INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER“A must-read for anyone who loves history and art.” –Kristin HannahFrom the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the smash bestseller Orphan Train, a stunning and atmospheric novel of friendship, passion, and art, inspired by Andrew Wyeth’s mysterious and iconic painting Christina’s World. “Later he told me that he’d been afraid to show me the painting. He … iconic painting Christina’s World.
“Later he told me that he’d been afraid to show me the painting. He thought I wouldn’t like the way he portrayed me: dragging myself across the field, fingers clutching dirt, my legs twisted behind. The arid moonscape of wheatgrass and timothy. That dilapidated house in the distance, looming up like a secret that won’t stay hidden.”
To Christina Olson, the entire world was her family’s remote farm in the small coastal town of Cushing, Maine. Born in the home her family had lived in for generations, and increasingly incapacitated by illness, Christina seemed destined for a small life. Instead, for more than twenty years, she was host and inspiration for the artist Andrew Wyeth, and became the subject of one of the best known American paintings of the twentieth century.
As she did in her beloved smash bestseller Orphan Train, Christina Baker Kline interweaves fact and fiction in a powerful novel that illuminates a little-known part of America’s history. Bringing into focus the flesh-and-blood woman behind the portrait, she vividly imagines the life of a woman with a complicated relationship to her family and her past, and a special bond with one of our greatest modern artists.
Told in evocative and lucid prose, A Piece of the World is a story about the burdens and blessings of family history, and how artist and muse can come together to forge a new and timeless legacy.
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This book is a fictionalized story about a real person who was the subject of the painting called Christina’s World that was painted in 1948 by Andrew Wyeth. The author researched the story behind the painting and brings the people to life: Christina herself with her physical infirmity (which is a key part of the story that almost feels like it is one of the characters), her family, the people of the town where she lives and Andrew Wyeth, the famed painter. She tells a story that is pretty mundane but somehow draws the reader in and you feel you are there in this small coastal community in Maine. As the story unfolds, you find yourself feeling the emotions of the simple, yet intricate relationships in Christina’s life and seeing her as she lives her simple life. It’s a simple, yet realistic, story set in a time and place far removed from our complicated world of today. I thoroughly enjoyed it!
This is a book I would have probably never heard of or read if I had not seen it on Book Bub. I have always admired Andrew Wyeth’s work and enjoyed the backstory, although fictional, about Christina Olson. After reading this book, I want to plan a trip to the Farnsworth Museum in Maine.
It was not what I expected. I thought there would be more about Andrew Wyeth. Interesting but not a favorite. Had trouble figuring out what was true snd what was truly fiction.
Loved this literary novel. Well written. Both inspirational and tragic.
Historical fiction about Andrew Wyeth’s most famous painting.
Boring formulaic family history
This was a well written book, but moved very slowly, guess I wanted something faster.
Baker Kline is an amazing writer
I was looking forward to this book as the painting upon which it is based is one of my favorites. I found the story slow moving, and the main character was very difficult to like. It was a struggle for me to finish the book.
The author did tremendous research into the painter Andrew Wyeth and the woman in his famous painting Christina’s World. Then, relying on truthful historical details, she created a deep inner life for the character Christina and the family members around her. The writing is absolutely beautiful, and Christina’s story is both heartbreaking and inspiring. I was only a bit disappointed by the abrupt ending.
Although I learned more historically about Christina Olson, her family, and her friendship with Andrew Wyeth in the afterword, this book centers on Wyeth’s famous painting, “Christina’s World”. Taking place in Cushing, Maine, the book is historically accurate. Baker Kline has deftly taken this painting and used it as a backdrop to weave the story of Christina, an infirm child from birth who perseveres in the country life of farm living, which is made so much more difficult by her physical limitations.
A heart wrenching story, the reader runs through a gamut of emotions – wishing more for Christina, cheering, her own, despising her negativity, and watching her life come to fruition as she see herself as who she really is through the eyes of Wyeth and his painting.
The writing is excellent and the story is well researched and beautifully rendered, however, the continued narrative on farming, the daily chores, and similar outings definitely slowed the reading of this book and could have been truncated without harming there story. In addition, there is something lacking that deprives the book of that memorable punch that pushes the reader to reconsider the characters and the underlining meaning of the story. Perhaps it was the inability of me as the reader to connect totally with Christina – to live in such a way as to make her situation worse by refusing even the slightest modicum of help. No running water, no electricity, walking or crawling when other means were available. It was almost too much to bear to see her suffer so and at times a but too unrealistic that others who loved her would allow her to function in this narrowness regardless of her stubborn ways.
One of the very best historical fiction books I have ever read. Didn’t want it to end. Fascinating. Incredible where life can take you. What will you do with that life. Stays with you long after you’ve finished the book.
A rare look into the Wyeth world
A fascinating fictional biography of the iconic Christina, a favorite Andrew Wyeth model. She wasn’t the most sympathetic of characters, but she had plenty of reasons to hole up in her house in Cushing, Maine. She must have been an intriguing subject for Wyeth, as for Kline.
Loved the characters, particularly Christina of course. Her life was sad and tragic, but out of the saddest situation came amazing inspiration for Andrew Wyeth. His paintings of her house and of her in particular, were his primary source of material for decades. His resulting art (Christina’s World) is for all eternity and that is Christina’s legacy to the world that she existed.
It was interesting especially if you like Wyeth paintings.
A wonderful tale of a treasured painting
A story to never forget!
I found it difficult to read. It hopped around too much. And I found Christina an unlikeable person. Especially, in her relationship with her younger brother who gave up everything for her.
Wonderful use of historical fiction. The background facts regarding the Wyeth family were intriguing.