Still Life: A GMA Book Club Pick: A Novel
A Good Morning America Book Club Pick
A captivating, bighearted, richly tapestried story of people brought together by love, war, art, flood, and the ghost of E. M. Forster, by the celebrated author of Tin Man.
Tuscany, 1944: As Allied troops advance and bombs sink villages, a young English soldier, Ulysses Temper, finds himself in the wine cellar of a deserted villa. There, he has a chance encounter with Evelyn Skinner, a middle-aged art historian intent on salvaging paintings from the ruins. In each other, Ulysses and Evelyn find a kindred spirit amidst the rubble of war-torn Italy, and paint a course of events that will shape Ulysses’s life for the next four decades.
Returning home to London, Ulysses reimmerses himself in his crew at The Stoat and Parot—a motley mix of pub crawlers and eccentrics—all the while carrying with him his Italian evocations. So, when an unexpected inheritance brings him back to where it all began, Ulysses knows better than to tempt fate: he must return to the Tuscan hills.
With beautiful prose, extraordinary tenderness, and bursts of humor and light, Still Life is a sweeping portrait of unforgettable individuals who come together to make a family, and a deeply drawn celebration of beauty and love in all its forms.
A captivating, bighearted, richly tapestried story of people brought together by love, war, art, flood, and the ghost of E. M. Forster, by the celebrated author of Tin Man.
Tuscany, 1944: As Allied troops advance and bombs sink villages, a young English soldier, Ulysses Temper, finds himself in the wine cellar of a deserted villa. There, he has a chance encounter with Evelyn Skinner, a middle-aged art historian intent on salvaging paintings from the ruins. In each other, Ulysses and Evelyn find a kindred spirit amidst the rubble of war-torn Italy, and paint a course of events that will shape Ulysses’s life for the next four decades.
Returning home to London, Ulysses reimmerses himself in his crew at The Stoat and Parot—a motley mix of pub crawlers and eccentrics—all the while carrying with him his Italian evocations. So, when an unexpected inheritance brings him back to where it all began, Ulysses knows better than to tempt fate: he must return to the Tuscan hills.
With beautiful prose, extraordinary tenderness, and bursts of humor and light, Still Life is a sweeping portrait of unforgettable individuals who come together to make a family, and a deeply drawn celebration of beauty and love in all its forms.
BUY THE BOOK
These clubs recently read this book...
Community Reviews
I really enjoyed reading this book - I learnt a lot about the time period it covered and the countries it was based in. On the “edge of my seat” in places just wishing for paths to cross.
I really enjoyed Still Life, a page turner from the beginning. It was beautifully written, and I really felt I got to know the characters and their humanness.
The book demonstrates how a chance encounter can change the course of a life, providing meaning and purpose in a world turned upside down due to war.
There is an eclectic bunch of people from different walks of life, and I feel the parrot adds to the jumble of humans with a degree of chaos. Reading how the characters navigated this with compassion, non judgement, and humour was enchanting.
The ending, I felt, was rushed, I wanted to hear more about Evelyn Skinners' earlier life and about her being a spy.
Gosh how I loved getting swept up in this book. Such a beautiful tale of friendship, chosen family, art, food, Italy, and so much love.
Fabulous book. Opening chapter was my favourite. I loved the exploration of sexuality throughout the book. Always love a good animal character.
Some books you never want to end and this is one of them. An epic tale set in wartime London and Florence populated by characters you desperately want to hang out with. Loved it!
See why thousands of readers are using Bookclubs to stay connected.