Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 1/10 - Sun

Since the weather has been so bad the past two weeks, reading has been another means of filling the hours. With my supply of donated books diminishing, I found it difficult to choose one that interested me. Opening a box that contained those I deem difficult to sell, I found The Son Is God (1971) by the late Michael Noonan, a novelization of a large part of the life of one of the world’s great painters, J.M.W. Turner (1775-1851). I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen one of his works in person. Although I have profound respect for artists, I’ve been to museums less than ten times and have never really done the homework necessary to be able to speak about art confidently. Noonan’s book had me researching Turner’s paintings on the web. Wonderfully written, it portrays the artist as obsessive, a good soul but one who uses the three women in his adult life, and his father, who was in his corner from the moment the young man demonstrated uncanny talent. It is by no means a great novel, but it is good. It is listed at Amazon, but only used copies are available, so I assume it's out of print. Noonan was born in New Zealand and lived for a time in London, where I suppose his interest in Turner developed. He served in New Guinea during WWII. Another of his novels, The December Boys, written in 1963, set in an Australian orphanage. was adapted into a film in 2007, starring Daniel Radcliffe of Harry Potter fame. On a scale of five, I rate The Sun Is God three. The title refers to what are believed to be Turner’s last words. Noonan depicts him as being fascinated with light, which seems perfectly natural for an artist. Turner traveled throughout Europe seeking it. Curiously, the novel never leaves England. It is only 217 pages and is a fast read because of its masterful prose and solid dialogue. Even the Cockney and Scots dialects barely slow pace. Turner was not the starving artist often shown in films. He was successful early and made a lot of money. Considered to be of the school of Romanticism, he is cited as a huge influence on Impressionism and, to a lesser extent, on Abstract Art. Critics often excoriated those of his works that varied from traditional parameters. Time has proven them wrong. Here are two of Turner’s gifts to civilization, a self portrait and Dutch Boats in a Gale:

Unfortunately, the sun wasn't shining in Brooklyn. The floating book shop was sidelined yet another day and prospects don't bode well for tomorrow.
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