American Gothic: The Biography of Grant Wood's American Masterpiece

by Thomas Hoving

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Editorial Reviews

The story behind one of the most famous paintings in American art.

The stern, sober countenance of the elderly farmer. The quiet, loyal character of his prim wife. Few other paintings are so instantly recognizable as Grant Wood's masterpiece American Gothic. Bestselling Chicago author Thomas Hoving brings to life Wood himself and illuminates, as only he can, the allure of this iconic painting. This is the lively biography of Grant Wood, whose roots grew deep in the heartland of America, a poor kid in a small Iowa town. His painting was a reflection of the place where he lived and the world he knew. It is also a biography of the painting itself, from its inspiration, to its controversial unveiling at a juried exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago-where it earned derision, praise, and a bronze medal-to its eventual acceptance and recognition as a true original work of art. Today it ranks with the Mona Lisa and Edvard Munch's The Scream as one of the most well-known (and parodied) paintings in the world-and it remains a beloved piece of Americana.

Customer Reviews

Good and Plenty, 2009-01-03
by Joseph Butson (Des Moines, Iowa)

While it could be considered a flawed book that was cheaply produced, Hoving's ideas and insights are more than bright enough to overcome any mistakes. Walking us through his method of appraising a work of art, the reader learns what to look for and how to draw their own conclusions and interpretations.

I learned an art historian's approach varies to that of the critic and the public is better for abiding both points of view. Hoving believes American Gothic is a masterpiece and he make an explicit case and raises Wood up as an original artist, perhaps an under appreciated talent.

I would recommend this book and contrast it with Steven Biel's excellent book on American Gothic. Both authors appreciate American Gothic without pretense.

Insightful and fun, 2007-11-10
by k_booklover (Chicago, IL USA)

While I agree about the typos and bad photo reproduction (which are the publisher's fault, not the author's), the insights to this famous painting, the reactions to it, and Grant Wood himself make for some excellent text. It's a very quick and fun read.

Disappointing, 2005-10-04
by John D. Bartone (St. Petersburg, FL United States)

I am in complete agreement with the one other customer review that has appeared to date for this book. The information offered is interesting. However, this book was cheaply produced and apparently rushed into print to coincide with the 75th anniversary of the creation of Grant Wood's masterpiece. The illustrations hardly merit the name, so murky they completely obscure the author's points. And there doesn't seem to have been even the most cursory edit. The frequent typos, grammatical errors, jumbled words are a major distraction. Quite honestly, someone of Thomas Hoving's stature should be embarassed to have his name attached to this.

Interesting but should have been better., 2005-07-23
by Neal A. Wellons (Atlanta)

This book is interesting but seems to have been rushed into print. Parts of the text seemed like a draft and one of the photos was printed reversed (Parson Weem's Fable.) The paper is very cheap with resulting muddy pictures. Hoving seems to have negative comments about most critics and art historians that he mentions while congratulating himself on his perception. I expected better; his King Tut book was fantastic.

I would recommend American Gothic by Stephen Biel as the first choice but at least this one is cheaper.