"One of the pleasures of reading her is to follow the way she weaves life, art and history into a smooth tapestry. The art emerges from the life, and in the broadest possible context: in terms of its creator's life and concerns and in terms of its historical and cultural setting". -- Eric Gibson, Washington Times Books

"Richly detailed and informative ... (this biography) exposes the character of an artist who maintained a sharply defined duality between his public and private personas". -- Edward J. Sozanski, Philadelphia Inquirer

"Brilliant ... (this book) grants us a far deeper understanding of why (Manet's) paintings outraged so many of his peers, and why these same masterpieces resonate so richly in our psyches a century later". -- Booklist, starred review