It is a shame the publisher reportedly pulped the unsold copies of this seminal book instead of permitting the author -- and others -- to purchase them. This book gives the best account of the background to the NEA controversy and explains why the National Endowment for the Arts has been a bureaucratic mess since it was first set up in the Johnson administration. If anyone wants to know why there is still controversy about the subject, this book is the place to begin.

Finally, an objective and impartial history of the troubled National Endowment for the Arts. Fascinating to read, engrossing in its details, brilliant in its analysis, ART LESSONS is a "must read" for anyone who wants to understand why the NEA has gotten in the trouble it finds itself. A perfect 10

This book is just great fun to read and highly educational. In addition to being a biography of Alfred Barr, it is a documentary of a moment in which New York replaced Paris as the center of the Art World. Invaluable for understanding the arts and personalities in the art world who still affect us today.

This book is just fabulous. Having just read Hector Feliciano's The Lost Museum, I can recommend it as a valuable companion.

This is social history at its best, linking a time and a culture in a clear and concise manner. It is about what came to be known as "modernism" yet written in a surprisingly engaging and easy to understand style. Highly recommended.