Clara and Mr. Tiffany - by Susan Vreeland (Paperback)

About the Book

The "New York Times"-bestselling author of "The Girl in Hyacinth Blue" creates a dynamic portrait of Clara Driscoll: lead designer for Louis Comfort Tiffany (famous for Tiffany lamps) and a woman conflicted between her desires for artistic recognition and romantic love.

Book Synopsis

NATIONAL BESTSELLER

It's 1893, and at the Chicago World's Fair, Louis Comfort Tiffany makes his debut with a luminous exhibition of innovative stained-glass windows that he hopes will earn him a place on the international artistic stage. But behind the scenes in his New York studio is the freethinking Clara Driscoll, head of his women's division, who conceives of and designs nearly all of the iconic leaded-glass lamps for which Tiffany will long be remembered. Never publicly acknowledged, Clara struggles with her desire for artistic recognition and the seemingly insurmountable challenges that she faces as a professional woman. She also yearns for love and companionship, and is devoted in different ways to five men, including Tiffany, who enforces a strict policy: He does not employ married women. Ultimately, Clara must decide what makes her happiest--the professional world of her hands or the personal world of her heart.

Review Quotes

"Vreeland's ability to make this complex historical novel as luminous as a Tiffany lamp is nothing less than remarkable."--The Washington Post

"A novel as sparkling and elegant as a Tiffany lampshade . . . a sensitive portrayal of women's struggles in the nineteenth century . . . [Susan Vreeland] has captured the tone of an era. . . . The consistent elegance and vitality of her prose make reading her book a pleasure."--Minneapolis Star Tribune

"As she did for a Vermeer painting in Girl in Hyacinth Blue, Vreeland traces the secret history of an objet d'art--this time, the iconic Tiffany lamp. . . . A fascinating look at at turn-of-the-century New York City."--People (4 out of 4 stars)

"Vreeland's writing is so graceful, her research so exhaustive, that a reader can't help becoming enfolded in this fascinating world."--Los Angeles Times

"There's no excuse for any reader of high-quality literary fiction to let this novel pass by."--Booklist (starred review)

About the Author

Susan Vreeland is the New York Times bestselling author of eight books, including Clara and Mr. Tiffany and Girl in Hyacinth Blue. She died in 2017.