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An Affair with Beauty--The Mystique of Howard Chandler Christy: The Magic of Youth
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About An Affair With Beauty--The Mystique Of Howard
Product description Fame, fortune, and beautiful models--Howard Chandler Christy had them all. Christy was the most famous American painter of the Jazz Age, a time when an elite brotherhood of New York artists dominated the publishing world. Christy had eclipsed all of them with his ''Christy Girl,'' an idealized woman who redefined beauty, influenced fashion, and inspired generations of women. The Magic of Youth is the first book in An Affair with Beauty -- The Mystique of Howard Chandler Christy, a biographical trilogy of the artist's epic life as told primarily through the eyes of his second wife, Nancy, a former Cosmopolitan model once considered to be one of the most beautiful women in America. As she reflects on her life, Nancy tells of first meeting Christy in 1912 and becoming his top model. She is captivated by his irresistible charm and the glamour of his enchanting world, but discovers that things are not always what they seem and even the great Christy has scandalous secrets. Review "Glowing and revelatory . . . . Abundant anecdotes provide insight into Christy's personality, life and philosophical musings. Head emphasizes that Christy's lifelong obsession with beautiful women, the "romanticized, statuesque goddess," was as much about inner beauty as physical perfection."─ Publishers Weekly " . . . vivid and entertaining . . . James Philip Head brilliantly compiled this book into a way that introduced the American illustrator and portraitist . . . An Affair with Beauty made Howard Chandler Christy and his life three-dimensional . . . I highly recommend to readers everywhere." FIVE STARS ─ Danielle Urban, San Francisco Book Review "Head's writing meticulously uses the language of the era as he allows the story . . . to unfold. Amidst the glamour and fame lie hints of shadows from the past. I am looking forward to the second book, Romantic Illusions . . . ." FIVE STARS ─ Manhattan Book Review "The author, James Philip Head, truly has a gift for writing. His talent to write in vivid detail brings Howard Chandler Christy's story to life. Having been able to interview people that knew Christy also creates a more intriguing story. Christy was an artist that went from rags to riches and he appeared to have no problems stepping into the upper echelons of society. His friends, many of whom were legends in their own right, appeared to be very loyal to him. He wasn't just an artist, he was a legend." ─ Paige Lovitt, Reader Views A "sumptuous novel. . .The combination of novelistic insights and a wealth of straight-up biographical detail, ordinarily a very tricky thing to do well, is something Head does with remarkable confidence, bringing alive the frustrations and triumphs of a man who was once the most popular and sought-after artist in the United States. The reproductions of Christy's artwork scattered throughout the book adds a great deal to the texture of the story. I greatly look forward to the next volume." ─ Historical Novel Society "The artist Howard Chandler Christy, most well-known for creating the "Christy Girl," was an artist famous in the early 1900s. While his name may be lesser known these days, his influence was felt far and wide, helping to frame the ideal image of female beauty for the time . . . There aren't many books that focus on Christy's life and so An Affair with Beauty is a welcome addition . . . The narrative . . . is engaging . . . A great read . . . ." ─ The Portland Book Review "It's a good read and compliments on your excellent research. I look forward to reading your concluding books on him." ─ Everett Raymond Kinstler, famous portrait painter who captured the likenesses of eight U.S. Presidents, and numerous Supreme Court justices, cabinet officials, state governors, business and government leaders, movies stars, and other celebrities " . . . a wonderful read . . . can't wait for volume 2 . . . You are a great writer and have produced a masterful work of real historical and artistic value . . . You, like Christy, have created a work of beauty." ─ Judge Loren Smith, Senior Judge (former Chief Judge) of the U.S Court of Federal Claims "I have finished the book (several times) and loved every single word. You are a genius and a terrific story teller. You couldn't have made up a better story than the real life story of my Uncle Howard. We (the Christy family) are so grateful to you for bringing Uncle Howard back to life. Now maybe many more generations will read about his special talent and enjoy his work and life." ─ Marilyn Schafer, the grandniece of Howard Chandler Christy "Your book makes me reminisce my past as I am familiar with many people you write about - I cherish them all - and miss them 100%." ─ Olga Steckler, the last surviving model of Howard Chandler Christy "I'm addicted! Can't wait for the rest of the trilogy! I'm curled up with it now! And by the by, you are a very talented, non-intrusive storyteller, which I believe is key . . . you're so invisible it becomes obvious you're the Magic Carpet! (and, the genie in the bottle♡)] Thank you for a Most Excellent Ride thru the ethers, into such an Enchanted time. It is Really a Gift to me . . . ." ─ Marguerite Ives Beavers, the granddaughter of James Montgomery Flagg (famous illustrator, especially of "Uncle Sam") "Jim Head's account of the life of Howard Chandler Christy is a life-long love affair with the artist's love of beauty. Of particular interest is the author's observations of Christy's artistic treatment of the emerging modern American woman. No longer the unapproachable bejeweled Victorian age lovely, but a confident, sensuous (oh, so sensuous) playful and fully believable female when rendered by the last century's greatest of painters. Jim Head's articulate prose style is both most informative and spares the reader of the indecipherable argot of the contemporary art scribe. There is no doubt to be had in the author's purpose and meaning in the recollection of the life, times and moreover, the work of Howard Chandler Christy." ─ Vitauts J. Knuble, noted portrait painter "An eminently good read. Jim's passion for andknowledge of Christy's story are evident. In a literary sense, Jim may do for Christy what Christy did for his subjects ─ telling a story which isgreater than the sum of its parts ─ illuminating a remarkable talent in anextraordinary era." ─ Charles Hoyt "Like an energetic tour guide or dedicated detective, the author clearly loves the task of seeking out the facts and bringing an illuminating story and character alive. Humane, written with flair, and radiant with a calm intelligence and wit, An Affair with Beauty ─ The Mystique of Howard Chandler Christy offers an intriguing journey into the elite circle of American culture during the early decades of the Twentieth Century. Capturing the character of the time and the people who inhabited it, Jim Head carries the reader back to a sumptuous period in U.S. history." ─ Col. Gilbert Siegart, USAF (Ret) "As I read the book, I am so impressed with the style in which you have written it and the beauty of your language usage. I love Pat Conroy's books because they are written so poetically. This book is equally as poetic. The descriptions of the room on the day he died bring the room so much to life that it's like actually being there. It is the most uniquely written biography I have ever read which makes it such a compelling read. Even though I read the draft, I'm savoring every word of the published book. It is beautiful, from the written word to the type of print to the paper it is written on to the pictures." ─ Joyce Rammel, a grandniece of Christy's first wife, Maebelle From the Author Perhaps the greatest joy of writing an An Affair with Beauty was meeting and interviewing the few people still living who knew Howard and Nancy Christy. Among them were relatives, models, and friends. Invariably, all of them held him and his artwork in high regard. As such, I longed to write a biography that didn't just tell his story, but made his life and era come alive so that the reader could see, feel, and experience what Howard and Nancy once did. About the Author As a freshman at the University of Maryland, Jim Head discovered a gilt-edged folio of Charles Dana Gibson's The Social Ladder in the stacks of the campus library one night, starting him on a journey to learn more about Gibson and the ''Illustrators of Beauty.'' In turn, he became captivated with the talent, fame and eventual obscurity of Howard Chandler Christy, and began amassing the largest private collection of information related to the artist and his wife, Nancy. Over the years, to reveal the true untold story, he has engaged research assistants, uncovered thousands of letters and newspaper articles, and traveled throughout the US to interview dozens of people, including family members, former models, and others who knew the artist and his family. A graduate of the University of Maryland, George Washington University Law School, and Georgetown Law School, Jim is a law partner with Williams Mullen, P.C., in Tysons Corner, Virginia, where he concentrates in estate planning, business succession planning, and trust and estate litigation. Jim was selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America © 2016 for trusts and estates. He lives in Chantilly, Virginia with his wife, Rita, and daughter, Christianna.
