One Woman Show
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Penguin Books Ltd
Published:9th Jan '25
Should be back in stock very soon
This paperback is available in another edition too:
- Hardback£20.00(9780241659908)
MARIE CLAIRE BEST BOOKS OF 2023
‘Thrilling…the experimental format carries an enjoyable tale impressively’ Times Literary Supplement
‘Spry, compulsive, unexpectedly profound’ Observer
A novel like no other - remarkably told through museum wall labels - about a twentieth-century woman who transforms herself from a precious object into an unforgettable protagonist
Prized, collected, critiqued. One Woman Show revolves around the life of Kitty Whitaker as she is defined by her potential for display and moved from collection to collection through multiple marriages. Christine Coulson, who has written hundreds of exhibition wall labels for the Metropolitan Museum of Art, precisely distils each stage of Kitty's sprawling life into that distinct format, every brief snapshot in time a wry reflection on womanhood, ownership, value and power.
Described with wit, poignancy and humour over the course of the twentieth century, Kitty emerges as an eccentric heroine who disrupts her privileged, porcelain life with both major force and minor transgressions. As human foibles propel each delicately crafted text, Coulson playfully asks: who really gets to tell our stories?
'Heartbreaking and funny . . . truly masterful and patient and insane, in the best way' Leanne Shapton
'Wry, humorous, poignant' Spectator
Thrilling…filled with twists in Kitty’s story that compel and captivate… the experimental format carries an enjoyable tale impressively… each wall label is under seventy-five words, and suffused with the language of museums… this style refines eloquently Coulson’s expansive ideas about womanhood and history -- Laura Baliman * TLS *
Wildly original…[A] tiny but powerful novel… It’s sometimes snarky, sometimes sad, with enough poignant moments to make me wish it could go on and on. … You can sit down and read it in less time than it takes to drive to the art museum, but you’ll be thinking about it for far longer. If you appreciate truly original structure and storytelling, put this modern masterwork on your reading list. * NPR *
Strange, biting, tender, and heartbreaking in turns. AND all at once . . . I read it in one fell swoop. It is brilliant -- Maira Kalman * author of Women Holding Things *
A funny and clever take on the interchangeability of women and works of arts as possessions -- Philip Hook * author of Breakfast at Sotheby's *
Beautiful, beautiful book . . . the cover is absolutely gorgeous, it would make a delicious Christmas gift * Art Juice Podcast *
Coulson tells us Kitty Whitaker’s story stylishly and succinctly through label-length entries * Harper's Bazaar *
Compulsive and spry -- Hephzibah Anderson * the Observer *
Coulson’s formally inventive, witty novel uses gallery captions to capture Kitty’s journey through the 20th century. At once terse and expansive, this is a literary experiment that intrigues -- Francesca Peacock * the Mail on Sunday *
A highly original and imaginative work that captivates and intrigues . . . so brief that it can be read straight through in an hour, but that is not to say it is slight . . . Coulson’s unusual command of language rewards multiple readings * The Irish Times *
the writing is clever, witty and deftly – and at times poignantly–executed, and that more than earns One Woman Show its coveted red dot (aka sales sticker) from us’ * Marie Claire Best Books of 2023 *
ISBN: 9781802067262
Dimensions: 198mm x 129mm x 13mm
Weight: 159g
208 pages