Lisette’s List A Novel
Lisette’s List, a novel by Susan Vreeland, is published by Random House Publishing Group on June 23, 2015. This reprint edition spans 448 pages and is presented in English. The story follows Lisette Roux, who relocates from Paris to a village in Provence in 1937 with her husband, André, to care for his grandfather, Pascal. While initially mourning her lost dream of becoming a gallery apprentice, Lisette discovers the beauty of provincial life and the transformative power of art amidst the backdrop of war.
As the narrative unfolds, Lisette is mentored by Pascal, who introduces her to the world of art and encourages her to pursue her passions. With the outbreak of war, she embarks on a quest to locate hidden paintings, which leads her through the picturesque French countryside and into the lives of notable figures like Marc and Bella Chagall. This journey not only deepens her understanding of art but also allows her to explore themes of love, resilience, and self-discovery during a tumultuous period in history.
Official synopsis Publisher
From Susan Vreeland, bestselling author of such acclaimed novels as Girl in Hyacinth Blue, Luncheon of the Boating Party, and Clara and Mr. Tiffany, comes a richly imagined story of a woman’s awakening in the south of Vichy France—to the power of art, to the beauty of provincial life, and to love in the midst of war.
In 1937, young Lisette Roux and her husband, André, move from Paris to a village in Provence to care for André’s grandfather Pascal. Lisette regrets having to give up her dream of becoming a gallery apprentice and longs for the comforts and sophistication of Paris. But as she soon discovers, the hilltop town is rich with unexpected pleasures.
Pascal once worked in the nearby ochre mines and later became a pigment salesman and frame maker; while selling his pigments in Paris, he befriended Pissarro and Cézanne, some of whose paintings he received in trade for his frames. Pascal begins to tutor Lisette in both art and life, allowing her to see his small collection of paintings and the Provençal landscape itself in a new light. Inspired by Pascal’s advice to “Do the important things first,” Lisette begins a list of vows to herself (#4. Learn what makes a painting great). When war breaks out, André goes off to the front, but not before hiding Pascal’s paintings to keep them from the Nazis’ reach.
With German forces spreading across Europe, the sudden fall of Paris, and the rise of Vichy France, Lisette sets out to locate the paintings (#11. Find the paintings in my lifetime). Her search takes her through the stunning French countryside, where she befriends Marc and Bella Chagall, who are in hiding before their flight to America, and acquaints her with the land, her neighbors, and even herself in ways she never dreamed possible. Through joy and tragedy, occupation and liberation, small acts of kindness and great acts of courage, Lisette learns to forgive the past, to live robustly, and to love again.
Praise for Lisette’s List
“Vreeland’s love of painters and painting, her meticulous research and pitch-perfect descriptive talents . . . are abundantly evident in her new novel.”—The Washington Post
“This historical novel’s . . . great strength is its lovingly detailed setting. . . . Readers will enjoy lingering in the sun-dappled, fruit-scented Provençal landscape that Vreeland brings to life.”—The Boston Globe
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