Books set in Museums - Museum Professional Forums, News, Jobs, Articles, Books

StephGaub · 06-17-2008, 04:14 AM

There has been some recent discussions on a listserv that I'm on about books that are set in museums or feature museum professionals. These could prove to be some good summer reads

The quotes are from the Amazon Listmania author not me!!!

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
"The first literary interaction with a museum-based story for many a reader and later museum professional..."
The Court of the Stone Children
"Another young reader book with a museum element..."

Life Before Man
"Set in a natural history museum..."

Relic (Pendergast, Book 1)
"Another natural history museum setting, though much more frightening!"

The Da Vinci Code
"An obvious one - set in a number of art historical locations, with many references to famous artworks."

The Bowl Is Already Broken: A Novel
"Set in an Asian art museum in Washington, D.C."

To Be A Registrar
"Engaging and suspenseful and would be the perfect little book to read on the beach or in a hammock. The author has drawn upon sixteen years of experiences from working in the museum field to write this, his first novel"

Emily Dickinson Is Dead: A Homer Kelly Mystery
"Set in what is now the Emily Dickinson Museum in Amherst, Massachusetts (worth a visit!). A good mystery, with an unintended additional fright for museum professionals - having a character actually wear Dickinson’s white dress!"

Pug Hill
"The protagonist is an "art restorer" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art."

Museum Vaults: Excerpts from the Journal of an Expert
"Graphic novel which is the second of a four-volume series co-published by NBM and the Louvre that invites artists to create a story involving the museum."

Mr. Wilson's Cabinet Of Wonder: Pronged Ants, Horned Humans, Mice on Toast, and Other Marvels of Jurassic Technology
"Really quick and incredibly compelling...(not fiction, but reads like it...)"

First Light: A Magical Journey
"Another non-fiction book - the author was the Chief Registrar of the American Federation of Arts in NY from 1978-85. The book is about her working in New Zealand on an exhibition of Maori treasures that travels to the US."

The Murder Room
"“The Murder Room” takes place in a small historic house/historical society type museum. Why are all the best novels about museums mysteries? Interesting!"

The Girl With the Botticelli Eyes
"Fun book, but you must be prepared for an assault on all established museum practices."

The Bride's Kimono
"Set in a fictional DC museum (which resembles a certain little gem on S Street). Some of the plot is a bit questionable, but you get to see the museum world though someone else's eyes."

Bound for Eternity
"A professor from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign wrote a mystery (of course!) loosely based around the campus museum."

LAST JUDGEMENT: A Jonathan Argyll Mystery

GIOTTOS HAND: A Jonathan Argyll Mystery

The Titian Committee

DEATH AND RESTORATION: A Jonathan Argyll Mystery

Immaculate Deception

The Bernini Bust

Dead As a Dodo (Homer Kelly Mystery)
"Set at the Oxford University Museum."

The Hound in the Left-hand Corner : A Novel
"A satire of the various museum positions - from security guard to board member."

Murder in the Museum of Man
"The author was allegedly on the staff of the Museum of Cultural and Natural History at Harvard."

Girl with a Pearl Earring
"Interesting take on Vermeer and life in 17th century Netherlands..."

The Lady and the Unicorn
"Another fictional representation of the lives revolving around the creation of the famous Unicorn Tapestries, now in Paris's Musee National du Moyen-Age Thermes de Cluny"

Chasing Vermeer
"In the spirit of "From the Mixed-Up Files...", a children's book series that focuses on a particular artist for each installment"

Wright 3
"Second book in the series, focusing on Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House."

Calder Game
"Third in series by Blue Balliett"

LadyBenson · 07-01-2008, 03:23 PM

I love to read and am always looking for reccomendations. I see some I will have to add to my shelfari list. I have read some of them, such as Girl With a Pearl Earring. I read another novel about Vermeer called Girl in Hyacinth Blue by Susan Vreeland.

jgoreham · 10-30-2008, 07:55 PM

Curiously, the excellent "Behind the Scenes at the Museum" by Kate Atkinson isn't set in a museum at all, but is a pretty fun multi-generational look at life in York, England. York's a pretty historical city I had the great pleasure of living and working in, and I'm curious how well-researched Atkinson's book is.

06-17-2008, 04:14 AM	#1 (permalink)
StephGaub New Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 247	Books set in Museums There has been some recent discussions on a listserv that I'm on about books that are set in museums or feature museum professionals. These could prove to be some good summer reads The quotes are from the Amazon Listmania author not me!!! From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler "The first literary interaction with a museum-based story for many a reader and later museum professional..." The Court of the Stone Children "Another young reader book with a museum element..." Life Before Man "Set in a natural history museum..." Relic (Pendergast, Book 1) "Another natural history museum setting, though much more frightening!" The Da Vinci Code "An obvious one - set in a number of art historical locations, with many references to famous artworks." The Bowl Is Already Broken: A Novel "Set in an Asian art museum in Washington, D.C." To Be A Registrar "Engaging and suspenseful and would be the perfect little book to read on the beach or in a hammock. The author has drawn upon sixteen years of experiences from working in the museum field to write this, his first novel" Emily Dickinson Is Dead: A Homer Kelly Mystery "Set in what is now the Emily Dickinson Museum in Amherst, Massachusetts (worth a visit!). A good mystery, with an unintended additional fright for museum professionals - having a character actually wear Dickinson’s white dress!" Pug Hill "The protagonist is an "art restorer" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art." Museum Vaults: Excerpts from the Journal of an Expert "Graphic novel which is the second of a four-volume series co-published by NBM and the Louvre that invites artists to create a story involving the museum." Mr. Wilson's Cabinet Of Wonder: Pronged Ants, Horned Humans, Mice on Toast, and Other Marvels of Jurassic Technology "Really quick and incredibly compelling...(not fiction, but reads like it...)" First Light: A Magical Journey "Another non-fiction book - the author was the Chief Registrar of the American Federation of Arts in NY from 1978-85. The book is about her working in New Zealand on an exhibition of Maori treasures that travels to the US." The Murder Room "“The Murder Room” takes place in a small historic house/historical society type museum. Why are all the best novels about museums mysteries? Interesting!" The Girl With the Botticelli Eyes "Fun book, but you must be prepared for an assault on all established museum practices." The Bride's Kimono "Set in a fictional DC museum (which resembles a certain little gem on S Street). Some of the plot is a bit questionable, but you get to see the museum world though someone else's eyes." Bound for Eternity "A professor from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign wrote a mystery (of course!) loosely based around the campus museum." LAST JUDGEMENT: A Jonathan Argyll Mystery GIOTTOS HAND: A Jonathan Argyll Mystery The Titian Committee DEATH AND RESTORATION: A Jonathan Argyll Mystery Immaculate Deception The Bernini Bust Dead As a Dodo (Homer Kelly Mystery) "Set at the Oxford University Museum." The Hound in the Left-hand Corner : A Novel "A satire of the various museum positions - from security guard to board member." Murder in the Museum of Man "The author was allegedly on the staff of the Museum of Cultural and Natural History at Harvard." Girl with a Pearl Earring "Interesting take on Vermeer and life in 17th century Netherlands..." The Lady and the Unicorn "Another fictional representation of the lives revolving around the creation of the famous Unicorn Tapestries, now in Paris's Musee National du Moyen-Age Thermes de Cluny" Chasing Vermeer "In the spirit of "From the Mixed-Up Files...", a children's book series that focuses on a particular artist for each installment" Wright 3 "Second book in the series, focusing on Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House." Calder Game "Third in series by Blue Balliett"

07-01-2008, 03:23 PM	#2 (permalink)
LadyBenson New Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Berea, Kentucky Posts: 8	thanks for sharing I love to read and am always looking for reccomendations. I see some I will have to add to my shelfari list. I have read some of them, such as Girl With a Pearl Earring. I read another novel about Vermeer called Girl in Hyacinth Blue by Susan Vreeland.

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10-30-2008, 07:55 PM	#3 (permalink)
jgoreham New Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Halifax, NS Canada Posts: 5	Curiously, the excellent "Behind the Scenes at the Museum" by Kate Atkinson isn't set in a museum at all, but is a pretty fun multi-generational look at life in York, England. York's a pretty historical city I had the great pleasure of living and working in, and I'm curious how well-researched Atkinson's book is.