Ninth Street Women: Lee Krasner, Elaine de Kooning, Grace Hartigan, Joan Mitchell, and Helen Frankenthaler: Five Painters and the Movement That Changed Modern Art
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Ninth Street Women: Lee Krasner, Elaine de Kooning, Grace Hartigan, Joan Mitchell, and Helen Frankenthaler: Five Painters and the Movement That Changed Modern Art Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Mary Gabriel (Author), Lisa Stathoplos (Narrator), Hachette Audio (Publisher)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 1,248 ratings
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Five women revolutionize the modern art world in postwar America in this "gratifying, generous, and lush" true story from a National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize finalist (Jennifer Szalai, New York Times).

Set amid the most turbulent social and political period of modern times, Ninth Street Women is the impassioned, wild, sometimes tragic, always exhilarating chronicle of five women who dared to enter the male-dominated world of 20th-century abstract painting - not as muses but as artists. From their cold-water lofts, where they worked, drank, fought, and loved, these pioneers burst open the door to the art world for themselves and countless others to come.

Gutsy and indomitable, Lee Krasner was a hell-raising leader among artists long before she became part of the modern art world's first celebrity couple by marrying Jackson Pollock. Elaine de Kooning, whose brilliant mind and peerless charm made her the emotional center of the New York School, used her work and words to build a bridge between the avant-garde and a public that scorned abstract art as a hoax. Grace Hartigan fearlessly abandoned life as a New Jersey housewife and mother to achieve stardom as one of the boldest painters of her generation. Joan Mitchell, whose notoriously tough exterior shielded a vulnerable artist within, escaped a privileged but emotionally damaging Chicago childhood to translate her fierce vision into magnificent canvases. And Helen Frankenthaler, the beautiful daughter of a prominent New York family, chose the difficult path of the creative life.

Her gamble paid off: At 23, she created a work so original it launched a new school of painting. These women changed American art and society, tearing up the prevailing social code and replacing it with a doctrine of liberation. In Ninth Street Women, acclaimed author Mary Gabriel tells a remarkable and inspiring story of the power of art and artists in shaping not just postwar America but the future.

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  1. Listening Length
    40 hours and 12 minutes
  2. Author
    Mary Gabriel
  3. Narrator
    Lisa Stathoplos
  4. Audible release date
    February 19, 2019
  5. Language
    English
  6. Publisher
    Hachette Audio
  7. ASIN
    B07NDHJS5D
  8. Version
    Unabridged
  9. Program Type
    Audiobook
  10. See all details
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Product details

Listening Length 40 hours and 12 minutes
Author Mary Gabriel
Narrator Lisa Stathoplos
Whispersync for Voice Ready
Audible.com Release Date February 19, 2019
Publisher Hachette Audio
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B07NDHJS5D
Best Sellers Rank #8,327 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals)
#2 in Art History & Criticism (Audible Books & Originals)
#29 in Art History (Books)
#93 in Biographies of Women

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
1,248 global ratings
Women that exhibited in the Ninth Street Show.
5 Stars
Women that exhibited in the Ninth Street Show.
The book is excellent and very informative in describing women artists whose popularity increased with time.The following women artists exhibited in the 9th St Show:Elaine de Kooning, Perle Fine, Helen Frankenthaler, Grace Hartigan, Guitou Knoop, Lee Krassner; Joan Mitchell, Anne Ryan, Day Schnabel, Sonia Sekula and Jean Steubing.Elainede Kooning, Perle Fine, Grace Hartigan, Joan Mitchell participated in all the 6 New York Painting and Sculpture Annuals, 1951(9th St Show)-1957. These Annuals were important because the participants were invited by the artists themselves.A book on this subject:New York School Abstract Expressionists: Artists Choice by Artists: A Complete Documentation of the New York Painting and Sculpture Annuals; 1951-1957https://www.amazon.com/York-School-Abstract-Expressionists-Documentation/dp/0967799406/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1547011901&sr=1-1&keywords=Marika+Herskovic
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Top reviews from the United States

Rebecca Miller
5.0 out of 5 stars Engaging, gossipy, thrilling, vital
Reviewed in the United States on March 2, 2024
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This book had the can't-put-it-down quality of a brilliant novel. The writer makes you feel the late night drinking, dancing, smoking and canvas stretching parties of these memorable people. The five women threw away their conventional lives to live for their art. The women, and the men too, are textured, emotional, funny, bold and gamechangers. So much to learn about the art world from this book. Also the reader who delivered the audio book did a great job.
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Vilis R. Inde
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating - Provides background for discussions re Female Artists
Reviewed in the United States on March 12, 2019
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This is a great and thorough book. We see the introduction of the first and second generation abstract expressionists. More importantly, it introduces five women artists and tells their stories. The author seems to be even handed in the presentation of the trials faced by both male and female artists. It shows that as artists, they worked side by side. But it does present the question of what artists are considered important today. I believe that the book, by distinguishing between first and second generation recognizes that Pollock, DeKooning, Kline, Rothko will be recognized for their leadership in crating non-objective art. Although Elaine DeKooning and Lee Krasner were instrumental in their husbands' successes, this does not elevate their art to that same status. So, then the question is, how many second generation ABexes does the public know. Certainly Joan Mitchell and Helen Frankenthaler are known by most people who know a bit of art history. But, just like we have forgotten Michael Goldberg, Larry Rivers and other males, we have forgotten the females as well. Certainly, Joan Mitchell's talent is recognized and her art is undervalued compared to men's work. A long and slow correction is underway. And she has surpassed Jean-Paul Riopelle (sp?) who was more successful than Joan - so the better artist ultimately rose to the top. The book provides a substantial amount of information to thoughtfully discuss the issue of discrimination of female artists - Important and invaluable.
5 people found this helpful
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Ken Tannenbaum
5.0 out of 5 stars Extraordinary
Reviewed in the United States on February 2, 2024
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This glorious book speaks of the trials-by- fire for not just brilliant artists making their way but us citizens in the world challenged by WWII and a new ways of seeing. An easy read, exquisitely written.
One person found this helpful
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Mareika
5.0 out of 5 stars Spot on!
Reviewed in the United States on September 1, 2021
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This is an extremely well researched subject by the author. A complete and accurate reflection of this artistic movement--I lived through this period as first, the daughter of a second generation artist and second, as the wife of a second generation painter. It all rings true. My only criticism is the use of the name place label "the Hamptons." It did not exist until sometime in the 1980's. Up untill that time the area was referred to as "Out East" or by individual towns, like East Hampton, West Hampton, Sagaponack, etc. "The Hamptons" refers to an stretch of towns from Westhampton to Montauk where money, wild parties, famous personalities played, huge mansions were built, unbearable traffic crowded every back road available--which generally changed a laid back way of life forever. During the 1940's, 50's and 60's these towns were devoted to farming, fishing, and respectful, wealthy, summer visitors who cared about the community--they arrived in June or July and left on Labor Day. The author's use of the "Hamptons" word to describe the summer destination of these New York School artists during the 40's and 50's is inaccurate and irritating to me as a native born and life long resident of the area. However, this mis-use of the word does not diminish my complete love of this 700-page book. Anyone who wants to know about the web of connections that created the abstract expressionist movement in America should read this book and make it a permanent part of their art library.
9 people found this helpful
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kaarrll
4.0 out of 5 stars A Fascinating Read
Reviewed in the United States on April 7, 2024
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This book is offers a fascinating glimpse into a particular kind of life in New York in the 40s and 50s.. I love books that do this. I recently read The Warhol Diaries which do the same. It is as much a social history as it is a biography of the five women painters whose stories are featured.. It takes stamina to get through though. I have been reading it daily for many weeks and am still not yet 50% of the way through. In this respect, although meticulously researched and beautifully written, it may be just a tad too detailed for the general interest reader.
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Daxx1000
5.0 out of 5 stars A must read for any Artist!
Reviewed in the United States on March 22, 2024
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This book is an amazing read on the history of Contemporary American Women Artists of the early 20th Century that paved the way for future Artists. Many were friends, partners, and wives of the Male contemporary artists of the same time and the circles they lived in. They sacrificed their own Art supporting their male counterparts many times, as well as their families, money, and powers( galleries , museums, critics) that be that tried controlling them, all in the name of ART. This book chronicles the history and development of these Artists, their lives, loves, and the passion that drove them unknowingly becoming famous icons of the 20th Century paving the way for the future of Art.
A must read for any Artist, Art Student, and Lovers of Art!
One person found this helpful
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Daniel S. Swanson
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book of the women of AbEx
Reviewed in the United States on February 11, 2024
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Fills in the history of painting in New York during this time period, from the viewpoint of women artists. In my opinion, many of these artists were far superior to the men of the time, and actually influenced male painters. This was a great book. The downside was Amazon, as the book was supposed to be new, but it wasn’t. Many of the pages have yellow highlighter marks, as if a student returned it after using it for a course. But, I decided to keep it, as the story was interesting and it wasn’t worth the hassle.
One person found this helpful
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Hoffman
5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous book
Reviewed in the United States on March 25, 2024
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Fabulous book
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Top reviews from other countries

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Luisa
5.0 out of 5 stars Historia
Reviewed in Mexico on February 8, 2022
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Bien documentado, muy interesante. Voy lento porque no es una novela pero te adentras en un momento fundamental para entender el arte moderno y contemporáneo
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Rosanna Burford
5.0 out of 5 stars Incredible gripping read
Reviewed in Germany on June 13, 2021
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This is such an amazing book! The author lets you dive into the atmospheric world of the artists, you can hardly put it down. A must read for artists and all art-lovers!
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malard nancy
5.0 out of 5 stars Une révélation
Reviewed in France on June 10, 2021
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Tout d'abord il faut dire que le livre n'est qu'n anglais, et je doute que vu le sujet, même traduit, il trouve son public en France . Ceci dit, c'est une véritable révélation, documentée, fouillée, très bien écrit, on apprend énormément sur la vie et le travail de ces peintres dont souvent on ignore l'existence. En France on a coutume de prétendre que l'Ecole de New York a usurpé sa position dominante dans les années 50-60 mais ce livre démontre que n'est pas vrai. Il suffit d'étudier les oeuvres de cet époque; rien n'est volé , ce sont des oeuvres de grande qualité qui valent largement ce qui se faisait à Paris à la même époque. Il faut chercher les images sur le web pour comprendre la valeur de ces peintres qui ont tout sacrifié pour peindre.
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Jean
5.0 out of 5 stars A must-read book
Reviewed in Canada on August 9, 2019
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Several of the people who appear in that book were my friends and/or colleagues, I can personally vouch for the way this book brings them back to life. This is a period in the history of art during which painters were trying to connect with “the real” or “truth”, and desperately wanted to be true to the experience (whether it succeeded or failed), and most (not all) of those artists had no interest whatsoever in "chachkies-making” and/or careerism (times have changed drastically since).
Highly recommended reading, with special attention to an immense artist far too little known, Joan Mitchell.
2 people found this helpful
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Lawlor Erin
5.0 out of 5 stars a brilliant and highly-readable account of some of the brilliant women of the Ab-Ex movement
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 18, 2018
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This is a fabulous read - a long-awaited account of some of the major female characters of the Ab Ex movement, replacing them in their rightful role at the heart of the movement. Mary Gabriel has produced a work that is remarkably well-documented and insightful, but also hugely fun to read; a prefect blend of historical context, artistic understanding and personal anecdotes...It's a doorstopper of a book, but I would have happily read the same length again. Also contains welcome photographic documentation.
9 people found this helpful
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