyingly so! As Georgia aged, voice was more mature, perhaps to portray Georgia as immature in earlier years.