The Annotated Mona Lisa: A Crash Course in Art History from Prehistoric to Post-Modern

Warning--this is a RAVE review.

I wish I had discovered this wonderful book years ago. (I found it at a museum store in Balboa Park, San Diego.) I see that it's available for almost nothing from after-market vendors. I paid $25 for mine and it was worth every penny.

As a teacher of Art History to students who are not always interested in the subject, I am constantly faced with apathy and occasional hostility.

For some reason, art can be intimidating to many people. It removes them from their comfort zone and often makes them feel inadequate or even downright stupid. This little book removes some of those challenges by providing insightful explanations with simple language and beautiful illustrations. It's not just for school. This is a book every educated home needs--everyone in the family will enjoy it.

Whether it's in your classroom or on your coffee table, you will find yourself using this book almost daily. In a couple of minutes you can add a tidbit or two to your store of knowledge about one of life's most fascinating and relevant subjects--Art.

I bought this for my daughter's summer reading for Art History class - a 200+ page brief summary of the history of art. I paged through it to see what she was getting into, and I was very impressed with the breadth and interesting facts contained within. It's a great outline of a huge topic, that gives the reader a framework into which subsequent knowledge can be organized.

This is a wonderful book, I am studying for the Art praxis and found this book very helpful. Good crash course in art history.

I bought this book to review for the Art Content Praxis. It's been about 20 years since my art history classes so I definitely needed a refresher. Although, I did remember a lot and reviewed other books, this book put me over the top.

It's fast paced and easy to read! Short highlights to remind you of things you may have forgot and adds what you may have missed.

This book is just what is says it is: "a crash course in Art History" and it is great! Carol Strickland is a top flight writer and art historian. She covers the most important artists and movements in a concise and readable manner. Her side-bars that appear throughout the text add interesting anecdotal material that is always worthwhile. There are plenty of art reproductions, many in color, that illustrate the text.

I have used this book (1st edition) for several years in a one semester high school Art History course and it is perfect. It is also makes for very pleasant and informative personal reading. I recommend it very highly.