Publication
Waterville, Me. : Thorndike Press, 2011.
Collection
Call number
LARGE PRINT FICTION V
Physical description
659 p.; 22 cm
Status
Available
Call number
Description
Louis Comfort Tiffany staffs his studio with female artisans--a decision that protects him from strikes by the all-male union--but refuses to employ women who are married. Lucky for him, Clara Driscoll's romantic misfortunes insure that she can continue to craft the jewel-toned glass windows and lamps that catch both her eye and her imagination.
Subjects
User reviews
LibraryThing member bookworm12
I’ve always thought Tiffany lamps and his other glass pieces were gorgeous. I love the idea of blending art with functional pieces in your home. That’s the main reason I was interested in reading this.
We see the world of Louis Comfort Tiffany through the eyes of one of his top designers, Clara
I enjoyed learning more about Tiffany, his company, the strikes and battles women faced in the work force. I also loved the descriptions of New York City at the turn of the century. Unfortunately, Clara’s personal life fell a bit flat for me. It just seemed like she was always longing for something she couldn’t have and that seemed like such a waste.
She wanted to marry her best friend, but he was gay. She had an odd love/hate relationship with Tiffany and always seemed to desire his approval in a way that wasn’t quite related to only her work. Her obsession with Tiffany and talk of her lover’s jealousy of his attention was a little creepy. Her relationship with her fiancé added another odd aspect in the book. They seemed happy, then things took a really strange turn and everything changed.
The book was at its best when they were talking about the actual designs, incorporating their love of nature into their work and women’s rights in the work force. If those aspects interest you, then it’s definitely worth reading, but some of the other bits lost my interest.
“How easily a parent’s motive could be misconstrued by an injured child.”
p.s. One interesting tidbit, did you all know that Louis Comfort Tiffany, the creator of Tiffany Glass Studio, was the son of the man who created the famous jewelry company Tiffany & Co? I had no idea!
We see the world of Louis Comfort Tiffany through the eyes of one of his top designers, Clara
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Driscoll. She struggles to find equal footing in a man’s world. Even though she’s a talented designer, she is never given the same credit or respect for her work. The unfair rules and regulations that women had to face in the work place back then were absurd. If a woman got married, she could no longer work at Tiffany Glass Studios. Tiffany didn’t want any married women working for him, because he thought they would no longer make their work a priority. The same standard was obviously not applied to his male workers. I enjoyed learning more about Tiffany, his company, the strikes and battles women faced in the work force. I also loved the descriptions of New York City at the turn of the century. Unfortunately, Clara’s personal life fell a bit flat for me. It just seemed like she was always longing for something she couldn’t have and that seemed like such a waste.
She wanted to marry her best friend, but he was gay. She had an odd love/hate relationship with Tiffany and always seemed to desire his approval in a way that wasn’t quite related to only her work. Her obsession with Tiffany and talk of her lover’s jealousy of his attention was a little creepy. Her relationship with her fiancé added another odd aspect in the book. They seemed happy, then things took a really strange turn and everything changed.
The book was at its best when they were talking about the actual designs, incorporating their love of nature into their work and women’s rights in the work force. If those aspects interest you, then it’s definitely worth reading, but some of the other bits lost my interest.
“How easily a parent’s motive could be misconstrued by an injured child.”
p.s. One interesting tidbit, did you all know that Louis Comfort Tiffany, the creator of Tiffany Glass Studio, was the son of the man who created the famous jewelry company Tiffany & Co? I had no idea!
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LibraryThing member TooBusyReading
Although Clara and Mr. Tiffany is historical fiction, Clara Driscoll and some of the other characters as well as the well-known Louis Comfort Tiffany were real people. Tiffany is famous; his designers, including Clara, who did the work for which he got credit, are not.
Clara, as a widow, was
The characters are not cookie-cutter renditions, so they had both good and bad qualities. Clara went on too much about the lack of acknowledgment for her work, but sometimes treated others the same way. I loved the information about the women's fights for equalities, would have liked to read more of it. There were quite a few characters introduced early on, and I had trouble keeping some of them straight. Still, this would have been a four-star read for me if not for one thing:
For my taste, the book was much too long for the story it was telling. It would have been a fabulous 200 - 250 page book, but at more than 400 pages, there was too much detail. I initially found the details about the design and making of the glass pieces to be interesting, but it seems that I had to read about every possible variation in the ways to make glass, every inspiration for every design. Too much of a good thing is still too much.
The copy I read was an advance reader's edition, provided to me by the publisher.
Clara, as a widow, was
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allowed to work for Mr. Tiffany, but any of his “girls” who married had to leave the company immediately, leading to some disastrous results. The men who worked for Tiffany resented the women's presence, even though they worked in a separate division. Tiffany himself was an odd person, living in his father's shadow, kind at one moment and a self-absorbed tyrant at the next. Not a great work environment.The characters are not cookie-cutter renditions, so they had both good and bad qualities. Clara went on too much about the lack of acknowledgment for her work, but sometimes treated others the same way. I loved the information about the women's fights for equalities, would have liked to read more of it. There were quite a few characters introduced early on, and I had trouble keeping some of them straight. Still, this would have been a four-star read for me if not for one thing:
For my taste, the book was much too long for the story it was telling. It would have been a fabulous 200 - 250 page book, but at more than 400 pages, there was too much detail. I initially found the details about the design and making of the glass pieces to be interesting, but it seems that I had to read about every possible variation in the ways to make glass, every inspiration for every design. Too much of a good thing is still too much.
The copy I read was an advance reader's edition, provided to me by the publisher.
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LibraryThing member Olivermagnus
Clara and Mr. Tiffany by Susan Vreeland
4.5 Stars
Susan Vreeland's novel Clara and Mr. Tiffany is based on fact. Clara Driscoll worked for Louis Comfort Tiffany and was instrumental in many of the company's glass designs. In this novel, the author suggests that the famous Tiffany lamps were Clara's
The novel traces Clara's experiences from the time she returns to Tiffany after her widowhood to the time she leaves the company, many years later. Tiffany had a firm rule that married women could not work for him. Through her eyes, we see both how stained glass was made, from the chemistry to drawing the cartoon to cutting to construction.
Vreeland does a very good job of bringing that era of New York to life, touching on immigrant life, class differences, and the position of most women who worked during that time. Clara represents an interesting example of a working woman at the turn of the century. She is aware of the injustice done to women at Tiffany's. The women workers do not have a union, they cannot marry, and their wages are lower than the men's wages. She fights for the rights of the immigrant women who work under her and against the oppression of the men's union who would happily close down her department. Susan Vreeland also does a great job of portraying the strength but also the broken spirits of the immigrant community.
This was my neighborhood book club's selection for June and I balked when it came time to read it. I wasn't in the mood for this type of story even though it looked interesting. Ultimately I'm glad I read it. It was very enjoyable and I learned a lot about stained glass and Tiffany lamps. I would highly recommend it to anyone who has an interest in Tiffany and/or New York at the turn of the century.
4.5 Stars
Susan Vreeland's novel Clara and Mr. Tiffany is based on fact. Clara Driscoll worked for Louis Comfort Tiffany and was instrumental in many of the company's glass designs. In this novel, the author suggests that the famous Tiffany lamps were Clara's
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innovation and design and that Tiffany took credit for her work. Never publicly acknowledged, Clara struggles with her desire for artistic recognition and the insurmountable challenges she faces as a professional woman. She also yearns for love and companionship and is devoted in different ways to five men, including Tiffany, eventually enjoying a creative friendship with him. The novel traces Clara's experiences from the time she returns to Tiffany after her widowhood to the time she leaves the company, many years later. Tiffany had a firm rule that married women could not work for him. Through her eyes, we see both how stained glass was made, from the chemistry to drawing the cartoon to cutting to construction.
Vreeland does a very good job of bringing that era of New York to life, touching on immigrant life, class differences, and the position of most women who worked during that time. Clara represents an interesting example of a working woman at the turn of the century. She is aware of the injustice done to women at Tiffany's. The women workers do not have a union, they cannot marry, and their wages are lower than the men's wages. She fights for the rights of the immigrant women who work under her and against the oppression of the men's union who would happily close down her department. Susan Vreeland also does a great job of portraying the strength but also the broken spirits of the immigrant community.
This was my neighborhood book club's selection for June and I balked when it came time to read it. I wasn't in the mood for this type of story even though it looked interesting. Ultimately I'm glad I read it. It was very enjoyable and I learned a lot about stained glass and Tiffany lamps. I would highly recommend it to anyone who has an interest in Tiffany and/or New York at the turn of the century.
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LibraryThing member ForeignCircus
This is a tough review for me because despite the fact that I really wanted to love this book, I just couldn't. I found Clara a strangely flat character despite the interesting times in which she lived; it was hard for me to feel an emotional connection to her. I always felt that Clara was remote
The writing was wonderful and I love that the story was inspired by true events, but I guess I think Vreeland tried too hard to tread the fine line between fact and fiction and so missed the mark on both. 3.5 stars even though I feel bad saying that...
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and found myself more interested in the other women and the glassware than in Clara herself.The writing was wonderful and I love that the story was inspired by true events, but I guess I think Vreeland tried too hard to tread the fine line between fact and fiction and so missed the mark on both. 3.5 stars even though I feel bad saying that...
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LibraryThing member AltheaAnn
I've just finished the book "Clara and Mr. Tiffany." However, I confusedly picked it up assuming that it was by the author of "Girl With a Pearl Earring" and "The Virgin Blue." Rather, it is the author of "Girl in Hyacinth Blue" and "The Passion of Artemisia," which I've also read. I keep confusing
Still, I love the Tiffany aesthetic enough that I felt the book was worth reading - the details of the creative process and the practicalities of the craft involved in the workshop are fascinating, as are the financial, personal and social issues of the company, which Vreeland illuminates well.
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Tracy Chevalier and Susan Vreeland. Somewhat similar topics and titles, but I have to admit I like Tracy Chevalier a lot better as a writer. I feel very similarly about "Clara and Mr. Tiffany" as I did about "The Passion of Artemisia" - the topic is something I'm particularly interested in, so I'm willing to read the book just for that, but the writing doesn't thrill me. I feel like the author did exhaustive research on her historical characters and their time period - and then feels the need to stick every little detail that she's learned into the book, even when it interrupts the flow of the story. The details that interest her are mostly those that we know today, so the reader is constantly interrupted by tidbits such as that "America the Beautiful" is a new song, that the character feels that the poem just written for the Statue of Liberty's pedestal will one day be well-known, or that the music wafting out of a jazz club is a (still well-known) certain song. The thing is, it doesn't smoothly work - because the things that are of significance to people's daily lives are very rarely those that make history. A person is just as likely to be grieved for the death of a poet who will soon be forgotten to history as that of Walt Whitman, or to love a song which will be soon regarded as insignificant. (And, when facing a deep personal crisis, a person is unlikely to stop in front of a jazz club to mention what the song playing is.) A few relevant historical details help set time and place, but this is like an inundation. And while Clara comes vividly to life as an intriguing and vibrant character, too many of the minor characters seem to exist only as Examples of Types of People Who Lived in 19th-Century New York.Still, I love the Tiffany aesthetic enough that I felt the book was worth reading - the details of the creative process and the practicalities of the craft involved in the workshop are fascinating, as are the financial, personal and social issues of the company, which Vreeland illuminates well.
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LibraryThing member whitreidtan
History is written by the victors, those with money, and for a long time, exclusively by men. Women's contributions to arts and sciences remained all but unacknowledged with others being given credit for their innovations. Susan Vreeland's novel Clara and Mr. Tiffany probes one such omission and
Opening with the recently widowed Clara returning to Tiffany studios to ask for her job back, the novel tracks her life, her rise as an artist, her inspiration, and her fight for equality and acknowledgement within her chosen field. Clara is innovative and creative and she suggests to Mr. Tiffany that they consider making leaded glass lampshades so that those unable or unwilling to commission stained glass windows for their homes or churches, will be able to have a smaller jewel of a piece to admire in their own homes. Clara's passion for her lamp idea drives her professionally even as she and the girls (all young, all unmarried) she's hired into the studio continue to work on the commissioned showpiece windows as well. In hiring and teaching other women to select and cut the glass, Clara describes the artistic process by which Tiffany's masterpieces were made allowing the reader insights into this slow and exacting process.
While her work fulfills and consumes her, Clara's personal life is rather bumpier than her professional one. She develops close and dear friendships with many of the boarders in her boarding house, many of whom are artists themselves, and they come to have a personal interest in her successes. She also embarks, tentatively, on a relationship with the brother of one of her dear friends. Her ability to trust after her disastrous first marriage is slow to develop, hampered as well by Tiffany's policy of not employing married women. Any relationship to which she fully commits will deprive her of an outlet for her art and creativity. She is torn by the need to make her art and her desire to be loved. And so her relationships with the opposite sex are considered and deliberate and gradual.
Clara is an interesting character, prickly and yet motherly, timid yet firm. She is caught at the crossroads between Victorian morality and etiquette and the nascent women's movement. She tries to work within the system, swallowing her rage at the precariousness of her second class status until she can no longer do so at the risk of her job. She cares deeply for the women under her in her department, involving herself in their lives outside the workshop and trying to help these mostly immigrant girls and indeed any artistically inclined women to better themselves. Louis Comfort Tiffany is also interestingly drawn here. He is a many faceted character, object of Clara's devotion, artistic, whimsical, autocratic, demanding, and ultimately impotent in the face of almighty commerce. He and Clara maintain a mentor/mentee relationship most of the time although there are moments of true collaboration and certainly mutual respect for each others' artistic talents. Neither Clara nor Mr. Tiffany is presented without flaws, making them human and their interactions more believable. The secondary characters have fascinating back stories themselves although they, by necessity, only touch on and shoot through the main tale, part of the whole but not the major focus of the piece.
The plot line is a little slow and concentrates on the admittedly extraordinary arc of Clara's mostly solo life for 16 years. Historical happenings and attitudes are woven into the narrative beautifully so that the reader can appreciate just how people lived at the time and on the cusp of wonderous huge change. The glimpse into Tiffany's studio and the innovative women's department is instructive and fascinating. Part women's history, part social history, part art history, this is a wonderful read that reminds us all of the necessity for beauty and love and art in everyday life. Tiffany tells his girls that he doesn't believe in limits and that they need to learn to see beauty and this novel helps us as readers to remember both of these important things as well.
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creates a fantastic story out of the tale. Based on real people and what is actually known about them and their artistic endeavors, this novel suggests, with good historical probability, that Clara Driscoll, the head designer in Tiffany's Women's Department was in fact the genesis, creator, and designer of the gorgeous iconic leaded glass Tiffany lamps rather than Louis Comfort Tiffany himself.Opening with the recently widowed Clara returning to Tiffany studios to ask for her job back, the novel tracks her life, her rise as an artist, her inspiration, and her fight for equality and acknowledgement within her chosen field. Clara is innovative and creative and she suggests to Mr. Tiffany that they consider making leaded glass lampshades so that those unable or unwilling to commission stained glass windows for their homes or churches, will be able to have a smaller jewel of a piece to admire in their own homes. Clara's passion for her lamp idea drives her professionally even as she and the girls (all young, all unmarried) she's hired into the studio continue to work on the commissioned showpiece windows as well. In hiring and teaching other women to select and cut the glass, Clara describes the artistic process by which Tiffany's masterpieces were made allowing the reader insights into this slow and exacting process.
While her work fulfills and consumes her, Clara's personal life is rather bumpier than her professional one. She develops close and dear friendships with many of the boarders in her boarding house, many of whom are artists themselves, and they come to have a personal interest in her successes. She also embarks, tentatively, on a relationship with the brother of one of her dear friends. Her ability to trust after her disastrous first marriage is slow to develop, hampered as well by Tiffany's policy of not employing married women. Any relationship to which she fully commits will deprive her of an outlet for her art and creativity. She is torn by the need to make her art and her desire to be loved. And so her relationships with the opposite sex are considered and deliberate and gradual.
Clara is an interesting character, prickly and yet motherly, timid yet firm. She is caught at the crossroads between Victorian morality and etiquette and the nascent women's movement. She tries to work within the system, swallowing her rage at the precariousness of her second class status until she can no longer do so at the risk of her job. She cares deeply for the women under her in her department, involving herself in their lives outside the workshop and trying to help these mostly immigrant girls and indeed any artistically inclined women to better themselves. Louis Comfort Tiffany is also interestingly drawn here. He is a many faceted character, object of Clara's devotion, artistic, whimsical, autocratic, demanding, and ultimately impotent in the face of almighty commerce. He and Clara maintain a mentor/mentee relationship most of the time although there are moments of true collaboration and certainly mutual respect for each others' artistic talents. Neither Clara nor Mr. Tiffany is presented without flaws, making them human and their interactions more believable. The secondary characters have fascinating back stories themselves although they, by necessity, only touch on and shoot through the main tale, part of the whole but not the major focus of the piece.
The plot line is a little slow and concentrates on the admittedly extraordinary arc of Clara's mostly solo life for 16 years. Historical happenings and attitudes are woven into the narrative beautifully so that the reader can appreciate just how people lived at the time and on the cusp of wonderous huge change. The glimpse into Tiffany's studio and the innovative women's department is instructive and fascinating. Part women's history, part social history, part art history, this is a wonderful read that reminds us all of the necessity for beauty and love and art in everyday life. Tiffany tells his girls that he doesn't believe in limits and that they need to learn to see beauty and this novel helps us as readers to remember both of these important things as well.
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LibraryThing member justinefrances
Vreeland suffers from an overabundance of detail not applicable to story-telling. She can tell you how a stained-glass window is made. She can tell you about the accounting system developed at Tiffany's. She can tell you about many obscure (and some not so obscure) artists at the turn of the
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century. But she did not breathe life into these characters. Clara Driscoll might have been bristling with passion, but Vreeland did not make me feel it. Mr. Tiffany could have been in the midst of despair, but Vreeland's descriptions left me hollow. And I'm sorry, I really wanted to like this book. But it turned into a cross between a technical manual on stained-glass art and a mawkish romantic trifle. And yet, there was an undercurrent of a story that would have moved me, if only it had been better presented. Show Less
LibraryThing member punxsygal
Clara Driscoll was the manager of The Tiffany Girls, the members of the women's division of Tiffany Studios. Under her leadership the women chose and cut the glass for many of Louis Comfort Tiffany's windows. She was also the creative force behind the famous Tiffany lamps with many being of her
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design. Once again, Ms. Vreeland has produced a work of historical fiction that provides an interesting and satisfying read about a little known female artist. And with internet access, it was fun to look up the designs and facts while I read. Show Less
LibraryThing member Letter4No1
Clara works for Mr. Louis Comfort Tiffany at his glass studio. What starts as just jobs in elegant stained glass windows turns into her own personal renaissance when she realizes they can take the same simple principles and make lamps. While Clara fights to establisher herself, and her department
Susan Vreeland does a fantastic job of bring Clara, the little know and rarely credited designer, to life. A fully formed character, Clara is eager to place, and to make a name for herself. While she craves love, she values her Independence even more. All of this makes her unique for a story set in turn of the century New York. Clara is supported by a cast of artists, accountants and friends who can be two dimensional at times, they are endearing.
Clara and Mr. Tiffany is a great example of historical fiction. A New York on the verge of becoming a cultural hub is brought to life without being over worked. From boarding houses to the newly made subway, little snippets of history are tucked neatly into Vreelands pages.
Overall I enjoyed this book, even if at times it felt a bit long. If you're a fan of Vreeland, or similar authors you'll find yourself a reliable read here.
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of female glass workers she must struggle against the conventions of the early 1900's and the rules Mr. Tiffany sets down. The foremost of which is that married women can not work for him.Susan Vreeland does a fantastic job of bring Clara, the little know and rarely credited designer, to life. A fully formed character, Clara is eager to place, and to make a name for herself. While she craves love, she values her Independence even more. All of this makes her unique for a story set in turn of the century New York. Clara is supported by a cast of artists, accountants and friends who can be two dimensional at times, they are endearing.
Clara and Mr. Tiffany is a great example of historical fiction. A New York on the verge of becoming a cultural hub is brought to life without being over worked. From boarding houses to the newly made subway, little snippets of history are tucked neatly into Vreelands pages.
Overall I enjoyed this book, even if at times it felt a bit long. If you're a fan of Vreeland, or similar authors you'll find yourself a reliable read here.
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LibraryThing member mthelibrarian
A breath of sprintime in winter to think about the Tiffany Girls. I can't wait to check out the Tiffany lamps the next time I visit an art museum that has some. Wish I had seen the exhibit that Susan Vreeland went to.
LibraryThing member MmeRose
I found this version of Clara Driscoll's life in the Women's Division of the Tiffany Glass Studio to be too romanticized, although entertaining.
LibraryThing member DrApple
Art and Oppression: A Review of Clara and Mr. Tiffany: A Novel by Susan Vreeland
Clara and Mr. Tiffany tells the tale of Clara Driscoll, who works for Louis Comfort Tiffany designing windows, lamps, and mosaics. The novel gives a comprehensive view of Tiffany’s production from the World’s
Clara designs many of Tiffany’s most famous works, and she revels in each triumph of art and beauty. Her personal life, however, is a series of tragedies beginning with the death of her first husband, who was less than her perfect mate, to the disappearance of her second love, and the deaths of close friends.
The endless descriptions of glass, windows, and works of art become a bit tedious in this book, but the events of the outside world generally compensate. Vreeland mentions a number of famous people, but Clara never has the opportunity to actually meet any of them. She does do a nice job of describing the New York City of the time and of creating a complete picture of the lives available for women in the period.
Clara and Mr. Tiffany tells the tale of Clara Driscoll, who works for Louis Comfort Tiffany designing windows, lamps, and mosaics. The novel gives a comprehensive view of Tiffany’s production from the World’s
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Columbian Exposition in Chicago to 1908. It also allows the reader to become immersed in New York City of the same period. It demonstrates the oppression suffered by immigrants, women, and minorities. It also gives a view of the opulent lifestyles of the wealthy during this period.Clara designs many of Tiffany’s most famous works, and she revels in each triumph of art and beauty. Her personal life, however, is a series of tragedies beginning with the death of her first husband, who was less than her perfect mate, to the disappearance of her second love, and the deaths of close friends.
The endless descriptions of glass, windows, and works of art become a bit tedious in this book, but the events of the outside world generally compensate. Vreeland mentions a number of famous people, but Clara never has the opportunity to actually meet any of them. She does do a nice job of describing the New York City of the time and of creating a complete picture of the lives available for women in the period.
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LibraryThing member clue
A great story about the acutal woman behind the legendary Tiffany lamps. The story includes both inner and outer turmoil at Tiffany's where married women were not allowed to work, her relationships with the other boarders at the boarding house in which she lived, and her forays into both
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unsuccessful and successful romances. Show Less
LibraryThing member Tasker
For me, this was an enjoyable read. It was finished in a week's time, not to move onto the next read but the result of enjoying the story and characters. There were only two areas that slowed me down - the predictable outcome of crossing a picket line and the descriptions of assembling works of
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stained glass. Perhaps I'm too critical of the stained glass segments but that was my feeling while I was reading the novel. Show Less
LibraryThing member shequiltz
This was a surprisingly interesting and enjoyable read. I had no particular interest in the Tiffany company and its decorative arts pieces before reading this book, but it was a fascinating read. Like all historical novels, it's not always clear what is fact and what is fiction, but the description
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of the challenges faced by the women working for the company rang true. They faced down intimidation by the men's unions and management (other than Tiffany himself) to create beautiful work of nature-based glass pieces for the company. Highly enjoyable book. Show Less
LibraryThing member dgmlrhodes
I loved the story of Clara Driscoll, who was the real force behind the Tiffany Lamps at the turn of the century. I found this story facinating on so many levels:
-The story reflects the true soul and passions of an artist. Being someone who enjoys art, I believe Susan Vreeland captured the real
-I also loved the story behind how women were treated during this timeframe. The story depicts the desire of a woman who wants to be recognized and gives up much for her art.
-I also really enjoyed the picture of the life and times in New York at the turn of the century.
A beautiful and riveting story!
-The story reflects the true soul and passions of an artist. Being someone who enjoys art, I believe Susan Vreeland captured the real
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essence of someone who has a drive to create and is excited about art, color and creating the next time.-I also loved the story behind how women were treated during this timeframe. The story depicts the desire of a woman who wants to be recognized and gives up much for her art.
-I also really enjoyed the picture of the life and times in New York at the turn of the century.
A beautiful and riveting story!
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LibraryThing member njmom3
I enjoyed this book for many reasons:
The book added an interesting perspective to the Tiffany windows and lamps. The history of the Tiffany girls was an interesting one.
The book presented an interesting slice of New York city history and the artistic world at that time.
The main character is a
The descriptions of the glasswork and what it took to create these artistic masterpieces is fascinating.
I did not rate the book higher because there were times that it just seemed too long.
The book added an interesting perspective to the Tiffany windows and lamps. The history of the Tiffany girls was an interesting one.
The book presented an interesting slice of New York city history and the artistic world at that time.
The main character is a
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strong, independent woman.The descriptions of the glasswork and what it took to create these artistic masterpieces is fascinating.
I did not rate the book higher because there were times that it just seemed too long.
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LibraryThing member bachaney
Clara and Mr. Tiffany tells the story of Clara Driscoll, an artist who worked at Tiffany glass studios at the turn of the 20th century. Clara returns to Tiffany after she is widowed, because Mr. Tiffany has a policy against hiring married women. This policy will haunt Clara, first as she becomes
I thoroughly enjoyed Clara and Mr. Tiffany and the artsy late Victorian world that it portrays. Vreeland did a wonderful job of bringing the various aspects of her novel to life through Clara--from the streets of New York, to the art scene. I especially enjoyed the portrayal of Clara exploring the new boundaries of a "new" woman in New York and seeing her develop as a woman and an artist throughout the novel. If you enjoy literary fiction, this is a good book to check out.
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the head of the women's department at Tiffany's and sees many talented women leave for love, and then as she finds her own heart making connections. But Clara's connection to Tiffany and to her art is also strong. Will she leave for love or will she fulfill herself through art? I thoroughly enjoyed Clara and Mr. Tiffany and the artsy late Victorian world that it portrays. Vreeland did a wonderful job of bringing the various aspects of her novel to life through Clara--from the streets of New York, to the art scene. I especially enjoyed the portrayal of Clara exploring the new boundaries of a "new" woman in New York and seeing her develop as a woman and an artist throughout the novel. If you enjoy literary fiction, this is a good book to check out.
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LibraryThing member jenhfromnh
The author is using Clara's voice to lecture the reader on the details of the production process and the aesthetic principles of Louis Tiffany and Clara. The actual "plot", if you can call it that, is lost in the long monologues and frequent repetition by Clara of all the steps she is responsible
I am still interested in how Clara's life turns out, but if I wasn't listening to this book I would have just skipped to the last page!
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for supervising. YAWNI am still interested in how Clara's life turns out, but if I wasn't listening to this book I would have just skipped to the last page!
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LibraryThing member abbylibrarian
This detailed historical novel portrays the life of Clara Driscoll, a woman recently credited with designing several of Louis Comfort Tiffany's famous stained glass lamps. Although I enjoyed reading about the art and the creation of the lamps, overall I felt the novel was too long and repetitive
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and I ended up skipping the last two discs of the audiobook. I love reading about this time period (late 1800s-early 1900s) and I find books about forgotten historical figures to be fascinating, but I could only take so much of this sprawling work. It's obviously well-researched and I applaud Ms. Vreeland for that and for bringing attention to this previously uncredited woman of the arts. The audiobook quality was also very good and I enjoyed Kimberly Farr's clear, crisp reading and her accents. Show Less
LibraryThing member judithrs
Clara and Mr. Tiffany. Susan Vreeland. 2011. This is the first book that will be discussed at the new book club the museum is starting. Like Vreeland’s Luncheon of the Boating Part, this is a good historical novel, but I got just a little tired of it before I finished. For me the best part of the
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book was learning how the Tiffany studios worked. I looked through a remainder book about Tiffany at BAM while I was reading the book and that really made the descriptions come alive. The love story was good too, even if a little far-fetched. My favorite Vreeland book is Girl in the Hyacinth Blue. Show Less
LibraryThing member arthistorychick
Historical fiction author Susan Vreeland has done it again! In her latest novel, Clara and Mr. Tiffany: A Novel, Vreeland creates a wonderfully compelling story of an artist and the world she lived and worked in. This fascinating story traces sixteen years of Clara Driscoll’s life between 1892
Vreeland does not make this radical claim without proof and true to form she has woven this particular story around extant historical documentation. In this instance, Vreeland was able to use Clara Driscoll’s own words as expressed in her letters which were discovered in 2005. Vreeland’s novel is filled with details and descriptions of life in New York City. In fact, these descriptions are one of the novel’s greatest strengths; Vreeland’s ability to create such incredible images with her words gives the reader the opportunity to completely understand what life was like for an unmarried woman living and working in turn of the century New York.
Clara Driscoll’s time at the Tiffany Glass and Decorating Company was not just about her creation and designing the leaded glass lamps but also about the creation and flourishing of the Women’s Department with Clara as its head. In a time when women barely had any rights at all, Clara Driscoll saw that her girls earned a fair wage and were treated with respect. Admittedly, these issues were not always easy ones and Vreeland expertly deals with the social aspects of women in the workplace.
Vreeland also deals with the personal struggles and sacrifices Clara and her girls made during their time with the Tiffany Company. For instance, per company policy, all of the women working for Louis Comfort Tiffany had to remain unmarried. This policy becomes problematic for many of the women but especially for Clara who constantly struggles with her need to be recognized as a true artist and her desire to be married. This policy turns into a very clever way for Vreeland to develop the story lines of some of the minor characters, many of which are incredibly delightful and well developed.
Another of Vreeland’s greatest strengths lies in Vreeland’s ability to describe the leaded glass making processes without becoming bogged down in technical jargon. All of the descriptions are expertly woven into the plot line so that they become a part of the novels’ fabric and not independent or boring descriptions of glass making. As you proceed through the novel you find yourself holding your breath waiting to find out if a new process or procedure for creating a lamp works or if it will prove to be a total failure. As with all of Vreeland’s historical fiction, the reader becomes completely invested in the characters and their lives. You celebrate the victories just as Clara and her girls did and cry when any one of them experiences either a personal or professional loss
This book is beyond being worth your time and energy as a reader; it is a must read if you love historical fiction! Vreeland is a master storyteller and even if you know nothing about Tiffany and Company, the leaded glass industry, or women’s rights in turn of the century New York, you will love this novel.
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and 1908, the years she served as head of the Women’s Department at the Tiffany Glass and Decorating Company. Vreeland asserts in her novel that it was in fact Clara Driscoll and not Louis Comfort Tiffany who hit upon the idea for the now famous Tiffany lamps!Vreeland does not make this radical claim without proof and true to form she has woven this particular story around extant historical documentation. In this instance, Vreeland was able to use Clara Driscoll’s own words as expressed in her letters which were discovered in 2005. Vreeland’s novel is filled with details and descriptions of life in New York City. In fact, these descriptions are one of the novel’s greatest strengths; Vreeland’s ability to create such incredible images with her words gives the reader the opportunity to completely understand what life was like for an unmarried woman living and working in turn of the century New York.
Clara Driscoll’s time at the Tiffany Glass and Decorating Company was not just about her creation and designing the leaded glass lamps but also about the creation and flourishing of the Women’s Department with Clara as its head. In a time when women barely had any rights at all, Clara Driscoll saw that her girls earned a fair wage and were treated with respect. Admittedly, these issues were not always easy ones and Vreeland expertly deals with the social aspects of women in the workplace.
Vreeland also deals with the personal struggles and sacrifices Clara and her girls made during their time with the Tiffany Company. For instance, per company policy, all of the women working for Louis Comfort Tiffany had to remain unmarried. This policy becomes problematic for many of the women but especially for Clara who constantly struggles with her need to be recognized as a true artist and her desire to be married. This policy turns into a very clever way for Vreeland to develop the story lines of some of the minor characters, many of which are incredibly delightful and well developed.
Another of Vreeland’s greatest strengths lies in Vreeland’s ability to describe the leaded glass making processes without becoming bogged down in technical jargon. All of the descriptions are expertly woven into the plot line so that they become a part of the novels’ fabric and not independent or boring descriptions of glass making. As you proceed through the novel you find yourself holding your breath waiting to find out if a new process or procedure for creating a lamp works or if it will prove to be a total failure. As with all of Vreeland’s historical fiction, the reader becomes completely invested in the characters and their lives. You celebrate the victories just as Clara and her girls did and cry when any one of them experiences either a personal or professional loss
This book is beyond being worth your time and energy as a reader; it is a must read if you love historical fiction! Vreeland is a master storyteller and even if you know nothing about Tiffany and Company, the leaded glass industry, or women’s rights in turn of the century New York, you will love this novel.
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LibraryThing member turtlesleap
Vreeland's subject matter is fascinating and the story she has chose to tell is compelling. It's very clear that she did a monumental amount of careful research to prepare herself to write this novel and it's unfortunate that, in the early part of the book especially, so much of this information is
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delivered in staggering amounts. I found the info dumping so off-putting that I considered putting the book aside but was lured on by curiosity about the outcome. But for the burdensome expository writing, this book would have rated five stars from me. Even so, I would recommend it with some reservations. Show Less
LibraryThing member Dottiehaase
It’s 1893, and at the Chicago World’s Fair, Louis Comfort Tiffany makes his debut with a luminous exhibition of innovative stained-glass windows that he hopes will earn him a place on the international artistic stage. But behind the scenes in his New York studio is the freethinking Clara
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Driscoll, head of his women’s division, who conceives of and designs nearly all of the iconic leaded-glass lamps for which Tiffany will long be remembered. Never publicly acknowledged, Clara struggles with her desire for artistic recognition and the seemingly insurmountable challenges that she faces as a professional woman.She leads her shop of girls in a strike against the company. She also yearns for love and companionship, and is devoted in different ways to five men, including Tiffany, who enforces a strict policy: He does not employ married women. Ultimately, Clara leaves the shop and gets married. The shop by now is in financial trouble and are cutting back on workers and Mr. Tiffany must listen to the bean counters and has very little control. The artistic part of the shop is in decline. Reminds of Loving Frank, and Paris Wife. Show Less
LibraryThing member pennwriter
This novel is a treat. It tells the story of Tiffany designer Clara Driscoll, who must have been extraordinary. It is full of color, literally. Somehow it feels as if it is illustrated, though it is not. Turn-of-the-century New York is there in full color, too. This is a advance copy. The novel
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will be published on January 11, 2011 (1/11/11). Show Less
Awards
Ohioana Book Award (Finalist — 2013)
Booklist Editor's Choice: Adult Books (Fiction — 2011)
Language
Original publication date
2011
ISBN
9781410434234