Friday 56 & Book Beginnings: #MadamePicasso (+ Giveaway!)


Eva dashed around the corner, whirling by the splashing fountain on the place Pigalle at exactly half past two. Intolerably late now, she clutched the front of her blue plaid dress, hiked it up and sprinted the rest of the way down the boulevard de Clichy, in the shadow of the looming red windmill of the Moulin Rouge.
- the beginning

For Friday 56:  
Eva thought of Picasso and felt her cheeks warm. He fascinated her--for his celebrity, of course, but also for his bravado, and for the sensuality that seemed to pulse through him even when she saw him at a distance. 
- p. 56 (ARC, page may change)

Synopsis of Madame Picasso by Anne Girard: Novelist Anne Girard brings to life the mesmerizing and untold story of Eva Gouel, the unforgettable woman who stole the heart of the greatest artist of our time.

When Eva Gouel moves to Paris from the countryside, she is full of ambition and dreams of stardom. Though young and inexperienced, she manages to find work as a costumer at the famous Moulin Rouge, and it is here that she first catches the attention of Pablo Picasso, a rising star in the art world. A brilliant but eccentric artist, Picasso sets his sights on Eva, and Eva can't help but be drawn into his web. But what starts as a torrid affair soon evolves into what will become the first great love of Picasso's life.

With sparkling insight and passion, Madame Picasso introduces us to a dazzling heroine, taking us from the salon of Gertrude Stein to the glamorous Moulin Rouge and inside the studio and heart of one of the most enigmatic and iconic artists of the twentieth century.

Read an excerpt here.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

Anne Girard is a writer and historian with degrees in English literature and clinical psychology. She has spent extensive time in Paris and lives in California with her husband and children.

Visit her official website.

Follow Anne on Facebook.


Giveaway Time!




Buy This Book from Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

15 comments

  1. Learning about this author and her background was interesting. Paris would be fascinating and wonderful. How talented and creative.saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

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  2. Is it a nonfiction book or historical fiction?

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    1. Its historical fiction, Anne. The author says "Although this book is a novel, and thus a work of fiction, I have taken the greatest care to recount events as they are known to have occurred."

      Check out more on her website: More about Eva

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  3. Sounds fantastic....what a wonderful description.

    I have this book on my shelf.

    THANKS for sharing and for the push to move it up in my TBR stack.

    Elizabeth
    Silver's Reviews
    My Book Beginnings

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  4. I've seen this one around a lot lately. It sounds really interesting.
    Happy weekend!

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  5. Not sure if it's for me, but it sounds interesting enough to check out anyway. Thanks for the giveaway.

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  6. I keep seeing this one around too -- I'm finally capitulating and entering a giveaway. I'm not sure about it though...

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    1. I'm still thinking about my review for this one, April. When it's done, will let you know.

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  7. Thanks for sharing the opening lines of this book! I've been hearing so much about this book on the blogosphere lately, and the premise sounds really interesting. Will keep a lookout for this book :) Thanks also for the great giveaway!

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  8. So excited about this book, Anne!!!

    Suzy

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  9. This reminds me of the biography I read of Sigmund Freud this summer. It's wonderful when authors can bring such famous people to life, so to speak.

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    1. Belleza, interesting you should say that. The book Freud's Mistress came to mind when I accepted this for review! It seems that the women behind famous men are becoming really great inspiration for stories like this!

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© guiltless readingMaira Gall