New Book Scandals, Vandals, and da Vincis: A Gallery of Remarkable Art Tales Pioneers New Genre - The Art Tale

Author Harvey Rachlin does it again, creating a compelling read of art history that comes to life with true stories that read like the soaps, People Magazine, and all the tabloids. These are the stories of our greatest art masterpieces hanging in the world's greatest museums. They're written with insight, and heart, a book you wont' be able to put down. Next up, the Scandals, Vandals, and da Vincis Tour.

Fountain Valley, CA (PRWEB) May 2, 2007 -- Behind the masterpieces of art are compelling stories--stories that carry us to another time, stories that illuminate the human condition, stories that are parables for our own modern world.

Many of these stories are little known because they are only subtly hinted at in the histories of the paintings. But author Harvey Rachlin has found a way to take obscure but illuminating aspects of paintings and develop them into short stories that have universal meaning. Thus his new book marks the debut of a fascinating, enchanting, and edifying new literary genre: the art tale.

Scandals, Vandals, and da Vincis: A Gallery of Remarkable Art Tales, published by Penguin, is a unique collection that contains dozens of true tales revolving around such timeless themes as undying love, sacrifice, struggle, personal rebellion, spirituality, oppression, freedom of expression, and revolution. Romances. Tragedies. Adventures. Sad stories. Eerie stories. Inspiring stories. All based on famous paintings by such artists as:

Da Vinci, Raeburn, Holbein, Leutze, Bronzino, Bonheur, Veronese, Manet, Caravaggio, Whistler, Rembrandt, Tissot, Zoffany, Orchardson, Gainsborough, Toulouse-Lautrec, Copley, Picasso, Stuart and Dalí.

Here is what Publishers Weekly had to say about Scandals, Vandals, and da Vincis: "Readers may find an entirely new appreciation for art and its creators after reading Rachlin's dishy tales of the people behind and beyond 26 famous canvases…it's an entertaining read full of good, gossipy tales for art aficionados or those interested in sounding like one."

Harvey Rachlin is no stranger to research. He has written 11 books to date including Lucy's Bones, Sacred Stones, and Einstein's Brain, Jumbo's Hide, Elvis's Ride, and the Tooth of Buddha, which were adapted for the smash-hit History Channel series History's Lost and Found. His other works include The Making of a Detective, The Making of a Cop, The Money Encyclopedia, The Encyclopedia of the Music Business, and The Songwriter's Handbook. He has written for the New York Times, the Writer, Law and Order, and is a winner of the ASCAP-Deems Taylor Award for excellence in music journalism. He is a lecturer in music at Manhattanville College in Purchase, New York, and he plays a mean "ragtime" on the piano. The book retails for $14 in paperback, and is on sale at your local bookstore or on Amazon.com and other online booksellers.

Planning is in the works for a Scandals, Vandals, and da Vincis art tour to Europe to retrace the stories in the book.

For interviews with the author please contact Bonnie Barchichat.

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