Benkemoun's investigation of artist Dora Maar centers around the names found in a 1951 address book. An interesting examination of European artists' lives and social circles in the 20th Century.

An interesting story about Dora Maar, one of Picasso's former mistresses. The book is abotu her, but it also gives a lot of information about what goes on in life around her. A pleasure to read.

This is a fascinating entertaining read avintagec address book bought on line to replace his wife’s Hermès address book turns out to contain a treasure trove of names history.It belonged to Dora Maar an artist photographer and most interesting one of Picasso’s mistresses .A gossipy name dropping book a fun informative read.#netgalley#gettybooks

I loved everything about this and SO wished it had happened to me. A chance purchase on eBay leading to one of the most compelling literary mysteries for years. Early on in this investigation, someone points out, show me who your friends are and I'll tell you who you are. It's food for thought - even if, like me, your friends aren't a Who's Who listing of the great and the good from the world of art and literature in 20th Century Paris!

I loved that the author didn't approach the names in the address book in alphabetical order, but chose to meander as the clues found her. As she points out, the Surrealists in the book would have approved. How very OULIPO, etc. It also added a nice little tension to the reading. Instead of thinking, oh, we're in the Bs, it must be de Beauvoir, it made you sit up and look for the clues yourself and wonder where you would have been tempted to turn next had you been the one holding this gem yourself.

I see that others have raised this issue of the translation and I have to agree. It feels a bit creaky in places but not enough to prevent you revelling in this stroll through the lives of those who (still) mattered to Dora Maar in 1951.

On a purely personal note, I was horrified to learn that Dora Maar was an antisemite. It made me really stop and think whether I would have been able to continue with the project. But I am very glad that the author chose to go on, drawing attention to it as she did. If Mein Kampf can be found on the shelves of the likes of Dora Maar then we all could do with being a bit more vigilant in our own, less glittering circles.

With thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for letting me see an advance copy of this book.

A very interesting look into the search for one of Picasso's former mistresses Dora Maar. Dora was an artist and photographer who had achieved some acclaim in her own right. A tour de force, Dora's volatile personality didn't sit well with everyone, however she maintained her presence in the artistic community for several decades.

Although Dora is the main character in this biography, the book contains countless details of other well known artists during her lifetime, painters, writers, photographers etc. The author spent considerable time and resources investigating all these links that would help her flesh out just exactly who Dora Maar was.

Not a dry research project but a fascinating look into the private lives of the beautiful people living in France before, during and after WWII.

I was incredibly taken with the premise of this book--the author bought an old address book online and when it arrived, it turned out to be the former possession of artist/photographer Dora Maar. She then uses the nature of an address book as the structural framework for what amounts to a biographical/historical peek into the life of Dora Maar and her various friends, colleagues, acquaintances, lovers, etc.

I enjoyed reading about Maar, although I recently read/reviewed another book about her, an exhibit catalogue for a retrospective of her photography. I did not feel like i learned anything new about Maar in this book, but i'd hoped that perhaps the metanarration about the serendipitous acquisition might add something to the book. And, in the original perhaps it does, but the translation makes the narrative voice of the author come off twee and disingenous in the opening chapters.

I didn't dislike reading it, but i didn't love it as much as I thought i would.

I received an ARC from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.