This column, featuring Omaha Public Library staff recommending art-related books, appeared in the May 11, 2025, edition of the Omaha World-Herald (NE). It is also available at Omaha.com (opens in a new tab).
Omaha Public Library staff offer recommendations on art-related books
Omaha Public Library wants to help readers find new books — or at least books new to them. Our employees recommend reading based on different writing genres, themes or styles. This edition centers art, artists and creativity via fiction and nonfiction recommendations. Find these books and more at your local branch or omahalibrary.org, opens a new window.
"The Blue Hour" by Paula Hawkins: This story begins when a celebrated sculpture by the late artist Vanessa Chapman, whose unfaithful husband disappeared 20 years ago, is found to contain a human bone. A gothic atmosphere and complex narrative style enhance this engaging mystery. — Sarah Lewald, assistant branch manager at the W. Clarke Swanson Branch
"The Lioness of Boston" by Emily Franklin: This imagined life of Isabell Stewart Gardner portrays a woman who doesn’t fit in with society’s expectations of wealthy women in the mid-19th century. Shunned by her peers and bored by society’s expectations, Gardner seeks fulfillment through plants, travel, and avid collecting of rare books, paintings, and other objects. Covering the years 1860 through 1924, Franklin draws an evocative portrait of a smart, restless woman who had the money, time, and fortitude to forge her own path and open an art museum in 1903. — Theresa Jehlik, strategy and business intelligence manager
"The Night Portrait" by Laura Morelli: This dual-narrative historical fiction novel takes place in 1490s Italy and World War II Poland and Germany. When Edith Becker is conscripted as an art curator for Hans Frank in Poland, she is entranced by Leonardo DaVinci’s painting, Lady with an Ermine. As Edith reluctantly works for Frank, she compiles her own secret ledger of the original art owners as paintings and sculptures flow through her workshop. Offsetting her story are the stories of Dominic Buonelli who is assigned to a Monuments Men unit chasing down stolen art, Leonard DaVinci working as a portrait artist for the Duke of Milan, and Cecilia, the Duke’s mistress. — Jehlik
"Stealing Mona Lisa" by Carson Morton: Morton’s historical mystery poses a “what if” scenario to the stealing of the Mona Lisa from the Louvre in 1911. The main characters include a Parisian con man, his former street urchin apprentice, an Italian revolutionary, and two very different American women. The story moves quickly and brings to life the early 20th-century worlds of art, greedy billionaire art collectors, and the con game. — Jehlik
"The Swan Thieves" by Elizabeth Kostova: Psychiatrist Andrew Marlow is recruited to oversee the mental rehabilitation of Robert Oliver, a celebrated artist who brandished a knife at a painting and keeps his motivations — and secret history — all to himself. Marlow soon realizes that to solve the puzzle of Oliver, he must first uncover the mystery behind the painting he attacked. While Marlow narrates the majority of the book, other characters such as Oliver’s ex-wife and current girlfriend also take their turn, as well as some voices from centuries past. — Courtni Kopietz, marketing manager
"Time to Make Art" by Jeff Mack: A young girl questions how to make art while artists from throughout history answer. This inspiring picture book also doubles as an introduction to famous artists around the world. — Grace Trembath, assistant branch manager at the Bess Johnson Elkhorn Branch
"Your Brain on Art" by Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross: It’s a really interesting book that explores the connection between art and our mental, emotional, and physical well-being. The book shows different ways that singing, dancing, writing, drawing, creating or experiencing the creativity of others can reduce stress, improve cognitive function, and enhance our overall health. — Bethany Barelman, branch manager at the A.V. Sorensen Branch
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