What do you think?
Rate this book
Andy Warhol : Prince of Pop
“IN THE FUTURE EVERYBODY will be world famous for 15 minutes.”
The Campbell’s Soup Cans. The Marilyns. The Electric Chairs. The Flowers. The work created by Andy Warhol elevated everyday images to art, ensuring Warhol a fame that has far outlasted the 15 minutes he predicted for everyone else. His very name is synonymous with the 1960s American art movement known as Pop.
But Warhol’s oeuvre was the sum of many parts. He not only produced iconic art that blended high and popular culture; he also made controversial films, starring his entourage of the beautiful and outrageous; he launched Interview, a slick magazine that continues to sell today; and he reveled in leading the vanguard of New York’s hipster lifestyle. The Factory, Warhol’s studio and den of social happenings, was the place to be.
Who would have predicted that this eccentric boy, the Pittsburgh-bred son of Eastern European immigrants, would catapult himself into media superstardom? Warhol’s rise, from poverty to wealth, from obscurity to status as a Pop icon, is an absorbing tale—one in which the American dream of fame and fortune is played out in all of its success and its excess. No artist of the late 20th century took the pulse of his time—and ours—better than Andy Warhol.
Praise for Vincent van Gogh: Portrait of an Artist:
“This outstanding, well-researched biography is fascinating reading.”—School Library Journal, Starred
“Readers will see not just the man but also the paintings anew.”—The Bulletin, Starred
“An exceptional biography that reveals the humanity behind the myth.”—Booklist, Starred
The Campbell’s Soup Cans. The Marilyns. The Electric Chairs. The Flowers. The work created by Andy Warhol elevated everyday images to art, ensuring Warhol a fame that has far outlasted the 15 minutes he predicted for everyone else. His very name is synonymous with the 1960s American art movement known as Pop.
But Warhol’s oeuvre was the sum of many parts. He not only produced iconic art that blended high and popular culture; he also made controversial films, starring his entourage of the beautiful and outrageous; he launched Interview, a slick magazine that continues to sell today; and he reveled in leading the vanguard of New York’s hipster lifestyle. The Factory, Warhol’s studio and den of social happenings, was the place to be.
Who would have predicted that this eccentric boy, the Pittsburgh-bred son of Eastern European immigrants, would catapult himself into media superstardom? Warhol’s rise, from poverty to wealth, from obscurity to status as a Pop icon, is an absorbing tale—one in which the American dream of fame and fortune is played out in all of its success and its excess. No artist of the late 20th century took the pulse of his time—and ours—better than Andy Warhol.
Praise for Vincent van Gogh: Portrait of an Artist:
“This outstanding, well-researched biography is fascinating reading.”—School Library Journal, Starred
“Readers will see not just the man but also the paintings anew.”—The Bulletin, Starred
“An exceptional biography that reveals the humanity behind the myth.”—Booklist, Starred
208 pages, Hardcover
First published October 12, 2004
19 people are currently reading
132 people want to read
About the author
Jan Greenberg
34 books5 followersJan Greenberg is an award-winning author celebrated for her books about art and artists. Her collaborations with Sandra Jordan include Action Jackson and Christo and Jean-Claude: Through the Gates and Beyond, both honored for excellence in nonfiction. Vincent Van Gogh, Portrait of an Artist earned a Sibert Honor and became a Common Core text exemplar. She later co-authored Ballet for Martha and The Mad Potter, each receiving starred reviews and Sibert Honors. In 2013, she and Jordan received the Children’s Book Guild Award. She lives in St. Louis, Missouri.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
July 5, 2022
This is a good straight-forward biography of Warhol by the same writing team that have penned very readable bios of other artists such as Van Gogh and Chihuly. I appreciated the chronological order and attempt to balance the biography with the art discussion. I did feel like the authors were indulging in a bit of adulation at times and perhaps reading more into Warhol's work than is there, but it was still interesting.
My favorite kind of read is one where I learn something. For some reason, I always had the idea Warhol was from old money and was a bit of a spoiled brat. That he was from a blue collar family, had a strong work ethic, and had a degree in art were all surprises to me. I had no idea about the assassination attempt in the late 60s, or that he was behind Interview magazine or the timing of the Marilyn and Jackie works. They are a bit more interesting when you know the context.
I can't say I'm a convert. I will probably never like Warhol's work. It's just not my thing. After reading this book, however, I can understand better what he was doing and (perhaps) why.
My favorite kind of read is one where I learn something. For some reason, I always had the idea Warhol was from old money and was a bit of a spoiled brat. That he was from a blue collar family, had a strong work ethic, and had a degree in art were all surprises to me. I had no idea about the assassination attempt in the late 60s, or that he was behind Interview magazine or the timing of the Marilyn and Jackie works. They are a bit more interesting when you know the context.
I can't say I'm a convert. I will probably never like Warhol's work. It's just not my thing. After reading this book, however, I can understand better what he was doing and (perhaps) why.
October 2, 2020
Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan, the same duo who penned the highly praised biography Vincent van Gogh: Portrait of an Artist again team up to provide the gaudy and glitzy life and work of a multifaceted artist. Warhol, who commemorated Campbell’s soup cans and distinctively predicted “in the future everybody will be world famous for 15 minutes,” is described rising from poverty, attending art school in Pittsburgh, and bursting forth as an iconic hipster and media superstar.
To quote Socrates: "Talent hits a target no one else can hit; Genius hits a target no one else can see."
In the early 1960's, conceptual art was king. It had its origins in surrealism, and none of it had any authentic connections with realism. The significance of these paintings was the sentiment behind it, the kind of escapist quality.
Warhol came along in the early 1960's with forthright, almost newspaper-like pictures of commonplace objects coloured over. It was almost a creation of a factory (it was actually, The Factory), and the emotion wasn't so perceptible. It seemed to reflect the culture, and us.
More than this though, they were Iconic: they were images that stuck deep inside long after you first saw them. Their impression was far more artistic than it'd sound on paper, or online, or from word of mouth. From his original Campbell Soup Cans and Marilyn's and his early '60s art, to his transition to "underground" movies in the mid-'60s and the length, and the frankness of them, the "reality" they just showed, to his movies, he was always moving onward by doing things in an accepted way, and has influenced modern day culture incalculably.
The only drawback of this book is that it does not have many samples of his work, this well-researched narrative does establish the celebrity artist as someone who changed the art world by blending high and low culture.
The reader, by the end would surely come to terms with the fact that sometimes, genius is wrapped up in alluring the masses in a new way. Warhol was definitely able to do that. Perhaps it doesn't make sense to everyone, but it did have a mass appeal to people that were interested in art at the time, and that was genius on his part. He had such an implausible effect on culture that he managed to turn everyday objects into art. He revolutionized culture.
We might never have Warhol's level of genius ever again.
To quote Socrates: "Talent hits a target no one else can hit; Genius hits a target no one else can see."
In the early 1960's, conceptual art was king. It had its origins in surrealism, and none of it had any authentic connections with realism. The significance of these paintings was the sentiment behind it, the kind of escapist quality.
Warhol came along in the early 1960's with forthright, almost newspaper-like pictures of commonplace objects coloured over. It was almost a creation of a factory (it was actually, The Factory), and the emotion wasn't so perceptible. It seemed to reflect the culture, and us.
More than this though, they were Iconic: they were images that stuck deep inside long after you first saw them. Their impression was far more artistic than it'd sound on paper, or online, or from word of mouth. From his original Campbell Soup Cans and Marilyn's and his early '60s art, to his transition to "underground" movies in the mid-'60s and the length, and the frankness of them, the "reality" they just showed, to his movies, he was always moving onward by doing things in an accepted way, and has influenced modern day culture incalculably.
The only drawback of this book is that it does not have many samples of his work, this well-researched narrative does establish the celebrity artist as someone who changed the art world by blending high and low culture.
The reader, by the end would surely come to terms with the fact that sometimes, genius is wrapped up in alluring the masses in a new way. Warhol was definitely able to do that. Perhaps it doesn't make sense to everyone, but it did have a mass appeal to people that were interested in art at the time, and that was genius on his part. He had such an implausible effect on culture that he managed to turn everyday objects into art. He revolutionized culture.
We might never have Warhol's level of genius ever again.
July 15, 2013
15 June 2004 ANDY WARHOL: PRINCE OF POP by Jan Greenberg & Sandra Jordan, Random House/Delacorte, October 2004, includes 32 page color insert, ISBN: 0-385-73056-X; Library ISBN: 0-385-90079-1
"'We weren't just at the art exhibit. We were the exhibit.'"
"Like to take a cement fix
Be a standing cinema
Dress my friends up just for show
See them as they really are
Put a peephole in my brain
Two New Pence to have a go
I'd like to be a gallery
Put you all inside my show
Andy Warhol looks a scream
Hang him on my wall
Andy Warhol, Silver Screen
Can't tell them apart at all"
--David Bowie "Andy Warhol"
On Saturday night, October 20, 1973, during my first semester at UConn, I accompanied some of my new friends to an on-campus screening of Andy Warhol's Trash. It is an evening that I will never forget, although its significance has only partially to do with Warhol's raunchy "artistic" film, whose cast was immortalized in Lou Reed's "Walk on the Wild Side."
" 'Scripts bore me. It's much more exciting not to know what's going to happen.' "
On our way to the theater, my friends detoured by way of a subterranean eatery on the south end of campus. Back then, the establishment was still adorned in original '50s dark leatherette, accompanied by chrome, pennants, mirrors, and a soda fountain. Parking me in a corner while they ordered themselves some slices, I zoned in on the radio as the music was interrupted by a news bulletin: President Nixon had just forced Attorney General Elliot Richardson and Assistant Attorney General William Ruckelshaus to resign after their refusals to fire Watergate Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox. Solicitor General Robert Bork then proceeded to do the deed for Tricky Dick, and I proceeded to experience a surreal evening of having my eyes aimed at a screenful of junkies, prostitutes, and transvestites, while my mind kept repeating hysterically, "No! He can't do that! No! He can't do that!"
(Robert Bork later got his second fifteen minutes of fame, as a failed Reagan Supreme Court nominee, and continues to get an additional five or ten seconds each time I explain to Shari's classes the origin of Rodman Philbrick's phraseology, "That really borks me off," when we read them THE LAST BOOK IN THE UNIVERSE.)
But I seriously digress.
" 'Now and then people would accuse me of being evil--of letting people destroy themselves while I watched, just so I could film or tape record them,' Andy said. 'But I learned when I was little that whenever I got aggressive and tried to tell someone what to do, nothing happened. I just couldn't carry it off.' "
In the long run it can be argued that Andy Warhol and his complex life became much larger than his art. But the rise of Andy Warhol was the result of a simple and logical progression.
"Some people like to go out dancing
and other people like us, we gotta work"
--The Velvet Underground, "Sweet Jane"
An artistic son of eastern European immigrants grows up to become a successful commercial artist.
"Pittsburgh was far from New York, but the lessons Andy had learned in his hometown--work hard and work fast--were already serving him well."
A commercial artist is someone who is creating interesting and appealing images of products for sale. And the slight, pale, hardworking subject of this book was an absolute master at it. So when a new art movement coincidentally appeared--Pop Art--that involved the incorporation of everyday objects and newspaper images in paintings, who would have been a more likely person to rise and become the prince of that movement than this true master of commercial art?
And who better to tell the fascinating life story of such a controversial artist and cryptic individual than that dynamic duo of artist biographers, Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan?
"For months Andy had been working hard, trying to find a subject to paint that was both fresh and visually stimulating."
The authors do a terrific job of conveying the tension that filled Warhol's determined quest to evolve from successful commercial artist to successful artist. Without that pivotal transition, of course, we wouldn't be talking about Andy Warhol forty-something years later.
"Eventually he painted a six-foot-tall Coke bottle--the curvy shape reproduced straightforwardly, larger than life, with the seriousness of high art. It was a breakthrough for him. Did he intend the Coke bottle as a still life or a satire on the female figure in painting? Certainly Andy never stopped to interpret his artwork; he was just trying to reinvent himself as a serious artist."
But, what's the story of his choosing the Campell's soup can? How did that happen?
"During this period, Andy fell into a depression. His mother constantly nagged him to send more money home to his brothers and their growing families in Pittsburgh. He felt torn between the financial security of commercial art and his ambition to be a great artist. He lay in bed, suffering from panic attacks. Afraid his heart would stop beating if he fell asleep, he would stay up all night talking on the phone to friends. It was on the telephone that he was most verbal, loving to hear gossip about celebrities and stories of his friends' love lives. Andy begged anybody and everybody for ideas. His friends grew used to hearing him moan. 'What should I paint?' They made plenty of suggestions, but nothing seemed right to him.
"Then one night at a party, he asked his usual question, only to receive an unusual response. Muriel Latow, an art consultant, said, 'I can give you an idea, but it's gonna cost you fifty dollars.' Latow had such a bright, sassy point of view that Andy believed she might well come up with a startling suggestion. He pulled out his checkbook.
" 'What do you like most in the world?' she asked him. 'You like money, you should paint that. And you should paint something that everybody sees everyday...like cans of soup.'
"Andy wrote her a check on the spot."
And the rest, as they say, is history.
"'Publicity is like eating peanuts, once you start you can't stop.'"
Guiding us through his studio (The Factory), the galleries, parties, film sets, and multimedia presentations; from his near-assassination to the back room of Max's Kansas City, the authors provide an eye-opening look at the art scene and The Scene that Warhol created and nurtured. Years after his death, Andy Warhol's historic images of American icons continue to play a role in our pop culture. ANDY WARHOL: PRINCE OF POP is an engrossing portrait of the man, his art, and the publicity machine he set in motion.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.com
BudNotBuddy@aol.com
Moderator http://groups.yahoo.com/group/middle_... http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/people/facult...
"'We weren't just at the art exhibit. We were the exhibit.'"
"Like to take a cement fix
Be a standing cinema
Dress my friends up just for show
See them as they really are
Put a peephole in my brain
Two New Pence to have a go
I'd like to be a gallery
Put you all inside my show
Andy Warhol looks a scream
Hang him on my wall
Andy Warhol, Silver Screen
Can't tell them apart at all"
--David Bowie "Andy Warhol"
On Saturday night, October 20, 1973, during my first semester at UConn, I accompanied some of my new friends to an on-campus screening of Andy Warhol's Trash. It is an evening that I will never forget, although its significance has only partially to do with Warhol's raunchy "artistic" film, whose cast was immortalized in Lou Reed's "Walk on the Wild Side."
" 'Scripts bore me. It's much more exciting not to know what's going to happen.' "
On our way to the theater, my friends detoured by way of a subterranean eatery on the south end of campus. Back then, the establishment was still adorned in original '50s dark leatherette, accompanied by chrome, pennants, mirrors, and a soda fountain. Parking me in a corner while they ordered themselves some slices, I zoned in on the radio as the music was interrupted by a news bulletin: President Nixon had just forced Attorney General Elliot Richardson and Assistant Attorney General William Ruckelshaus to resign after their refusals to fire Watergate Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox. Solicitor General Robert Bork then proceeded to do the deed for Tricky Dick, and I proceeded to experience a surreal evening of having my eyes aimed at a screenful of junkies, prostitutes, and transvestites, while my mind kept repeating hysterically, "No! He can't do that! No! He can't do that!"
(Robert Bork later got his second fifteen minutes of fame, as a failed Reagan Supreme Court nominee, and continues to get an additional five or ten seconds each time I explain to Shari's classes the origin of Rodman Philbrick's phraseology, "That really borks me off," when we read them THE LAST BOOK IN THE UNIVERSE.)
But I seriously digress.
" 'Now and then people would accuse me of being evil--of letting people destroy themselves while I watched, just so I could film or tape record them,' Andy said. 'But I learned when I was little that whenever I got aggressive and tried to tell someone what to do, nothing happened. I just couldn't carry it off.' "
In the long run it can be argued that Andy Warhol and his complex life became much larger than his art. But the rise of Andy Warhol was the result of a simple and logical progression.
"Some people like to go out dancing
and other people like us, we gotta work"
--The Velvet Underground, "Sweet Jane"
An artistic son of eastern European immigrants grows up to become a successful commercial artist.
"Pittsburgh was far from New York, but the lessons Andy had learned in his hometown--work hard and work fast--were already serving him well."
A commercial artist is someone who is creating interesting and appealing images of products for sale. And the slight, pale, hardworking subject of this book was an absolute master at it. So when a new art movement coincidentally appeared--Pop Art--that involved the incorporation of everyday objects and newspaper images in paintings, who would have been a more likely person to rise and become the prince of that movement than this true master of commercial art?
And who better to tell the fascinating life story of such a controversial artist and cryptic individual than that dynamic duo of artist biographers, Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan?
"For months Andy had been working hard, trying to find a subject to paint that was both fresh and visually stimulating."
The authors do a terrific job of conveying the tension that filled Warhol's determined quest to evolve from successful commercial artist to successful artist. Without that pivotal transition, of course, we wouldn't be talking about Andy Warhol forty-something years later.
"Eventually he painted a six-foot-tall Coke bottle--the curvy shape reproduced straightforwardly, larger than life, with the seriousness of high art. It was a breakthrough for him. Did he intend the Coke bottle as a still life or a satire on the female figure in painting? Certainly Andy never stopped to interpret his artwork; he was just trying to reinvent himself as a serious artist."
But, what's the story of his choosing the Campell's soup can? How did that happen?
"During this period, Andy fell into a depression. His mother constantly nagged him to send more money home to his brothers and their growing families in Pittsburgh. He felt torn between the financial security of commercial art and his ambition to be a great artist. He lay in bed, suffering from panic attacks. Afraid his heart would stop beating if he fell asleep, he would stay up all night talking on the phone to friends. It was on the telephone that he was most verbal, loving to hear gossip about celebrities and stories of his friends' love lives. Andy begged anybody and everybody for ideas. His friends grew used to hearing him moan. 'What should I paint?' They made plenty of suggestions, but nothing seemed right to him.
"Then one night at a party, he asked his usual question, only to receive an unusual response. Muriel Latow, an art consultant, said, 'I can give you an idea, but it's gonna cost you fifty dollars.' Latow had such a bright, sassy point of view that Andy believed she might well come up with a startling suggestion. He pulled out his checkbook.
" 'What do you like most in the world?' she asked him. 'You like money, you should paint that. And you should paint something that everybody sees everyday...like cans of soup.'
"Andy wrote her a check on the spot."
And the rest, as they say, is history.
"'Publicity is like eating peanuts, once you start you can't stop.'"
Guiding us through his studio (The Factory), the galleries, parties, film sets, and multimedia presentations; from his near-assassination to the back room of Max's Kansas City, the authors provide an eye-opening look at the art scene and The Scene that Warhol created and nurtured. Years after his death, Andy Warhol's historic images of American icons continue to play a role in our pop culture. ANDY WARHOL: PRINCE OF POP is an engrossing portrait of the man, his art, and the publicity machine he set in motion.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.com
BudNotBuddy@aol.com
Moderator http://groups.yahoo.com/group/middle_... http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/people/facult...
March 14, 2025
What a weirdo. This is another in a loose series of artist biographies. Like the rest, this one is pitched for the somewhat younger reader. I didn't know that much about Andy Warhol. And I didn't and still don't appreciate his art, though it is possible I'd like his earlier stuff more. This book covered pretty much his whole life. I certainly got more than a hint of who he was. This not a critical biography. And certainly some of this was tawdry.
June 28, 2023
Very engaging bio. Warhol came from a blue collar family in Pittsburgh who supported his artistic talents his entire life. He attended Carnegie Mellon because of their financial sacrifice. He survived being shot while in his NYC studio but later died after routine gallbladder surgery. And then there was his art! I really enjoyed this biography.
July 11, 2023
Although I confess I'm not particularly enthralled by Warhol's contributions to the art world, I enjoyed this peek into the simplicities and complexities that wove together to fashion this man's life and work.
June 12, 2020
A well written book about the famous artist who pushed limits and defined Pop Art
January 21, 2021
I learned a lot about Warhol and it was mildly interesting, but the writing is so impersonal. I felt like I was reading an entry from the encyclopedia.
April 20, 2021
An entertaining and informative look into the life and paintings of Andy Warhol, a talented and caring artist. His legacy will live on.
August 12, 2021
More detail would have made this more interesting
March 6, 2025
Very interesting. Learned a lot that I didn’t know about Andy. Some parts were a little boring but overall it was a great book.
June 22, 2025
a nice, brief, simple telling of Andy Warhol's life. good for someone who is just curious but not so interested that they wanna spend a lot of time
October 29, 2025
Informative biography and indices.
March 13, 2017
A good introduction to the life and work of Andy Warhol.
June 2, 2012
Andy Warhol: Prince of Pop is an inspiring biography of a crazy, but legendary artist. It describes Andy Warhol’s loving, hard working father as a child, as well as his interesting surroundings when he moves to New York in search of success. Andy Warhol was a diligent worker just like his father, and his hard work paid off with fame and fortune in the fifties and sixties. His fame took him worldwide, but this book solely focuses on Andy’s devotion to his work, his unique personality, and what influenced them. Andy produced art in the form of several different medias, including films, books, magazines, and his popular portraits. His life was the epitome of an “American Dream,” and more. “[He was] an artist who foresaw the convergence of art, Hollywood, fashion, and business as the trend of the future.”(1)
Normally, I don’t read biographies, or like to read them at all. This biography was not only descriptive and helpful for my humanities project, but interesting too. The author’s words flow wonderfully from page to page, whether it’s describing the negative’s of Andy Warhol’s life or the extreme positives. It did move me a couple of times, the way Andy Warhol was portrayed to be so superficial and distant with everyone. When his mother died, he claimed to his friends that she was “‘Fine. She doesn’t get out much.’”(118), never telling anyone that Julia Warhola had died. I chose to read about an artist, because I love art, but I chose Andy Warhol randomly. After reading this book, I took some valuable lessons from it about how to go about thinking when you’re producing art or displaying it. Anyone who is interested in art, music, films, or famous people during the twentieth century, should read this book. Andy Warhol was not only a great influence on pop art, but in several other medias. His fame made him the center of the most famous people and bands, so he knew everyone. His studio was a “...glamorous clubhouse”(67), where everybody who was anybody would be. According to Andy Warhol, “In the future, everybody will be world famous for fifteen minutes.”
I would give this book a 4. It wasn’t amazing because I don’t like biographies, but it was exceptionally good being what it was. For anyone looking to research Andy Warhol, I will definitely recommend this book in the future. It had important details, but it was also very story like and easy to follow. Andy Warhol: Prince of Pop also included a timeline of important events, and significant quotes from Andy Warhol and his friends and family in the back pages. It also included a glossary of art-related words in the back, and an index. This aspect of the book was also very convenient, turned a biography into something more like an Andy Warhol encyclopedia! Not only was the book nifty, but the writing style was easy to read. Overall, all of these factors made this book interesting and extremely useful.
Normally, I don’t read biographies, or like to read them at all. This biography was not only descriptive and helpful for my humanities project, but interesting too. The author’s words flow wonderfully from page to page, whether it’s describing the negative’s of Andy Warhol’s life or the extreme positives. It did move me a couple of times, the way Andy Warhol was portrayed to be so superficial and distant with everyone. When his mother died, he claimed to his friends that she was “‘Fine. She doesn’t get out much.’”(118), never telling anyone that Julia Warhola had died. I chose to read about an artist, because I love art, but I chose Andy Warhol randomly. After reading this book, I took some valuable lessons from it about how to go about thinking when you’re producing art or displaying it. Anyone who is interested in art, music, films, or famous people during the twentieth century, should read this book. Andy Warhol was not only a great influence on pop art, but in several other medias. His fame made him the center of the most famous people and bands, so he knew everyone. His studio was a “...glamorous clubhouse”(67), where everybody who was anybody would be. According to Andy Warhol, “In the future, everybody will be world famous for fifteen minutes.”
I would give this book a 4. It wasn’t amazing because I don’t like biographies, but it was exceptionally good being what it was. For anyone looking to research Andy Warhol, I will definitely recommend this book in the future. It had important details, but it was also very story like and easy to follow. Andy Warhol: Prince of Pop also included a timeline of important events, and significant quotes from Andy Warhol and his friends and family in the back pages. It also included a glossary of art-related words in the back, and an index. This aspect of the book was also very convenient, turned a biography into something more like an Andy Warhol encyclopedia! Not only was the book nifty, but the writing style was easy to read. Overall, all of these factors made this book interesting and extremely useful.
August 27, 2009
This book, entitled Andy Warhol, Prince of Pop, written by Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan, is a biography of the art, fame, and uniquene life of Andy Warhol. Andy's story begins in Pittsburgh, where his mother cared for the family of 3 boys, and his father worked tirelessly to support them. The setting of the story, however, changes multiple times as it tracks Andy's climb to fame; he lived in New York City for most of his career, taking occassional visits to Paris and once taking a trip around the globe. This book provides a chronological look at Andy Warhol's life, tracking his progression from the feeble, shy child he was in Pittsburgh to the famous Pop artist he would become. Many characters float in and out of Andy's life, including his first crush, Truman Capote, and later on has a cast of actors that starred in his movies, such as the glamourous Edie Sedgewick, who for a while was a constant companion of Warhol's, to Paul Morrissey, who produced Warhol's films throughout most of his career in movie making. Warhol's art originated with the shoes he was drawing for fashion magazines, and escalated with the well-known soup cans. Andy Warhol experimented in all types of artistic forms, starting a magazine called Interview, which became the gossip magazine equivalent to People, and also making many films, many of which were boring shots of someone eating a mushroom or brushing their teeth, until his later hits such as Chelsea girls. Warhol also experimented in the music industry with The Velvet Underground and his extravagant parties. Though in the public eye, as many celebrities of today, Andy Warhol kept his private self hidden under makeup and wigs and a devil-may-care attitude. I enjoyed reading this book, and chose it because even though it is on the list for freshmen and sophomores, I was interested in the life of this mysterious Pop artist, and this book was very informative and interesting to read. :)
I pledge that I have neither given nor received unauthorized help on this assignment, nor have I presented someone else's work as my own.
I pledge that I have neither given nor received unauthorized help on this assignment, nor have I presented someone else's work as my own.
March 25, 2012
Andy Warhol by Jan Greenburg and Sandra Jordan is an interesting look into a very shy painter’s life. Though the book is short, it goes into detail about Warhol’s influences, artistic decisions, friends, and style that was distinctly his. Though Warhol is portrayed as very much so a closed book, the novel explains, through friend’s and family’s accounts, why the famous painter did what he did and how he got where he is.
As a reader, I enjoyed learning what his art did for the art world and how it changed it, as a person who enjoys art but never got the chance to really study it, it was fascinating to get real commentary on his work, explaining why it was so popular and revolutionary. I thought it was great that the authors told the story in such a way that the reader learned not only about the artist but art in general as well.
As a teacher, I would consider teaching this book. The notes in the back would provide a great example for my student’s research papers. And the glossary of art words in the back would make for a great unit in an art class. The authors’ discussion of artistic reasoning and “What is art?”, I think, would also make a great scaffolding discussion leading into poetry.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in art. Whether you are interested in Andy Warhol or not you have to appreciate what he did for the art world at large and how his artistic decisions affected artists after him. As for the age group, I would probably recommend this book to high school and up. There are some adult situations that are addressed in the text that I think a more mature audience would handle better.
As a reader, I enjoyed learning what his art did for the art world and how it changed it, as a person who enjoys art but never got the chance to really study it, it was fascinating to get real commentary on his work, explaining why it was so popular and revolutionary. I thought it was great that the authors told the story in such a way that the reader learned not only about the artist but art in general as well.
As a teacher, I would consider teaching this book. The notes in the back would provide a great example for my student’s research papers. And the glossary of art words in the back would make for a great unit in an art class. The authors’ discussion of artistic reasoning and “What is art?”, I think, would also make a great scaffolding discussion leading into poetry.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in art. Whether you are interested in Andy Warhol or not you have to appreciate what he did for the art world at large and how his artistic decisions affected artists after him. As for the age group, I would probably recommend this book to high school and up. There are some adult situations that are addressed in the text that I think a more mature audience would handle better.
March 31, 2012
Andy Warhol by Jan Greenburg and Sandra Jordan is an interesting look into a very shy painter’s life. Though the book is short, it goes into detail about Warhol’s influences, artistic decisions, friends, and style that was distinctly his. Though Warhol is portrayed as very much so a closed book, the novel explains, through friend’s and family’s accounts, why the famous painter did what he did and how he got where he is.
As a reader, I enjoyed learning what his art did for the art world and how it changed it, as a person who enjoys art but never got the chance to really study it, it was fascinating to get real commentary on his work, explaining why it was so popular and revolutionary. I thought it was great that the authors told the story in such a way that the reader learned not only about the artist but art in general as well.
As a teacher, I would consider teaching this book. The notes in the back would provide a great example for my student’s research papers. And the glossary of art words in the back would make for a great unit in an art class. The authors’ discussion of artistic reasoning and “What is art?”, I think, would also make a great scaffolding discussion leading into poetry.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in art. Whether you are interested in Andy Warhol or not you have to appreciate what he did for the art world at large and how his artistic decisions affected artists after him. As for the age group, I would probably recommend this book to high school and up. There are some adult situations that are addressed in the text that I think a more mature audience would handle better.
- Erika Breitkreuz
As a reader, I enjoyed learning what his art did for the art world and how it changed it, as a person who enjoys art but never got the chance to really study it, it was fascinating to get real commentary on his work, explaining why it was so popular and revolutionary. I thought it was great that the authors told the story in such a way that the reader learned not only about the artist but art in general as well.
As a teacher, I would consider teaching this book. The notes in the back would provide a great example for my student’s research papers. And the glossary of art words in the back would make for a great unit in an art class. The authors’ discussion of artistic reasoning and “What is art?”, I think, would also make a great scaffolding discussion leading into poetry.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in art. Whether you are interested in Andy Warhol or not you have to appreciate what he did for the art world at large and how his artistic decisions affected artists after him. As for the age group, I would probably recommend this book to high school and up. There are some adult situations that are addressed in the text that I think a more mature audience would handle better.
- Erika Breitkreuz
March 10, 2010
This book is for students in 8th grade and above. The author specializes in books about rather controversial (non-mainstream) artists. One of the first things that I noticed as I was reading the book was how straight forward the author is about Andy Warhol's life. Although Greenberg does not seem to "beat around the bush" with some of the rather graphic details about Warhol's life, she is consistently tactful about doing so. I like that this book is in chronological order - this has always helped me as a reader and I am sure that it will help students better understand the life of Warhol. The book begins with Warhol growing up in Pittsburgh facing animosity from people due to his acne and self-image. The book continues to travel through the trials and tribulations as well as successes throughout Warhol's time in New York City where he displayed his tendency to cut himself off from his friends as well as the public. He is a controversial figure; therefore, this book is only appropriate for mature students - if in 8th grade, this book should only be read with the teacher' approval due to the discussions of Warhol's experiences with sex and drugs. The book concludes with the legacy that Warhol left American pop culture and artists around the world. His artwork was inspiring and his techniques are constantly copied. I love that this book has a glossary of art terms, a insert of Warhol's work that is not on display in galleries and a ton of quotes about Warhol that would lend themselves well to written responses from students. This was a great read!
September 7, 2009
On my honor, I pledge that I have neither given nor received unauthorized help on this assignment nor have I presented someone else's work as my own.
Title: Andy Warhol, Prince of Pop
Authors: Jan Greenberg & Sandra Jordan
Genre: Biography
Setting: Pittsburgh and New York City
Main Character: Andy Warhol
Andy Warhol, Prince of pop chronicles the wild life of Pop icon Andy Warhol. He was born Andrew Warhola in Pittsburgh in 1928 to Andrej and Julia Warhola and had two older brothers. He attended high school in Pittsburgh and went to Carnegie Tech aka Carnegie Mellon University. After college, he moved to New York City to begin his career as a commercial artist. within a few years Andy become one of the most succesful commercial artists in the world, and changed his last name to Warhol after seeing it misspelled in a magazine displaying his work. He made many celebrity friends and explored all different types of art from drawing and painting to writing books and plays, and making films. Andy died in 1987 due to complications from a routine gallbladder operation.
This book is both informative and entertaining and I would reccomend it to anyone interested in modern art and the ccrazy lifestyles of the mid 20th century celebrities. It tells funny stories about andy's life as well as giving detailed explanations of his artistic techniques. Overall it is a very good book.
Title: Andy Warhol, Prince of Pop
Authors: Jan Greenberg & Sandra Jordan
Genre: Biography
Setting: Pittsburgh and New York City
Main Character: Andy Warhol
Andy Warhol, Prince of pop chronicles the wild life of Pop icon Andy Warhol. He was born Andrew Warhola in Pittsburgh in 1928 to Andrej and Julia Warhola and had two older brothers. He attended high school in Pittsburgh and went to Carnegie Tech aka Carnegie Mellon University. After college, he moved to New York City to begin his career as a commercial artist. within a few years Andy become one of the most succesful commercial artists in the world, and changed his last name to Warhol after seeing it misspelled in a magazine displaying his work. He made many celebrity friends and explored all different types of art from drawing and painting to writing books and plays, and making films. Andy died in 1987 due to complications from a routine gallbladder operation.
This book is both informative and entertaining and I would reccomend it to anyone interested in modern art and the ccrazy lifestyles of the mid 20th century celebrities. It tells funny stories about andy's life as well as giving detailed explanations of his artistic techniques. Overall it is a very good book.
August 26, 2008
This was a fascinating look into the life of someone I’ve always felt was so mysterious and iconic, Andy Warhol. I’ve seen his artwork throughout my entire life, but never actually known anything about the actual person behind those damned Campbell’s soup cans and the Marilyn Monroe portraits. This book shed light into the era in which Warhol lived and worked, as well. The 1960s are so often portrayed in a stereotypical way in the media, i.e. the “swinging 60s, baby!” that it was refreshing to read this descriptive and respectful account of Warhol’s life and times and colleagues.
This book is full of Warhol's artwork, illustrations, and photos that nicely compliment the narrative and should prove interesting to young readers. Warhol is often presented as a mysterious character by the media; this book illuminates his life from childhood to early death, shedding some light onto Warhol as a person. The era in which Warhol lived and worked is also presented in an interesting and descriptive way, offering a glimpse into the world of art and artists that young adults can identify with and enjoy. This book allows readers to learn about art history in a very enjoyable and entertaining way. It also presents a realistic and unflinching look at Warhol's life, and doesn't patronize the young adult audience.
This book is full of Warhol's artwork, illustrations, and photos that nicely compliment the narrative and should prove interesting to young readers. Warhol is often presented as a mysterious character by the media; this book illuminates his life from childhood to early death, shedding some light onto Warhol as a person. The era in which Warhol lived and worked is also presented in an interesting and descriptive way, offering a glimpse into the world of art and artists that young adults can identify with and enjoy. This book allows readers to learn about art history in a very enjoyable and entertaining way. It also presents a realistic and unflinching look at Warhol's life, and doesn't patronize the young adult audience.
October 7, 2012
I was very excited to read this book (148 pages) because I'm interested in art and I didn't really know much about Andy before reading this book. I knew that he started pop art, but I didn't know anything about his background so I thought it would be interesting to learn about him. I did not find his life very interesting overall. At the beginning I enjoyed reading it because it explained how he became an artist and how his parents always knew that he would be successful so they invested most of their money of his education and sending him to art school. It was also interesting to read about how he didn't really admit that he was gay until later on in his life when he started interacting with other men that shared the same interests. After page 80 or so, the book started to get boring because it started telling the reader about how he joined contests and won money and started becoming famous, and how he started making his own movies and all.
Read
April 10, 2008This young adult biography on Andy Warhol thoroughly reports the main facts of his public life, but never reveals the inner side of this enigmatic man. Beginning with his birth in Pittsburgh to a hard-working immigrant family, to his start as a young commercial artist, and on to his media superstardom, this book covers all the outward aspects of his life, but gives you little insight into what drove Andy to become who he was. Maybe that’s what Andy Warhol would have wanted.
Andy Warhol was a fascinating celebrity, and this book will fill the bill for students who need report information. A satisfactory introduction, but the truly curious will need to search further.
Andy Warhol was a fascinating celebrity, and this book will fill the bill for students who need report information. A satisfactory introduction, but the truly curious will need to search further.
December 29, 2016
This was a pretty easy read for a biography. Straightforward highlights of Andy Warhol's life. I am amazed that he had so many friends who used drugs and alcohol, but all he ever did was have the occasional drink! His first love was his work. I wouldn't want to see any of his films, however, he definitely did something different for the 1960's. One of the things he wanted most was to become famous, and so he did.
August 2, 2011
Andy Warhol might have called himself superficial, but he certainly didn't want to appear boring. Yet, this is exactly what this book portrays him as. Little controversy and even fewer anecdotes, you'd be better off reading a Wikipedia entry. If you're looking for a good Warhol bio, pick up HOLY TERROR by Bob Colacello.
December 6, 2014
This book is long compared to other books. This book is about the life of Andy Warhol. This story goes from he was just a guy in Pittsburg to the well-known he became. In the middle of the book there are real pictures of him and some of his artwork. Other than those images there isn't much more. This is a very informational book. Towards the end, there are more facts.
December 24, 2014
This is written for teen readers, so it reads very quickly, but it doesn't dumb down the controversial elements of Warhol's life, from his homosexuality to the extensive drug use of those around him. I enjoyed being inspired by the story of someone who just pursued his art interests, regardless of what others thought of him and his efforts.
March 23, 2016
If you want a general understanding of Warhol, this is the best book to read. The chapters are set up chronologically and the writing is straight forward giving details of what was happening within Andy's life and direct contact. It is not good for learning contextual information about the eras in which he lived, but does reference some colleagues of his.
Very fast read.
Very fast read.
October 17, 2008
The writing and information in this book were both excellent, but the life of Warhol is sad enough to negate that quality in my mind. He lived behind a mask that never seemed to really come down, and he was totally alone as a result. Made me sad on every page.
March 25, 2014
I've read several books on Andy Warhol but I particularly liked this one because its focused more on the impact he had on the art world and pop art movement than with his personal life as most of the others are. It drags at times but its worth reading if you're interested in Warhol or his art.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews