Tiepolo Blue
- Downloads：2218
- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2022-06-13 07:51:41
- Update Date：2025-09-14
- Status：finish
- Author：James Cahill
- ISBN：1529369398
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
- Download
Summary
Ben turns and grins ironically。 ‘When you stopped just now and looked at the sky， you weren’t measuring it。 You weren’t thinking about classical proportion。 You were feeling something。’
Cambridge， 1994。 Professor Don Lamb is a revered art historian at the height of his powers， consumed by the book he is writing about the skies of the Venetian master Tiepolo。 However， his academic brilliance belies a deep inexperience of life and love。
When an explosive piece of contemporary art is installed on the lawn of his college， it sets in motion Don’s abrupt departure from Cambridge to take up a role at a south London museum。 There he befriends Ben， a young artist who draws him into the anarchic 1990s British art scene and the nightlife of Soho。
Over the course of one long， hot summer， Don glimpses a liberating new existence。 But his epiphany is also a moment of self-reckoning， as his oldest friendship – and his own unexamined past – are revealed to him in a devastating new light。 As Don’s life unravels， he suffers a fall from grace that that shatters his world into pieces。
Cambridge， 1994。 Professor Don Lamb is a revered art historian at the height of his powers， consumed by the book he is writing about the skies of the Venetian master Tiepolo。 However， his academic brilliance belies a deep inexperience of life and love。
When an explosive piece of contemporary art is installed on the lawn of his college， it sets in motion Don’s abrupt departure from Cambridge to take up a role at a south London museum。 There he befriends Ben， a young artist who draws him into the anarchic 1990s British art scene and the nightlife of Soho。
Over the course of one long， hot summer， Don glimpses a liberating new existence。 But his epiphany is also a moment of self-reckoning， as his oldest friendship – and his own unexamined past – are revealed to him in a devastating new light。 As Don’s life unravels， he suffers a fall from grace that that shatters his world into pieces。
Reviews
Caitlin Davies
，
*3。5/5*
Hemmel
，
How to rate an unfinished novel？ I recognized good penmanship and the narration was great。 But the story is so depressing I dislike it。 The foreboding feeling when following Don's lonely life， manipulated by a villainous character， was too strong for me。 Don is a naive idiot and I don't want to know more about his life after listening 50%。 I was waiting for the love interest but am afraid that will end depressing， too。 How to rate an unfinished novel？ I recognized good penmanship and the narration was great。 But the story is so depressing I dislike it。 The foreboding feeling when following Don's lonely life， manipulated by a villainous character， was too strong for me。 Don is a naive idiot and I don't want to know more about his life after listening 50%。 I was waiting for the love interest but am afraid that will end depressing， too。 。。。more
Anne
，
I enjoyed this book and I found the main character endearing but I also found him irritating。 Don is an expert art historian with a good life in Cambridge focussing almost entirely on the blue skies in Tiepolo’s paintings。 Then a new exhibit arrives in the quadrant of his college。 It is a contemporary piece that enrages Don and he goes on Radio 4 to share his outrage。 Unfortunately that leads to his demise as a Cambridge don but does lead to a new life as a Gallery director in London。His excursi I enjoyed this book and I found the main character endearing but I also found him irritating。 Don is an expert art historian with a good life in Cambridge focussing almost entirely on the blue skies in Tiepolo’s paintings。 Then a new exhibit arrives in the quadrant of his college。 It is a contemporary piece that enrages Don and he goes on Radio 4 to share his outrage。 Unfortunately that leads to his demise as a Cambridge don but does lead to a new life as a Gallery director in London。His excursions around London are brilliantly captured and his trip to Goldsmiths really had me holding my breath。 His friends are less than helpful even though he lives in a house belonging to his greatest Cambridge ally。 It’s hard to believe that a man in his 40’s is so naive and inexperienced as Don is portrayed but after a few pages you forget that and start to hope he finds some kind of fulfilment。 No spoilers here， you’ll have to read for yourself。Beautifully written and conceived and recommended for the way it captures a certain time and a certain naïveté。I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley 。。。more
JD Stewart
，
On the fence with this。
Mary
，
This is an intriguing read， threaded through with unrequited love， obsession， longing， gossip and political machinations。 Don is the golden boy of art history at a Cambridge college until he falls from grace in an argument over a modern art installation。 His friend and colleague， Valentine， finds him a role as director of an art gallery in Dulwich。 It is at the gallery that he finds an immediate and intense connection with an art student called Ben。 Don， who always felt he was in control， begins This is an intriguing read， threaded through with unrequited love， obsession， longing， gossip and political machinations。 Don is the golden boy of art history at a Cambridge college until he falls from grace in an argument over a modern art installation。 His friend and colleague， Valentine， finds him a role as director of an art gallery in Dulwich。 It is at the gallery that he finds an immediate and intense connection with an art student called Ben。 Don， who always felt he was in control， begins to experience a completely different and challenging life。 This is a beautifully written novel， rich with cultural references about art and academia。 Don is a complex and not entirely likeable character。 Ben is provocative and challenging。 Behind them both lurks Valentine。 This is an atmospheric and emotional book which drew me in completely。 Many thanks to NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for an ARC in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Kath
，
It's been a while since I finished this book and I am still not sure what I really think of it。 On the one hand it was a slog to get through the majority。 On the other， my persistence did pay off with what I read in the latter stages。 I just fear that many may give up along the way。 If anything I guess what I am trying to say is that this book is very much about the destination， the journey being fraught with obstacles。 Which reflects nicely the life， and indeed the coming of age of the main cha It's been a while since I finished this book and I am still not sure what I really think of it。 On the one hand it was a slog to get through the majority。 On the other， my persistence did pay off with what I read in the latter stages。 I just fear that many may give up along the way。 If anything I guess what I am trying to say is that this book is very much about the destination， the journey being fraught with obstacles。 Which reflects nicely the life， and indeed the coming of age of the main character Prof Don Lamb。 I say "coming of age"， obviously he is a tad older than most for this description， but it is nonetheless。 He is a bit of a later starter， repressed and naive。 Set in his ways and pretty oblivious to real life， that which can be found outside the gates of the Cambridge college in which we first meet him。 A life that， by the end of the book， seems a world away。。。I think one of my main issues was that I pretty much failed to connect to Don。 We are poles apart in character admittedly but that hasn't stopped me from connecting with some of the most obscure （to me） characters before。 Just， in this case， there was nothing。 And that's OK。 Usually。 But I think in this book， where it is all about him it was a pretty big hurdle to get over。 One which I never manged to overcome。 He was also just a little sad for me too。。。 In a character driven novel， some connection with said character is a must。。。It's a book that， now I read them， has the whole spectrum of reviews and ratings。 Some rave， others condemn。 I am in the middle of that pack， as my rating suggests！ It's hard to say that I enjoyed the book。 It was a marathon for me after all， but I did take things from it。 It did impact my life and I did finish it。 My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book。 。。。more
Eric
，
I was not quite as enthralled by this novel as I had expected to be。 There is some fine writing， but also too many passages which are overwritten and overwrought。 There is some pertinent and pert commentary on the interlinking worlds of Fine Art， art criticism and art practice， but also some tedious showing off of expertise in those areas。The cut and thrust and cut-throatery of Academe is well-evoked as is the poverty of real thought in some parts of that cloistered world。Don Lamb is thrown to t I was not quite as enthralled by this novel as I had expected to be。 There is some fine writing， but also too many passages which are overwritten and overwrought。 There is some pertinent and pert commentary on the interlinking worlds of Fine Art， art criticism and art practice， but also some tedious showing off of expertise in those areas。The cut and thrust and cut-throatery of Academe is well-evoked as is the poverty of real thought in some parts of that cloistered world。Don Lamb is thrown to the wolves， a sacrificial animal who in part brings about his own destruction， naive to a fault， ultimately both too beloved and too unloved。Yet herein lay the problem。 While at times I felt for Don and suffered with him， ultimately I found him unbelievable as a character， his actions often inexplicable and too random。Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for the digital review copy。 。。。more
Bob Hughes
，
This books feels to me like a clever and thoughtful companion piece to Alan Hollinghurst's 'The Line of Beauty'， a book I adore， with a similar sense of a sweltering summer， sexual energy， and lingering darkness， but it also takes a trip into unreliability and memory that I found riveting and the best kind of unsettling。 I was gripped by the way this story unravels to show us the life of Don Lamb， a professor at Cambridge who is obsessed with the artwork of Tiepolo， and whose various disgraces a This books feels to me like a clever and thoughtful companion piece to Alan Hollinghurst's 'The Line of Beauty'， a book I adore， with a similar sense of a sweltering summer， sexual energy， and lingering darkness， but it also takes a trip into unreliability and memory that I found riveting and the best kind of unsettling。 I was gripped by the way this story unravels to show us the life of Don Lamb， a professor at Cambridge who is obsessed with the artwork of Tiepolo， and whose various disgraces and scandals seem to layer as he progresses through life。His move to London yields even more of these scandals， alongside a slow-burning realisation about his sexuality and about what he has been too oblivious to see along。His obliviousness， and/or hyperfocus， was one of the most fascinating things about this book for me， and a character even picks him up on this， asking why he focuses on the skies in Tiepolo's pictures， and not the people living in the scenes。 This thread is followed neatly throughout the book， as we realise that far more has been buried deep within Don， or even just wilfully ignored。There is something terrifying and lurking underneath this book， much like the art he spends all day observing。 Indeed， his life is almost entirely about seeing and not seeing， missing out on the obvious whilst having a deep understanding of the abstract。I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
jean
，
Not for me I'm afraid， the author is obviously a very knowledgeable academic and seems to delight in letting the reader know this on every occasion。 I'm sure other art scholars will enjoy it， but I found it very difficult to get into or feel engaged with any of the characters and didn't finish the book。Thank you to netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton for an advance copy of this book Not for me I'm afraid， the author is obviously a very knowledgeable academic and seems to delight in letting the reader know this on every occasion。 I'm sure other art scholars will enjoy it， but I found it very difficult to get into or feel engaged with any of the characters and didn't finish the book。Thank you to netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton for an advance copy of this book 。。。more
Thebooktrail
，
Discover the locations of Tiepolo BlueA sad novel and a poignant one too。 A professor in his forties lives a secluded life so living in the city of Cambridge and working ina college seems apt。 He is persuaded to move to London and escape the safety of that world and get a job in an art museum in London。 This novel showcases how a place can transform you and give you a new outlook on life but also damage you。In Cambridge， this man， the only son of elderly parents is lonely and alone。 His world i Discover the locations of Tiepolo BlueA sad novel and a poignant one too。 A professor in his forties lives a secluded life so living in the city of Cambridge and working ina college seems apt。 He is persuaded to move to London and escape the safety of that world and get a job in an art museum in London。 This novel showcases how a place can transform you and give you a new outlook on life but also damage you。In Cambridge， this man， the only son of elderly parents is lonely and alone。 His world is small but safe and he has lived a sheltered life in more ways than one。 He ‘s a great professor but not prepared for a life outside of these walls。 On moving to London， the man transforms and not always for the better。 In fact you could say the man spirals downwards from this moment on。In London， he discovers the world of Soho and everything that goes with it and starts to question his identity and preferences。 He does all of this with the help of his friend and fellow academic Valentine Black who， despite his name， has nothing lovely about him。 The transition Don goes through is hard to read and painful at times and so I was grateful for his love of Tiepolo whose art lifted me out of the darker points of the novel。As for setting， it’s a fascinating mix of worlds where you start in academia and end up in the art world and Soho。 Don is an out of touch and rather pompous academic who hasn’t a clue about the real world。 I read how he started in Cambridge and ended up in London and Soho at that。 A story that was painfully fascinating in so many ways。Tiepolo is someone I had not heard of but this novel made me google him and discover his work。 That was an unexpected joy of this novel。 I know little about art but finding out about this enigmatic artist who Don was fixated on， was a definite plus。 。。。more
George Fenwick
，
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 dark！ very compelling in its study of a man self-destructing， but also far less sexy than a book that proclaims to be about art， sex and desire should be， and also overly nasty to its protagonist in moments。 but interesting！
Daren Kearl
，
An intriguing novel that continues to wrong foot the reader right to the end。At first I thought the story started off like a Kingsley Amis academic novel with a curmudgeonly Professor who is obsessed with his own art interests and is closed to everything else。 Don resigns from his post after a clash about a modern art installation in his courtyard。 He is manoeuvred into a directorship post for an art gallery in Dulwich by his long-standing friend Val， who has an unrequited love for him。 Then it An intriguing novel that continues to wrong foot the reader right to the end。At first I thought the story started off like a Kingsley Amis academic novel with a curmudgeonly Professor who is obsessed with his own art interests and is closed to everything else。 Don resigns from his post after a clash about a modern art installation in his courtyard。 He is manoeuvred into a directorship post for an art gallery in Dulwich by his long-standing friend Val， who has an unrequited love for him。 Then it becomes a story of obsession and yearning as Don falls in love with Ben， an art student， and he explores the love he has always denied himself。 There are some increasingly grotesque scenes， where you are not really sure whether some are hallucinated or real; based on his desire and jealousies。 There is some wry humour。 I was particularly amused by the introduction of an early dial-up computer for the art gallery and the first ever use it gets is to look at porn。 。。。more
Lottie
，
A beautifully descriptive novel about a art historian on a journey of self discovery and his too late coming of age。 A stimulating and brightly coloured novel filled to the brim with tragedy and comedy with intrinsically beautiful writing that just kept giving。 James Cahill is a talented and liberating writer who offers cinematic prose and a delicate understanding of thought。 Although I thought the plot sometimes lacked it was the beauty of the writing and the characters that kept me reading。Our A beautifully descriptive novel about a art historian on a journey of self discovery and his too late coming of age。 A stimulating and brightly coloured novel filled to the brim with tragedy and comedy with intrinsically beautiful writing that just kept giving。 James Cahill is a talented and liberating writer who offers cinematic prose and a delicate understanding of thought。 Although I thought the plot sometimes lacked it was the beauty of the writing and the characters that kept me reading。Our protagonists， Don， is a Cambridge academic and art historian who finds himself embarking on an unexpected but life fulfilling journey when he takes up a new job in a London Art Gallery。 As his worldview begins to decompose around him and his understanding of both himself and the art world comes into question we are exposed to the barebones of both our protagonist and 1990’s London。 This book was unlike anything I’d read before but simultaneously very similar to some of the most prominent gay novels from the 80s and 90s。 Although I was let down by some of the predictable twist and turns in the plot - I still highly recommend this novel to anybody who is a fan of Alan Hollinghurst or Andrew Holleran。 Thank you to Sceptre for an ARC of this lovely novel。 。。。more
Lucille
，
Tiepolo Blue tells the story of a naive， old-before-his-years Cambridge professor， Don Lamb， whose passion is the Italian artist， Giovanni Battista Tiepolo。 Having lived and worked in a Cambridge college since he was a student Don is unaware of life outside academia and when he suddenly loses his job he gradually loses sight of reality。Set during the early 1990s this is a beautifully written book about a closet gay。 Don is manipulated all the while by Val， his best friend and ex-tutor who finds Tiepolo Blue tells the story of a naive， old-before-his-years Cambridge professor， Don Lamb， whose passion is the Italian artist， Giovanni Battista Tiepolo。 Having lived and worked in a Cambridge college since he was a student Don is unaware of life outside academia and when he suddenly loses his job he gradually loses sight of reality。Set during the early 1990s this is a beautifully written book about a closet gay。 Don is manipulated all the while by Val， his best friend and ex-tutor who finds him a new job as Director of a prestigious small art gallery in Dulwich。 Val insists that Don lives in his magnificent house a walk away from the Gallery and Brockwell Park and Lido， Not only does Don take to drink but he leads the gallery into disrepute and an assistant director is installed by Val （as a member of the governing body） to keep Don in check。 This incenses Don but numerous attempts to reach Val to complain are ignored。 As a reader I was hoping that Don would somehow redeem himself but once he indulges in his passion for Ben， a young artist， you know all will not end well。 This is a character-driven novel but so much happens as Don stumbles through one self-imposed crisis to another that no further plot is needed。 The descriptions are excellent and the atmosphere is as dark as one expects。 I was surprised that Aids wasn't mentioned， except obliquely， as it was certainly rife among gay men at that time。 Also， the abruptness of the ending was a disappointment for me。The style of writing and subject matter will no doubt bring comparisons with Alan Hollinghurst， but I feel that Tiepolo Blue， is much darker and more graphic in detail。 It deserves to win prizes。 Many thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the opportunity to read and review this book。 。。。more
Cassie Holland
，
I can’t help feeling I’m missing a lot of the undercurrents and nuances in this book。 To me， a university professor is drifting through is life having progressed from school to university to teaching at said establishment without experiencing any life outside of academia。 So it’s no surprise that when he is forced outside of his comfortable world his life starts to unravel。At times I had sympathy for Don Lamb but his inaction makes him complicit as real life and interactions are “done to him”。As I can’t help feeling I’m missing a lot of the undercurrents and nuances in this book。 To me， a university professor is drifting through is life having progressed from school to university to teaching at said establishment without experiencing any life outside of academia。 So it’s no surprise that when he is forced outside of his comfortable world his life starts to unravel。At times I had sympathy for Don Lamb but his inaction makes him complicit as real life and interactions are “done to him”。As for the ending – not very imaginative。I received a free copy of this novel from NetGalley in return for an honest review。 。。。more
Heather Trevis
，
This novel， set in the 1990s， is about a Cambridge academic， art historian and defender of all things Classical Professor Don Lamb， who experiences a set of events which force him to leave his cloistered scholarly life and embark on a new existence in London。 Through the machinations of fellow university don and mentor Valentine Black， he swiftly becomes director of Brockwell Museum and takes residence in Dulwich， a London suburb almost as unreal and static as Cambridge。 However， thanks to his n This novel， set in the 1990s， is about a Cambridge academic， art historian and defender of all things Classical Professor Don Lamb， who experiences a set of events which force him to leave his cloistered scholarly life and embark on a new existence in London。 Through the machinations of fellow university don and mentor Valentine Black， he swiftly becomes director of Brockwell Museum and takes residence in Dulwich， a London suburb almost as unreal and static as Cambridge。 However， thanks to his new-found freedom， he soon encounters a world his former life had screened him from and starts to question his previously blinkered views on art， the world and his relationships。 I cannot recommend this novel enough。 It is brilliantly written， sometimes funny， constantly thought-provoking and really quite gripping。 It’s not often I get to read such a good novel。 。。。more
Pedro
，
I think this story could’ve worked better for me if it had been told from a first person point of view。 I mean， at least I could’ve tried to believe that the guy was an unreliable narrator who wanted us to think that， for some reason， and despite being in his early forties， he didn’t have any sexual experience whatsoever。 As it is though， the story was told by a third person omniscient narrator and， even for 1990s standards， I struggled to swallow such naivety。 Even less so， when the guy was des I think this story could’ve worked better for me if it had been told from a first person point of view。 I mean， at least I could’ve tried to believe that the guy was an unreliable narrator who wanted us to think that， for some reason， and despite being in his early forties， he didn’t have any sexual experience whatsoever。 As it is though， the story was told by a third person omniscient narrator and， even for 1990s standards， I struggled to swallow such naivety。 Even less so， when the guy was described as a handsome and intelligent lad。 He might not have known who he was or what he really liked but that doesn’t mean people around him also didn’t， if you know what I mean。 This is in fact one of those novels where， despite some really strong writing， I felt like the author let the pace slow down a bit too much and often in favour of some really heavy descriptions of places， artists and works of art。 After a very slow and descriptive start reminiscent of Daphne du Maurier in style （gothic） and approach to storytelling （with the setting becoming a character in itself） the story did pick up speed and became more compelling。 Unfortunately， character development was lacking throughout。 Not only that， but the author's descriptive approach had a heavy dreamlike quality which never allowed me to connect with the story。 The sex scenes were good and quite unforgettable， but all the twists and turns and the ending really didn’t work for me， I’m afraid。 All in all， this was a complete mixed bag for me。 With thanks to Bert’s Books （www。bertsbooks。co。uk） for the advance copy。 。。。more
Eli
，
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 in theory i'm always up for a book about a disastrous cambridge closet case， but i wasn't a fan of this one。 heads up beforehand that the art criticism is cool and the setting and place is done well， and that other people seem to like this one more than i do。 however。tiepolo blue seems like it wants to be several things and i wasn't really satisfied by any of them。 it's a tragic novel about a self-sabotaging， behind-the-times academic， sort of， but it's also him being sabotaged by his former gra in theory i'm always up for a book about a disastrous cambridge closet case， but i wasn't a fan of this one。 heads up beforehand that the art criticism is cool and the setting and place is done well， and that other people seem to like this one more than i do。 however。tiepolo blue seems like it wants to be several things and i wasn't really satisfied by any of them。 it's a tragic novel about a self-sabotaging， behind-the-times academic， sort of， but it's also him being sabotaged by his former grad advisor and unrequited love。。。but neither don nor val have sufficiently complex characterisation and gravitas to pull that off。 val would need to be a super charismatic larger-than-life presence for that to work， and as it is， he's basically just a second-rate quentin crisp impersonator。 plus we only see him for most of the book through the occasional bare-bones phone call， then we get a big narrative download in the late stages of the book that's meant to set him up as a Machiavel， but which actually just feels amusingly low-key in the moment （he has。。。adoptive parents！ valentine isn't his christian name！！）（slight digression but i would have loved if they'd pressed on don/val's dynamic as former prize student/grad advisor， it would have unmuddied some of the waters behind their dynamic in the present， and also consolidated val's controlling temperament more realistically）the book feels a bit 'insert theme here， insert callback here， insert doubled identity and subversion of narrative reliability here'， it's somewhat paint-by-numbers， when a structurally and thematically less sound book would have been more enjoyable if it focused more on characterisation。 most characters are variants on Enigmatic Beauty Who Knows Better Than Don or Straightlaced Staff Member Confused About Why Don Just Passed Out On Their Rug。 erica/angela disappears a third of the way in。 characters regularly drop out of the narrative （justice for the master's lesbian（？） wife）。 don gives the exact same wishy-washy 'boo 2 the libs' speech at two separate events。 every one of don's mistakes is incredibly heavy-handed and telegraphed 15 pages in advance。 also did my eyes go funny or did ben have to explain the AIDS epidemic to don in the year of our lord nineteen ninety five？the book is very competently written， and cahill is clearly making substantial use of his experience in both academia and the art world （as a pedantic cambridge alum i was occasionally muttering stuff to myself like 'why would don be in a panic about oversleeping until 7am， he's giving his lecture at earliest 9am and the sidgwick site is like a 15min walk away'， but there weren't any egregious intrusions on sense of place）。 but the book is bogged down in the logistics of exhibitions and in don being confused in different locales and in encounters that don't progress the narrative。 also besides the book not being very fun （which is sad for me but fully understandable if that's not the book's aim） it is also not very sexy。 bathhouse scene B+ but it comes too suddenly。 it's not a 'simmering closet case sexual awakening' book， but if you're gonna do sad man sexual failure being dumped in it by his unrequited loves， it's weird to combine that with a few elements of simmering closet case sexual awakening that don’t fully come together。as for the ending i did not。 uh。 like it 。。。more
Alex Taylor
，
Finally flogged my way through this。 Tedious - don't bother。 Finally flogged my way through this。 Tedious - don't bother。 。。。more
Anne O'Connell
，
We first encounter art history professor Don Lamb safely tucked away in the Cambridge college that has been his home since his arrival as a teenager。 He is affronted by a modern art installation in one of the quads; while wondering what he makes of it， he is aware that others will be watching his reaction。 And from here starts a series of events that changes his life irrevocably。Don is a grown man who seems never to have had to take responsibility for everyday things。 At times he is so startling We first encounter art history professor Don Lamb safely tucked away in the Cambridge college that has been his home since his arrival as a teenager。 He is affronted by a modern art installation in one of the quads; while wondering what he makes of it， he is aware that others will be watching his reaction。 And from here starts a series of events that changes his life irrevocably。Don is a grown man who seems never to have had to take responsibility for everyday things。 At times he is so startlingly naïve I felt like shaking him。 Is he in denial or simply failing to recognise what is going on around him？ I was pleased to see him break out of his （self）-proscribed life but desperately sad there was nobody enough on his side to give him advice。 Indeed the one person who would profess to watch out for him fails to act or withholds information that might have prevented Don from tripping again and again。It’s difficult not to think about Alan Hollingsworth’s work when reading this and I think it bears the comparison well （The Lido Gallery rather than The Swimming-Pool Library？）， capturing the feel of the time and place。 It’s a love letter to London， parts I know and others I now want to get to know。 James Cahill shows us an art history world that puts itself on a pedestal while at the same time poking fun， depicting some of its denizens as pompous or ridiculous。 Tiepolo Blue is a compelling portrait of an unworldly man opening his eyes and seeing what life can be。I received a free proof copy of this book via NetGalley in return for an honest review。 。。。more
Simon Bewick
，
This felt a bit of a curate's egg to me， both in terms of style， pacing and story。 At times it reminded me of a Somerset Maugham tale in its' plain description of the subject class and attitudes， which made me wonder if the reference to the author in it was some sort of Moon and Sixpence homage。 At other times， and particularly towards the end when the slow， almost lazy downward events speed up to an almost hallucinogenic level， it felt like a narrative dump。 Whether this was intended as a refle This felt a bit of a curate's egg to me， both in terms of style， pacing and story。 At times it reminded me of a Somerset Maugham tale in its' plain description of the subject class and attitudes， which made me wonder if the reference to the author in it was some sort of Moon and Sixpence homage。 At other times， and particularly towards the end when the slow， almost lazy downward events speed up to an almost hallucinogenic level， it felt like a narrative dump。 Whether this was intended as a reflection on the protagonists' selfish， shuttered view finally being stripped away to what is really happening around him， or a symptom of his 'awakening'， I'm still not really sure。 I thought the concept was an interesting one， and the author's expertise in the art world comes through strongly - to the point of feeling almost like a set of art critiques。 The writing of time and place was， for me， mixed in its success。 The academia side of things worked well， the exposure to London and its varied facets less so。 At times it felt more 1950s than 1990s - perhaps this was intended， as the protagonist himself felt at times more like an old man than the forty something he is （and yes， this 'old-before-his-time aspect is addressed early in the novel）。 Ultimately， I enjoyed the book for the most part but without wanting to give away any spoilers， I felt the ending was disappointing in both execution and， for me， what felt like an over reliance of tropes。 My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this advance copy in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Diane
，
Thank you to netgalley for the opportunity to read Tiepolo Blue in exchange for an honest review。 The story is like watching a car crash， at many points throughout the book I was holding my head in my hands thinking "poor Don。" Don is a professor at the prestigious Cambridge University。 He has been there since he was a student and it is really all he has ever known。 It does make you question intelligence in all its forms。 Academia is not the same as being socially smart; and boy does Don lack th Thank you to netgalley for the opportunity to read Tiepolo Blue in exchange for an honest review。 The story is like watching a car crash， at many points throughout the book I was holding my head in my hands thinking "poor Don。" Don is a professor at the prestigious Cambridge University。 He has been there since he was a student and it is really all he has ever known。 It does make you question intelligence in all its forms。 Academia is not the same as being socially smart; and boy does Don lack the social skills to deal with life outside the university。 I am 5 years older than Don， but I had to continually remind myself 'he's younger than me'。 The academic life has worn him down and robbed him of his personality。 He continually allows himself to be manipulated by his best friend and circumstance。 It is such an interesting read and I don't want to stay too much for fear of giving away any spoilers; but I will say this， its a compelling read （like watching reality Tv - you want to turn away but can't。）I have always been intimidated by folks who went to University and this book has made me realise how much it inhibits and quells creativity， how you are taught just one person's opinion and that opinion could have been formed many years ago from that one book they got published。 I always imagined a university should be a hive of creativity and forward （out of the box） thinkers。 Am I glad I read this book？ Yes 。。。more
liv
，
“Tiepolo Blue” depicts the life of Don Lamb， a former History of Art professor at Cambridge， who moves to London to be the director of an Art Gallery following an ill-conceived comment on a contemporary art piece erected on Peterhouse’s lawns。 We follow Don， as he attempts to negotiate ‘normal life’ away from the confines of the academic echo chamber， working at Brockwell Art Gallery， bumbling from one drunken mistake to another， documenting Don’s life slowly falling away from him。 As it does， I “Tiepolo Blue” depicts the life of Don Lamb， a former History of Art professor at Cambridge， who moves to London to be the director of an Art Gallery following an ill-conceived comment on a contemporary art piece erected on Peterhouse’s lawns。 We follow Don， as he attempts to negotiate ‘normal life’ away from the confines of the academic echo chamber， working at Brockwell Art Gallery， bumbling from one drunken mistake to another， documenting Don’s life slowly falling away from him。 As it does， I the reader I began to feel sad for him， as his ally and former mentor Val Black isn't what he seems， and Don comes to realise nothing and no one is。 The book was undeniably enjoyable， with well fleshed out characters， the story flows well and although slow in places it picks up speed In the final third。Thank you Netgalley， and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Erin
，
In ‘Tiepolo Blue’ by James Cahill， I found myself reading under a looming sense of some impending catastrophe that I felt was going to pounce upon me suddenly， mostly due to hype about the book and the tantalising blurb。 But then I realised I'd reached 50% and the narrative was still quietly， pleasantly， unobtrusively descriptive: ’The sun had broken through the clouds， rinsing the garden in glassy brightness。’ This is a character study with more than a touch of Reginald Perrin and Prufrock abo In ‘Tiepolo Blue’ by James Cahill， I found myself reading under a looming sense of some impending catastrophe that I felt was going to pounce upon me suddenly， mostly due to hype about the book and the tantalising blurb。 But then I realised I'd reached 50% and the narrative was still quietly， pleasantly， unobtrusively descriptive: ’The sun had broken through the clouds， rinsing the garden in glassy brightness。’ This is a character study with more than a touch of Reginald Perrin and Prufrock about it， with a dash of Eleanor Rigby， and a smidgen of John Cleese。 I was reminded of the devastating wit and sensitive observational style of ‘Gaudy Night’ by Dorothy L。 Sayers， as our protagonist Don Lamb， bumbles through his life in Peterhouse College， University of Cambridge。 The purest example of Cahill's writing style can be lifted from what I would call the climax of the plot – well， perhaps not ‘climax’， as that can better be applied to a later scene – but upon the night when our love-interest Ben initiates Don into the contemporary art scene of the ‘90s and Soho nightlife， having revealed the titular artwork he has compiled from culling Don's academic art-historian source materials: ‘They set out at four o’clock and walk down to Herne Hill， passing the Rosses’ house on Craxton Road， then treading the border of Brockwell Park， on towards Denmark Hill。 In the heat， people fill the streets。 On a mound of grass at the foot of a tower block， two girls in crop-tops are bending over with laughter。 They are in their early teens。 One of them sits down on the grass and rolls onto her side。 Her hair falls in a curl across an eye。 The other eye meets Don’s as he and Ben pass。’ This is the stuff of the novel: the reader assumes the role of spectator， adopting Don's idiosyncratic passive place in the narrative。 He is voyeur in his own life; what happens to him is viewed at one remove。 Don figuratively watches his life on a cinema screen， as objects manoeuvre themselves in front of him as static or moving images: the sculptures of Venus in the Brockwell Collection as they smash to the floor; the grotesque drunk who performs， jester-like， in front of Don on a bus; Val Black's white satin suit and the red wine stain with which Don sullies it; the gas cylinder in Val's House Beautiful that Don interprets as a Minoan pot; and， of course， skies。 “Look ahead – the converging pavements， the cylindrical building at the junction。 You could build a frame around the scene and it would resemble a painting of the Italian Renaissance， structurally at least: you could draw lines over the surface of the image， mapping the recession of space。” [Don] tilts his head back and squints。’ ‘When he walks onto the poolside， his towel slung over one shoulder， he sees a large rectangular island of water。 The heads of early-morning swimmers bob above the turquoise surface。 […] The pool sides are crowded with people。 Two girls sprint past him and jump， one then the other， sending geysers leaping into the air。 Through his half-closed eyes， air and water become the same substance – pure blue， the same blue as in Tiepolo’s frescoes， only stronger， as if the skies of the paintings have concentrated into a brilliant essence。’ What Don views is often new to him， but simultaneously in a state of degeneration or decomposition。 This loops the entire plot round to the SICK BED artwork installed on the lawn at Peterhouse， which symbolises Don’s disentanglement from academia， in fact – his own unravelling， these found/looked-at objects are often signifiers of Don’s impending demise: ‘Afterwards， they come to a straggling parade of shops。 Teenagers hang around the entrances。 Plastic boxes stacked outside a greengrocer’s release the sweet-acrid scent of fruit and veg。 The next shopfront consists of a glass sarcophagus arrayed with raw meat – cross-sectioned， minced， cubed， patterned with creamy fat and skewered with star-shaped pieces of green card that announce prices and weights in scribbled pen。 The colours of objects， their small details， enter Don’s vision like new phenomena – things he’s never seen。’ ‘Ripping at the foliage， he sees that the creepers conceal other objects – old tins， scaffolding poles， tyres stacked in a cylinder， glass bottles caked in grime。 Woodlice scurry as he dislodges an empty litre bottle of Courvoisier。 He continues to tear at the greenery。 Buried in a mound of ivy is what looks like a car engine， a compression of blackened tubes and valves， and next to it， a heap of old clothes – leather jackets， jeans and a fur coat piled up like geological seams。 The fabrics have been reduced almost to compost but are still identifiable – just – as what they once were。’ At the close of the book， objectification is rounded off nicely: found objects melding with Art History， significant figures in Don’s life （Valentine Black， Erica Jay， Mariam Schwarz）， and the unknowable （unviewable？） truths underlying his reality。The same theory can be applied to the ‘locked-out lover’ motif that punctuates the novel。 Don is repeatedly refused entry: ‘He tries to open the door to Ina’s annex。 It is locked。 He leans his head on the frosted glass， but the choppy surface discloses nothing。 In a kitchen drawer， he finds a key with a tag marked ‘Back door’。 This defunct route to the garden is behind the sofa in the television room adjacent to the kitchen。 He goes through and heaves the leather chesterfield out of the way。 The upper half of the door is glazed， but the view outside is blocked by a bush。’ Even characters who meaningfully shape his existence， such as Paul， exclude him from their sphere， just as he is progressively pushed out of his own domain of art historian: ‘Don peers through the glass。 It is some kind of garden store。 Paul’s shed。 The interior is orderly and spare， like an armoury。 Pairs of black wellington boots – clean， gleaming – stand in a row， rising in height to thigh-high waders。 One pair is slimmer and sleeker than the rest， more like jodhpurs。 Bamboo canes， hooked at one end， lie sideways on a shelf。 Against the back wall， sacks of peat are stacked in the shape of a couch and topped by a blanket。 Above， hanging from hooks， are a coil of yellow hosepipe， a clawlike rake， and a complicated harness – all leather straps and shining buckles。 His eyes wander over the small details。’ Don’s repulsion from the lives of those whom he objectifies is best illustrated with his incursion into Goldsmith’s College – a realm he should dominate， but is instead brutally expelled from: ‘Unseen， Don looks around the circle of students。 Their faces are so different from those he lectured in Cambridge。 […] Without meaning to， Don has opened the door yet wider。 They turn – all of them – to look at him。 “Can I help you？” says the older man。Don scans the faces that are turned in unison towards him […]。 “I’m an art historian，” he says。 “A professor。"“Whoever you are， you are interrupting my class。 Please go。”The man places a hand on Don’s arm and edges him back through the door。“Get out of here， dickhead！” the girl shouts […]。The door slams and Don is alone in the corridor。 […] He tries the door handle again， rattling the aluminium lever and pushing with all his weight， but it has been locked from the inside。’ And if Don is the disconnected observer of his own life， locked-out， repulsed， even banished; Val is the Machiavellian player moving the pieces round the chessboard in Don's flaccid self-reportage: ‘Don has played his role， but Val has been observing and orchestrating。’ Don’s life is performed in front of him， behind a veil， the players having been cast and directed by Valentine。 The painting， Poussin’s Triumph of David that comes back to Don’s lifeless， sagging directorship at the Brockwell Collection from the museum conservator’s vigorous cleaning， damaged by the stringent chemicals， reads like a meta-self-conscious comment from Cahill: ‘[Don] gazes at the remains of the painting。 He is struck， most of all， by the shimmering loveliness of the scene in its dissolved state。 It’s as if a fine gauze has descended over the picture。 The figures in their flowing robes have turned to soft-edged impressions。 Hard forms have become crops of weightless， powdery colour。 And yet the colours themselves have survived – strengthened， even。 The whole thing pulses with blue， orange and umber。 Goliath’s head is an ochre silhouette， as featureless as a face seen against a light-filled window。 […] He thinks of his own artifice of his own role [at the Brockwell]， in this place， and asks who – or what – will shake him free。 Involuntarily， he stretches out his hand and touches the tip of each of the boy’s fingers。 The veneer of the painting wobbles at his touch。 It feels smooth， dry and unexpectedly warm。’ Don is reaching out to touch his own existence， trying to make substantial contact with his life， shape some actuality， but the response is ‘wobbly’; insubstantial， precarious。 This novel reads as a momentary glimpse into The Life of Don Lamb – just like David Nobbs’s Reginald Perrin – as his footing shifts and he outgrows the scope of closeted Professor of Art History。 However， life can only ever be applied in the loosest of terms。 Don’s intellectual or emotional connection with the series of rolling scenes that serve as his existence remains as numb as is his response to the seminal black&white photograph he finds of his younger self in a punt with Val at Cambridge。 Only with Ben does Don approach anything like active agency: 'His desire to gaze [at Ben] is also a desire to feel， hold， and possess。' Ultimately， toward the end of the book， we read that Don has ‘seen enough pictures。’ The closure of the book is dazzling。 ‘Tiepolo Blue’ reminded me of Sarah Winman's style - crisp and concise character studies – life looked at; the desire to be looked back upon。My deep thanks go to Hodder & Stoughton for an advanced digital copy through Netgalley in exchange for review。Publication Date 9th June 2022。 。。。more
Mary Lou
，
Don Lamb， in his early forties， is a professor of Art History。 Having gone up to Cambridge as an undergraduate， he has remained there as an academic。 Having moved directly from a lonely life of only child of elderly parents to the sheltered life of academia， Lamb might be top of his field but is not at all worldly-wise。His closest friend is Professor Valentine Black， formerly tutor and now his fellow academic。The serenity of the cloister is shattered when a piece of modern art is erected in the Don Lamb， in his early forties， is a professor of Art History。 Having gone up to Cambridge as an undergraduate， he has remained there as an academic。 Having moved directly from a lonely life of only child of elderly parents to the sheltered life of academia， Lamb might be top of his field but is not at all worldly-wise。His closest friend is Professor Valentine Black， formerly tutor and now his fellow academic。The serenity of the cloister is shattered when a piece of modern art is erected in the quad and when Lamb expresses his disapprobation， his tenure becomes subject to doubt。However， the more experienced Val offers a way out， providing his friend with support， both moral and in the form of a job offer as director of an Art Museum。But as Lamb struggles with the transition from academia， and probably doesn’t even appreciate the need for it， his life spirals dramatically downward out of control。While reading Tiepolo Blue， I had to constantly remind myself that Lamb is forty-three， not sixty three and that perhaps his stuffiness is attributable to the fact that the book is placed in the 1990s， rather than the present day。 And even aware as he was of his thus far unexercised sexual preferences， it seemed odd that Lamb chose to employ his very basic computer skills in his own office in the way he did。But while Lamb’s snobbery was insufferable， the cruelty of Valentine Black towards him was what made this a very uncomfortable read。 By the time Lamb has begun to question his friend’s motives， it is too late。On the plus side， this dip into the world of art history and learning about Tiepolo’s paintings was a very enjoyable experience。 With thanks to Netgalley UK and Hodder and Stoughton 。。。more
Kara Duchart
，
I almost gave up on this book about a quarter of the way through。 But I a so glad that I didn’t！ It took me a while to really get into but once I did I thoroughly enjoyed it。 Although don was a remarkably pompous and unlikeable character to begin with， you grow to both love and respect him as he flounders through life with gross naivety。 I don’t know or particularly care about art， however this book read like a piece of artwork in itself， and I couldn’t have wanted more than the beautiful tragic I almost gave up on this book about a quarter of the way through。 But I a so glad that I didn’t！ It took me a while to really get into but once I did I thoroughly enjoyed it。 Although don was a remarkably pompous and unlikeable character to begin with， you grow to both love and respect him as he flounders through life with gross naivety。 I don’t know or particularly care about art， however this book read like a piece of artwork in itself， and I couldn’t have wanted more than the beautiful tragic ending we were given。 。。。more
Mrs Lena
，
Don is a rather pompous， middle-aged professor at Peterhouse College， Cambridge who holds traditionalist views and is determined to hold fast to them in the face of a new modern art installation arriving in the quadrangle。 His outspoken views appeared to be mirrored by his old professor and mentor， Valentine Black but all is not as it seems。 Encouraged to sound off via a radio interview， Don finds himself edged out of Cambridge and entering a new phase of his life as director of a small art gall Don is a rather pompous， middle-aged professor at Peterhouse College， Cambridge who holds traditionalist views and is determined to hold fast to them in the face of a new modern art installation arriving in the quadrangle。 His outspoken views appeared to be mirrored by his old professor and mentor， Valentine Black but all is not as it seems。 Encouraged to sound off via a radio interview， Don finds himself edged out of Cambridge and entering a new phase of his life as director of a small art gallery/museum whilst continuing his efforts to write a landmark work on an artist， Tiepolo， known for his blue skies。 All the while he is subtly manipulated by those around him。 Although I found it easy to predict where this was leading very early on in the novel I continued to enjoy following the progress on Don's downfall。 The description of a part of London that I know incredibly well， all be it as it was 3 decades ago， added to my enjoyment。 I couldn't help wondering whether the title was purposely chosen to mirror Tom Sharpe's Porterhouse Blue and there were moments when I could detect echoes of this， particularly in the earlier chapters， but this soon faded as the story took on a life of its own。 This is a very serious novel and not one to provoke much mirth。 The story of Don's first repressed then awakened sexuality， set at a time when homosexuality was still largely reviled and hidden and the public were generally unaware of the spread of AIDS is cleverly told。 As the novel reached its inevitable conclusion， my heart bled for Don a victim of his own naivety and pomposity。 An enthralling novel and one of the best I have read this year。 。。。more
Carol
，
A rich and stimulating read。Much respected in the rarefied atmosphere of Porterhouse College， Cambridge， art historian， Prof Don Lamb in his forties， leads a charmed life。 Free to indulge his specialisation， he is writing the definitive study of the skies of the Venetian artist Tiepolo。 Never short of academic stimulation and company， and a confirmed bachelor， he pleases himself。 Quirky， a snob and judgementally sailing through his privileged life， there is nothing much to endear him to the read A rich and stimulating read。Much respected in the rarefied atmosphere of Porterhouse College， Cambridge， art historian， Prof Don Lamb in his forties， leads a charmed life。 Free to indulge his specialisation， he is writing the definitive study of the skies of the Venetian artist Tiepolo。 Never short of academic stimulation and company， and a confirmed bachelor， he pleases himself。 Quirky， a snob and judgementally sailing through his privileged life， there is nothing much to endear him to the reader。 Until the appearance of a contemporary art installation on the lawns of Peterhouse offend him deeply and he becomes utterly lost。By the end， he is a tragic， heartbreaking figure。 Skilfully handled， Cahill takes us into both the public and private worlds of Prof Lamb。 No longer automatically accepted and indulged， but mocked and disgraced as he makes one drunken， drug-fuelled blunder after another。 His behaviour becomes increasingly self-destructive and he begins to realise some painful truths; and his tragic fall is complete。Thank you to #NetGalley and #Hodder&Stoughton， for my free download in return for an honest review。 。。。more
Jill
，
This novel is slow in getting started， although it does provide the background setting to the story。 A Cambridge art historian has been too honest and foreceful in his views of a recently installed modernistic sculpture named Sick Bed at Peterhouse， lead to his resignation of a life closeted in academia to London as a director of a museum。 Don Lamb struggles with his sexuality during the course of this book， until he eventually submits to his emotions and desires。 I found Don’s character confusi This novel is slow in getting started， although it does provide the background setting to the story。 A Cambridge art historian has been too honest and foreceful in his views of a recently installed modernistic sculpture named Sick Bed at Peterhouse， lead to his resignation of a life closeted in academia to London as a director of a museum。 Don Lamb struggles with his sexuality during the course of this book， until he eventually submits to his emotions and desires。 I found Don’s character confusing。 Although he is in his early 40s， the impression I got was of a much older man， having lived a sheltered existence， somewhat naive， and very outspoken to his own detriment and downfall。 He’s a loner， wandering aimlessly through life， taking advantage of the hospitality of a benefactor who has engineered his life’s direction。 His ultimate downfall is derived from his curiosity to explore deeper into the realms of homosexuality。 This novel paints an unsettling and rare opportunity to see the world through a different perspective。My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this advance copy in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Joan
，
In this beguiling debut novel， we meet Professor Don Lamb， a highly respected art historian， opinionated， hardworking and at the pinnacle of his career。 He works and lives in his quarters at Peterhouse University of Cambridge。 He is required to lecture on his subject， but he also has time on his hands to complete his next work of art， a tome about the Venetian master Giovanni Battista Tiepolo and more specifically， the blue skies of Tiepolo’s masterpieces。At Peterhouse， Don is cosseted amongst In this beguiling debut novel， we meet Professor Don Lamb， a highly respected art historian， opinionated， hardworking and at the pinnacle of his career。 He works and lives in his quarters at Peterhouse University of Cambridge。 He is required to lecture on his subject， but he also has time on his hands to complete his next work of art， a tome about the Venetian master Giovanni Battista Tiepolo and more specifically， the blue skies of Tiepolo’s masterpieces。At Peterhouse， Don is cosseted amongst the fellows。 He is respected and as a new term begins in 1994 he returns to Peterhouse on his bike。 He passes through the Porters Lodge and is surprised to see on the hallowed lawns， what looks like a load of old junk that has been dumped from a skip， beneath the wreck is a flashing light。 He soon learns that it is a piece of Modern Art entitled ‘Sick Bed’ and it is there to stay。 He is incandescent with anger and greatly offended。 He has no time for the monstrosity。 Little does he know that his opinions will be his downfall。 He will leave Peterhouse in disgrace。 Even his revered friend Valentine Black， once his mentor when Don was an undergraduate， will not be able to save him。He is due to start a new job in a London gallery called The Brockwell Collection， a job recommended by Val。 Don is given the run of Val’s house in Dulwich， called ‘The House Beautiful’， and comes complete with a housekeeper called Ina。 Val even drives Don down in his Mercedes and gives him a grand tour。 At last it is time to go to work。 Don is given an enthusiastic welcome by the Chief Curator and it is there that Don meets a young artist called Ben。 His safe and sterile lifestyle in Cambridge is long gone。 Ben introduces Don to his friends， his own contemporary art and Soho。 Don is out of his comfort zone。 His lifestyle is now a total reversal from genteel Cambridge。 Ben moves into ‘The House Beautiful’ in an unused upstairs bedroom and so begins a hedonistic period for Don。 He is shocked， he is excited， his behaviour is chaotic and with no experience of modern life and love， he flails。 This is his story， one of friendships， misinformation， recklessness and downward spirals。I received a copy of this poignant and engaging novel through my membership of NetGalley and from publisher Sceptre， sent to me in return for an honest review。 I thought the novel was unique and addictive， but the pace of the story unequal。 I felt no sympathy for Don at first。 He was tactless and arrogant， unable to hold back his opinion and compromise。 However as the story continued I felt he was somewhat used and abused。 I felt empathy for him as he suffered a massive mid-life crisis that he was ill equipped for。 I mainly felt ambivalent about the other characters。 On the whole they were self-seeking and unkind。 I thought the story was eloquently told， the storyboard filled with intrigue， innuendo and surprises。 I definitely enjoyed reading this novel although I have no artistic bones in my body。 I further researched Giovanni Battista Tiepolo， my interest piqued by Don’s fixation on his masterful work。 I loved his paintings as well。 This novel is a ‘Book of 2020’ pick。 。。。more
Reference
google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Tiepolo Blue
hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=Tiepolo Blue&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft
The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,Tiepolo Blue&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0