Luncheon of the Boating Party

By: Susan Vreeland

Narrated by: Karen White

A vivid exploration of one of the most beloved Renoir paintings in the world, ?done with a flourish worthy of Renoir himself? (USA Today)

With her richly textured novels, Susan Vreeland has offered pioneering portraits of artists? lives. Now, as she did in Girl in Hyacinth Blue, Vreeland once again focuses on a single painting?Auguste Renoir?s instantly recognizable masterpiece, which depicts a gathering of Renoir?s real friends enjoying a summer Sunday on a café terrace along the Seine. Narrated by Renoir and seven of the models, the novel illuminates the gusto, hedonism, and art of the era. With a gorgeous palette of vibrant, captivating characters, Vreeland paints their lives, loves, losses, and triumphs so vividly that ?the painting literally comes alive? (The Boston Globe).©2007 Susan Vreeland; (P)2007 Penguin Audio, a member of Penguin Group (USA), Inc., and Books on Tape. All rights reserved.

La Vie Moderne

This is a great imaginative journey into the Paris of the impressionists. It could be better. Some of the characters are annoying. The history is clunky. The relationships are sometimes overwrought.

However, the hero- Renoir- is intriguing, funny and compelling. When he is around the book is great. Most of his friends are lovable. The real stars are French food, Paris and the materials Renoir and the others used to create wonderful paintings. So if you think you like (or could like) Paris, food and art, I would give it a go. If not, my commiserations. I've listened twice and can't quite decide if I really like it.

Just amazing

This book just drips with exquisite detail. The characters are so lifelike, as if you’ve always known them. This book has you feeling as if you’ve stepped into an era and are ready to pose for Renoir on the terrace. I strongly recommend this book for those that like great artists of the past, getting lost in a painting, or escaping your every day, Monday in life to step in to color with poetic drops.

Superb

So entertaining and full of history of art, persons, a country, war, peace and French culture.

Full of love and passion. Emotion of all kinds depicted so well as to elicit them by myself.

I enjoyed this book and learned so much including that which it inspired me to research via Internet images and You Tube documentaries. Not that the book lacked. Rather it caused me to want more. I had so much fun. It's a rich story too as I found myself able to go back and re-listen to parts. I rarely do this ever. There are after all so many books and so little time!

A Deeply Beautiful Story

I felt genuinely sad to have finished this book. Karen White's narration was warm and brilliant, her French pronounciation excellent.

Well Worth the Time

Entirely enthralling historical novel about Renoir, his famous painting and the lives of each of the models who posed for "Luncheon of the Boating Party". By the end of the book you care for each of the characters and hope the story will never end. An entertaining insight into the "modern life" of impressionistic-era France, this well-researched tale will leave you wanting more. Do yourself a favor and carry a copy of the painting with you when you listen, so you can identify each model and follow the references Vreeland makes to the landscape, still life and mysterious 14th figure within the painting.