#ADGIFTED all thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Vanitas & Other Tales of Art and Obsession
by
Jake Kendall

Book Info
Genre: Art HIstory Fiction, Short Stories
Length: 272 pages
Published: February 2024 in UK and September 2024 in US
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/199245520-the-vanitas-other-tales-of-art-and-obsession?ref=nav_sb_ss_5_12
Amazon UK
Amazon US

Spanning three hundred years of art history, The Vanitas & Other Tales of Art and Obsession tells the stories of those with an insatiable hunger for creation – those who may sacrifice friendships, careers, romance, and even their own happiness in pursuit of a vision.


Weaving art styles such as Cubism, Surrealism, and the Baroque into his prose, Jake Kendall has crafted a vivid and inventive collection. Each story is complemented by a black and white illustration, drawing out the visually evocative nature of the writing and offering readers a unique artistic delight.

About the Author
Jake Kendall was born in Oxford and studied an MSc in Creative Writing with the University of Edinburgh. He takes inspiration from the visual arts, a theme that formed his debut collection. The Vanitas & Other Tales of Art and Obsession (Neem Tree Press) refracts contemporary issues and anxieties through timeless imagery and artistic movements. Jake lives and works in Edinburgh and spends his free time visiting bookshops, exhibitions, theatre, and independent cinemas.

My Review With this book we have various styles of art, along with a short story, each completely unique and with it’s own vibrational frequency. I truly went down a rabbit hole of art styles, it’s history, the angst of needing to create, to empty the images in the head onto canvas.

Artists don’t have easy lives as their desire can drive them to madness, lose the ones they love, all for the pursuit of creation. Never before have I seen such a book that taps into the genre of career, and we see what makes an artist. You don’t have to even love art to enjoy this book, it’s just tales of humans and their trials through hardship.

Have you ever wondered about what the paintings messages are, what the backstory to each piece is? I know i have and do all the time.