Michelangelo at Midlife: Chasing the Tomb of Julius II

Michelangelo at Midlife: Chasing the Tomb of Julius II

A traveler's quest for Michelangelo's most troubled work of art--the notorious Tomb of Pope Julius II. "A delightful combination of art history and light drama." -- Kirkus Reviews "Like a trip to Italy: edifying, informative, and unpredictable." -- BookLife Reviews His artistic ambitions crumbling as fast as his marriage, Sam careens through Europe seeking inspiration in the great Michelangelo who, for all his success, struggled to complete what was to be his magnum opus. Sam teams up with an intriguing Italian woman who opens his eyes to the deeper meaning of the Tomb: how Michelangelo's grand ambitions got continually derailed. The result? A profound "midlife crisis." Incredibly, Michelangelo at Midlife is the only non-academic book about the Tomb. Sam travels from Florence, where Michelangelo began the project, to the quarries of Carrara where he dreamed up a colossal 50-foot pyramid studded with David- -sized statues. From Paris to Venice, the Sistine to Amsterdam, Sam chases the tangled 40-year tale of the Tomb. The story takes on added life with 180 COLOR illustrations, including graphics of the Tomb's evolution. The author, Gene Openshaw, has also written numerous best-selling books and PBS TV shows with travel guru Rick Steves. Michelangelo at Midlife culminates in Rome, where the parallel stories converge. Can Michelangelo--and Sam--navigate the choppy waters of middle age and realize their youthful dreams? "This is an entertaining treat, especially for art lovers and wanderlust-afflicted travelers looking for a breezy read." -- Kirkus Reviews KIRKUS REVIEWS WRITES: "A delightful combination of art history and light drama..." "The author deftly relates two parallel tales: Sam's struggle to fix his battered life and the extraordinary feat of constructing Michelangelo's "ridiculously audacious Tomb," which took 40 terrible years to complete. The thematic connection between the two storylines, conveyed with impressive emotional poignancy, is the crisis of middle age: the mortal battle against irrepressible time. "The arrow of Time was streaking like a rocket across the sky, leaving a vapor trail. I could see the entire arc of a human life in a single glance, in stark relief against the backdrop of non-existence. And I could see exactly where I was on that arc." "Despite the gravity of Sam's troubles, Openshaw largely keeps this a lighthearted tale... told with intelligence... filled with humor and tinged with an ironic acknowledgement of the travails of life. The novel is just as much about Michelangelo, whose history is expertly detailed, and includes gorgeous color photography of Italy and its artistic treasures. "This is an entertaining treat, especially for art lovers and wanderlust-afflicted travelers looking for a breezy read." -- Kirkus Reviews BOOKLIFE REVIEWS WRITES: "Like a trip to Italy: edifying, informative, and unpredictable." "Openshaw's surprising novel of art, aging, and what life's all about... offers an in-depth history of Michelangelo's life and career, plus elements of a travel guide... "Openshaw is a seasoned tour guide and veteran travel-television show writer, and his expertise in Italy, art, and Michelangelo in particular shines on nearly each page... "Openshaw digs deeply into Renaissance sculpture, patronage, politics and more... his travails are wittily juxtaposed against those of his idol, Michelangelo...Openshaw's depiction of Michelangelo as a human being with faults and frailties is fascinating... "[It] suggests Orwell's Down and Out in Paris and London, while accomplished passages of travel writing bring Italy to touching life. " Takeaway: Surprising novel of art, history, and mid-life crises, including Michelangelo's." Gene Openshaw has written more than a dozen books and TV shows with travel guru Rick Steves. Their book "Europe's Top 100 Masterpieces" highlights classic works of art. "Europe 101: History and Art for the Traveler" is still going strong after three decades. Their guidebooks--to Paris, Rome, London, and more--are some of the best-selling guides in the English language. For television, Gene has co-authored the popular PBS documentaries "The Story of Fascism" and the ambitious multi-part series "Art of Europe." Interviews with Gene can often be heard on NPR radio. As a composer, Gene has written an opera called "Matter."