In Well-Read Women: Portraits of Fiction’s Most Beloved Heroines, the illustrator Samantha Hahn presents a collection of portraits imagining 50 of the best-loved female characters from literary classics of the last century. The Great Gatsby’s Daisy Buchanan, Scarlet O’Hara of Gone With the Wind and Doctor Zhivago’s Lara Guishar count among an impressive list, illustrated in Hahn’s watercolour style that could sit comfortably on the pages vintage Harpers Bazaar magazines or more with more contemporary fashion illustration.
The hand-lettered quotes add voice to the characters and a striking Art Deco style presentation nicely finishes a book that serves as both reminder and check-list of some of the greatest novels of all time. With its sights squarely aimed on the gift end of the market, it’s a little light on content compared to my usual recommendations, but it’s sophisticated good looks and inexpensive price tag make it an easy choice for stocking fillers this Christmas.
Well-Read Women: Portraits of Fiction’s Most Beloved Heroines – By Samantha Hahn
Chronicle Books
Hardback 112 pages
22.6 x 19.6 x 1.5 cm
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