Helen F. Copley is indeed a dedicated lady. Her book, written in an absorbing and happy tone keeps ones eyes glued to Helen's captivating text. The deceased illustrater, Howard Chandler Christy, is not an easy target for research in books, and certainly tougher to follow his tracks to places where his paintings still existed. Helen did it all. She travelled from her home in Dallas to New York City, Vermont, Ohio and California all places where Christy once lived. She located his paintings in Dallas, Ohio, and South Carolina. In Northern Florida she visited a Stephen Foster museum on the banks of the Suwanee River where Foster's melodies, "Beautiful Dreamer" and "Many Happy Days" were captured on canvass in splendid reverees that only Christy could do. Helen visited all Christy's past haunts, interviewed surviving aquaintances, and spoke to living relatives including Christy's daughter. In her travels Helen never tired. She kept up an exhausting pace. If it were not for her travelling companion, Carol Anne, Helen would still be on her Quest.

Helen's keen observations and her trips, sometime intuitive, always brought more of the unknown Christy to light. Her writing is cheerful descriptive and a delightful experience for everyone not merely Christy afficianados. Helen is a Howard Chandler Christy muse. She would not have been out of place with Jason in his quest for the Golden Fleece. This is a must read for all.

What a delightful read! I did not know that I was familiar with Howard Chandler Christy, until I reviewed some of his works. His paintings are captivating; I can imagine how that portrait of Christ could have begun this journey. Ms. Copley's story of twists and turns, and "coincidences" that continued to lead her on capture the reader. Remembrances of life at The Hotel des Artistes, and the hints of Christy's own independent and fascinating life have whetted my appetite for more writings of the artist, the man. But I am even more impressed by the author herself. She followed her interest, listened to those little strong voices, and accepted encouragement to complete a wonderful story. Her travels and discoveries in New York and elsewhere are inspiring. I anxiously await more work by Helen Copley.

The Christy Quest is the story of Helen Copley's diligent research about the artist Howard Chandler Christy. The artist and his work is certainly central to the book but not the real story. The book is a joyous tale of the author's quest for knowledge about herself and her subject. The miracles encountered and so easily communicated are the product of many right next steps taken by the author. The book is a roadmap for anyone who is considering writing a nonfiction book. It is also a must read for anyone who needs a little encouragement to take a chance on themselves and a dream.

The Christy in "The Christy Quest" is Howard Chandler Christy, one of the leading figures in America's Golden Age of Illustration. A fascinating and prolific artist, Christy produced a vast diversity of work over a lengthy career, ranging from Gibson-girl sweethearts to the nudes adorning the walls of New York's Cafe des Artistes to religious paintings done in his last years. But this is not really a book about Christy's work, or for that matter about his life either, other than tangentially!

I've heard a theory to the effect that you can pick any two people on earth, and forge a connection between them involving no more than eight other people. In other words, starting at one end of the chain, there is some person you know or know of, who could lead you to a second person they know or know of, who in turn could lead you to a third, and eventually, you would reach the target individual. The trick, of course, is to find the right eight people!

Helen Copley's book tells the story of the connections she forged, over about a dozen years, following her first exposure to a Christy image. The beginning is (and apparently was, for her also) slow and somewhat painful. But after hitting the real start of the quest, on p. 22, one is quickly swept into the details of the hunt -- the places she travelled to find Christy's paintings, his relatives, those people still alive who knew him personally. The cast includes many well-known characters, both in the public and illustration history worlds, and their depictions often seem like much of Christy's own work, generous and ebullient. Over and over again, Ms. Copley found the right connections -- just the right "eight people" to advance her quest. She often ascribes these successes to some almost divine or miraculous intervention, but the reader can tell their real source. It is the hard work, painstaking research, dogged determination, and in the end, the strength of her love for Christy's work, that produced the results. In this case, the fates certainly helped those who helped themselves, and the result is an entertaining canvas of its own.

Helen Copley writes as she speaks and lives. Her journey, in learning of the life of Howard Chandler Christy, is full of humor, spiritual insight, and curiosity. Helen shows us the way to learn through joy, and to enjoy whatever unfolds. I can't wait for the biography to be published!