Listen to a sample
Kenneth Clark
- Author
- James Stourton
- Narrator
- Jot Davies
- Publisher
- HarperCollins Publishers
- Publish Date
- 22 September 2016
- Run Time
- 21 hours 25 minutes
- Format
- x-book®
Not available in your country
We don't have the rights to sell this audiobook where you are. If it's already in your library you can still listen to it in My Books.
What to expect
SHORTLISTED FOR THE BERGER PRIZE FOR BRITISH ART HISTORY 2017
SHORTLISTED FOR THE SLIGHTLY FOXED BEST FIRST BIOGRAPHY PRIZE 2017
A SUNDAY TIMES ART BOOK OF THE YEAR
A SPECTATOR BOOK OF THE YEAR
AN ECONOMIST BOOK OF THE YEAR
A NEW YORK TIMES ART BOOK OF THE YEAR
From his time as Bernard Berenson’s protégé to being the Keeper of the Western Art at 27 and his appointment as the youngest-ever director of the National Gallery, Kenneth Clark displayed precocious genius. No voice has exercised so much power and influence over the arts in Britain as Clark’s. A formidable aesthete, his coterie included John Betjeman, Winston Churchill, Margot Fonteyn, E.M. Forster, Vivien Leigh, the Queen Mother and Henry Moore. Hidden from view, however, was his wife Jane’s alcoholism and his own philandering. In James Stourton’s dazzling biography, Clark is shown as a man who conveyed the profound beauty and importance of art, architecture and civilisation for generations to come.
Critics Review
-
WINNER OF THE CATHOLIC HERALD BIOGRAPHY OF THE YEAR
-
‘Richly detailed, colourful and astute and it moves at a cracking pace … a resplendent biography’ Sunday Times
-
‘Superb … Stourton, a former chairman of Southeby's, is the ideal choice for Clark's official biographer and has produced an accomplished book that is scholarly, entertaining, beautifully written and sympathetic, while far from uncritical’ The Times
-
‘Stourton has written a matchless biography. His evocation of his subtle, cool and brilliant subject gives an inspiring and even heroic sense of Clark…The book is a joyous read, with a dashing, stylish pace that disguises formidable but unpretentious erudition’, Richard Davenport-Hines, The Oldie
See more reviews See fewer reviews
-
‘Stourton … has done this brilliantly, not only exploring [Clark's] gifts as author, lecturer, film-maker and champion of British art but also as public figure … this assiduous and accomplished biography will bring about a second Great Clark Boom’ Spectator
-
‘Astutely analyses Clark's emotional and intellectual contradictions’ Observer
-
‘Delightfully readable and authoritative’ Economist
-
‘Stourton writes with a blend of passion and coolness perfectly suited to his subject and produces a picture that should satisfy the most pernickety critic’, James Naughtie, Mail on Sunday
-
‘A lithe, elegant, astute celebration’, Richard Davenport-Hines, New Statesman
-
‘An elegant and perceptive portrayal of the ultimate arts grandee’, Michael Prodger, New Statesman
-
‘Outstanding … Stourton's great achievement is to make a unity of Clark's career … this exemplary biography combines Clark's strengths of clarity and concision with the quality he so painfully lacked, warmth’ Country Life
-
‘James Stourton leaves no stone unturned in Kenneth Clark, his magisterial and engrossing biography, which achieves a perfect balance between Clark’s complex private world and his hugely successful career’, Amanda Foreman
User Reviews
No reviews yet.
Details
- Author
- James Stourton
- Narrator
- Jot Davies
- Duration
- 21 hours 25 minutes
- Release Date
- 22 September 2016
- ISBN
- 9780007574056
- Format
- x-book®
- Publisher
- HarperCollins Publishers
- Genre
- History of art, Biography: arts and entertainment
Synopsis
SHORTLISTED FOR THE BERGER PRIZE FOR BRITISH ART HISTORY 2017 SHORTLISTED FOR THE SLIGHTLY FOXED BEST FIRST BIOGRAPHY PRIZE 2017 A SUNDAY TIMES ART BOOK OF THE YEAR A SPECTATOR BOOK OF THE YEAR AN ECONOMIST BOOK OF THE YEAR A NEW YORK TIMES ART BOOK OF THE YEAR From his time as Bernard Berenson’s protégé to being the Keeper of the Western Art at 27 and his appointment as the youngest-ever director of the National Gallery, Kenneth Clark displayed precocious genius. No voice has exercised so much power and influence over the arts in Britain as Clark’s. A formidable aesthete, his coterie included John Betjeman, Winston Churchill, Margot Fonteyn, E.M. Forster, Vivien Leigh, the Queen Mother and Henry Moore. Hidden from view, however, was his wife Jane’s alcoholism and his own philandering. In James Stourton’s dazzling biography, Clark is shown as a man who conveyed the profound beauty and importance of art, architecture and civilisation for generations to come.
About xigxag and the x-book®
xigxag is an independent, UK-based audiobook platform and the UK's only B Corp certified audiobook company. We offer nearly 150,000 audiobooks, all with professional human narration. No AI-generated voices. xigxag is rated an Ethical Consumer Best Buy for audiobooks and a top-rated ethical bookshop.
Our x-book® format is the only fully integrated listen-and-read experience available. See the text on screen as you listen, look up words, take notes, search within the book, and share quotes. It is especially useful for accessibility, language learning, and getting more from non-fiction. Look for the purple x-book® ribbon on the cover, or filter your search by "x-book" to find them.
There is no subscription. You buy the audiobooks you want, you own them permanently, and prices start at $13.95. The more you listen over the year, the less you pay per book, and there is always a selection in Listen for Less from $7.95. You can also send audiobooks as gifts using our audiobook gift cards or in-app gifting.
Every audiobook on xigxag has honest reviews covering both the book and the narration, and our community features make it easy to share what you are listening to, discover what others recommend, and find your next listen.
Download or stream on iOS, Android, or in your browser. Browse the full catalogue at xigxag.co.uk.