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Edward Hopper: An Intimate Biography Paperback – January 3, 2023

by Gail Levin (Author)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 49 ratings
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New York Times Notable Book
Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist
Wall Street Journal—One of Five Best Artist Biographies

Edward Hopper's canvasses are filled with stripped-down spaces and unrelenting light, evocative landscapes, and the lonely aspects of men and women seemingly isolated in their surroundings. What kind of man had this haunting vision, and what kind of life engendered this art? No one is better qualified to answer these questions than art historian Gail Levin, author and curator of the major studies and exhibitions of Hopper's work. In this intimate biography she reveals the true nature and personality of the man himself—and of the woman who shared his life, the artist Josephine Nivison.
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  1. Print length
    704 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    January 3, 2023
  4. Dimensions
    6.14 x 1.59 x 9.21 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    0520393384
  6. ISBN-13
    978-0520393387
  7. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

New York Times Notable Book
Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist
Wall Street Journal—One of Five Best Artist Biographies

"A nearly flawless account of a remarkable artist…. It is a compelling and accessible narrative for anyone even remotely interested in modern American art."—Michael Kammen, New York Times Book Review

"Gail Levin has given us, with obvious erudition and admiration, Hopper the 'creative artist' and Hopper the reclusive, cranky, brilliantly thoughtful, impossibly egoistic, highly industrious man…. In this engaging instructive biography, we meet him and his wife Jo, learn of their emotionally intense time together, follow their careers, and, no small feat on the part of their biographer, are left with respect for those two, respect for what they separately and jointly accomplished—a tribute to them and the one who hands them over to us."—Robert Coles, Washington Post Book World

"This biography is a masterpiece of its genre, magnificently well researched, scrupulous, exact, balanced, objective and providing cumulatively a real sense of daily life with Hopper and his wife, in the context of social, political, and artistic events of their time."—Bryan Robertson, Modern Painters

“Few [late paintings] have the power of Hopper's Two Comedians (1966). The tremendous virtue of Gail Levin's 'intimate biography' is that it prepares us to feel that power."—Arthur Danto, The Nation 

"A definitive biography."—Robert Hughes, Time

About the Author

Gail Levin is a biographer, art historian, and curator of landmark exhibitions. She is Distinguished Professor of Art History, American Studies, and Women's Studies at the City University of New York. She is the author of many books on Edward Hopper and on other aspects of twentieth-century American art. 

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ University of California Press; First Edition, Reissue (January 3, 2023)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 704 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0520393384
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0520393387
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.5 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.14 x 1.59 x 9.21 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 49 ratings

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  1. Gail Levin

    Gail Levin

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    Gail Levin is Distinguished Professor of Art History, American Studies, and Women's Studies at The Graduate Center and Baruch College of the City University of New York. Her many books, include a well-known series on Edward Hopper, culminating in 1995 in a four-volume catalogue raisonné and Edward Hopper: An Intimate Biography, which The Wall Street Journal chose in 2007 as one of the five best portrayals of artists' lives, going back in its selections to 1931. She has also written biographies of Judy Chicago and Lee Krasner, collaborated on films about Edward Hopper, Lee Krasner, and other topics and had a cable television show, Art at Issue. Her most recent project, Theresa Bernstein: A Century in Art, includes a book, a website, and a touring exhibition. See http://nml.cuny.edu/theresabernstein/ or

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2a4EtwkQQM for a video interview with Gail Levin.

    See more on the author's page
  2. Edward Hopper

    Edward Hopper

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    Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more

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Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
49 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Joseph
5.0 out of 5 stars It's a Book
Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2014
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I thought the product was better than advertised, simply because it served its main function of being a book very well. I mean, seriously, how could you be dissatisfied with a book? All it is is a bunch of pages with words printed on them glued together for your enjoyment. Books can't disappoint in that way. But honestly, this thing is super long. That's my fault though, I didn't read that before hand.
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Vernon
5.0 out of 5 stars An informative, insightful biography on Hopper.
Reviewed in the United States on September 17, 2017
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I am still in the process of reading this document on one of America's leading Modern artists. Please be patient and I will return to Re-review this upon completion. Interesting read and well written with plenty of informative biographical records on Hopper and his unique insights.
3 people found this helpful
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joebstewart
4.0 out of 5 stars This Book Is More About Jo Hopper Than About Edward Hopper
Reviewed in the United States on December 5, 2016
At first I loved this book. Then I began to realize that it is really about Hopper's wife Jo. Too much about her and not enought about Hopper.
If that is what Gail Levin wanted she should have called it "Jo Hopper An Intimate Biography".
On the other hand since Hopper was apparently mute most of the time no one knows what he was thinking.
Did he write letters"? Where are they?.
Well at least this a big book on the suffering of Hopper's wife. That should please some women and those married to difficult men even if they
are a genius.
5 people found this helpful
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Judith Meyers
5.0 out of 5 stars good and thorough book
Reviewed in the United States on August 29, 2013
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I recently went to a lecture at the Hopper House here in Nyack, where the author of the wonderful new book, DEAR MR HOPPER was speaking. It piqued my curiosity about more details of Hopper's personal life -- so I bought this book, too. Fills in a lot of information not available elsewhere.
8 people found this helpful
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Russell E Shipp
5.0 out of 5 stars Hopper
Reviewed in the United States on January 7, 2013
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I have not finished reading this long biography, but so far it seems to explain the stark puritanical style of many of Hopper's paintings.
2 people found this helpful
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Judy Ryan
2.0 out of 5 stars This well-researched biography includes many diary entries from Edward Hopper's ...
Reviewed in the United States on August 20, 2015
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This well-researched biography includes many diary entries from Edward Hopper's wife Jo -- they had a tumultous relationship -- which adds a dimension beyond the story of the artist and his work. Her complaints got repetitive after a while, the author could have left some out and the book would be more readable and accessible. But is was very informative, for anyone whe can make it to the end. I did.
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bookfan
5.0 out of 5 stars Two Comedians In Love - Edward and Josephine Hopper
Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2002
Gail Levin's book -Edward Hopper: an Intimate Biography- is about the life of a famous artist, Edward Hopper, as well as that of an obscure artist, Josephine Hopper (the former Josephine Nivison). Mrs. Hopper's detailed diaries, kept up faithfully for decades, are a major source of information for Levin's book. Since this necessarily puts the perspective of the book heavily on Jo's side of the story, no one should consider this one-stop shopping for finding out what made Edward Hopper tick. The Hoppers were a two completely opposite personalities who both complemented and aggravated each other. What I most like about Levin's book is that probably no one else has ever been in Jo Hopper's corner before Levin. Jo usually comes off as the stereotypical shrewish wife who dominated her poor henpecked husband. What a different picture is presented in this book! Instead, their marriage was much more complex, and the love/hate dynamics never seem to have leveled off during the many years they were together. Their story defies my own stereotypcial notion that as people grow old, their emotions level off and they are like two old bookends. Not with these two! I also enjoyed finding out that Edward Hopper was a Bette Davis fan, that he liked Jo to wear her hair down, that Jo's idea of cooking was opening up cans, and that Hopper had to haul buckets of coal up from the basement to feed the coal stove that heated their studio/living quarters. Much of these intimate details are provided courtesy of Jo's diaries, which served as an outlet and a refuge from her stolid husband. Perhaps best of all is the theatricality and eroticism suggested by Jo's descriptions of how they worked together as she posed for many of his paintings. In one of Edward Hopper's last paintings, Two Comedians, he portrays two shy actors taking a little bow: a loving tribute to their long and histrionic collaboration together, in life and in art.
22 people found this helpful
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Ward A. Campbell
5.0 out of 5 stars The book reads like a Hopper painting
Reviewed in the United States on August 28, 2007
Do not be intimidated by this book's length. I am not an art buff, but have become interested in Hopper and plan to attend the upcoming exhibition of his work at the National Gallery of Art in DC this Fall.
I approached this book with trepidation, but found myself drawn into it. I read it compulsively to the finish. There is tremendous detail presented in a simple austere style. It tries to make Hopper's life speak for itself. Thus, the book is a work of art about it's subject--a Hopper.
My only caveat is that you must also have a separate copy of Hopper's works (or at least many of them) to consult. Surprisingly and I think mistakenly, the book does not include copes of the many of the paintings. However, if you are familiar with his work, this is no impediment.
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Top reviews from other countries

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Luis Ortiz Gervasi
2.0 out of 5 stars Deterioro en el estado del libro
Reviewed in Spain on April 13, 2023
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No he tenido oportunidad de leer el libro, pero he tenido oportunidad de ver que algunas de sus hojas (y parte de la portada trasera) estaban dobladas cuando deshice el paquete
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felisfelix
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in Canada on March 28, 2018
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Satisfaite
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G. Sainz
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Biography!
Reviewed in France on January 11, 2013
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Very thorough investigation into the life and work ofd Edward Hopper.
Plenty of photos and illustrations.
However at over 600 pages, one has to love Hopper to dig in this book.
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Ian WD3
5.0 out of 5 stars An outstanding and honest reveal
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 31, 2012
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On 2 June 2004, I viewed an extensive exhibition of Edward Hopper's works at Tate Modern. The show was a revelation and my interest in Hopper's work, only passing to that point, was ignited.

Prior to the Tate Modern exhibition, I was aware of his "Nighthawks" (1942) by virtue of a movie-noir parady and Automat (1927) by virtue of the singer Joni Mitchell's referral to his work; but I think my decision to view the show was fuelled by an article in The Sunday Times around the same time and the absolute narration that seemed to flow out loudly from the images reproduced in the article and pre-publicity material.

Fast forward to 2007 and a trip to Belfast. I needed a good read whilst on business to fill my down time and two evenings. I reached for this biography by Gail Levin (Curator of Hopper's works at the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York).

This is without doubt an incredible biography. Largely taken from Mrs Josephine Hopper's diaries, journals and correspondence concerning her husband's solitary reclusive life and oeurve of work, it reveals an artist frequently at odds with his temperment though never deflected from his goal. Humanity and setting is real and confirmed. This book reveals the inner Hopper.

Unlike the other reviewer, I believe Jo Hopper's story of subordination and tollerance is the right story running alongside. It tells so much about commitment but also of the times they lived in - the roaring 20s, the depression 30s, the warring 40s, the idealogy and expressionism 50s, the dusk of their lives in the 60s. It is an amazing snapshot of an emerging metropolis commercial America of which soon the Hoppers went in search of annual solitude at Cape Cod.

What is a good exercise is to research Levin's other works as well as this one to see how Hopper faired against the Abstract Expressionists of Pollock and Rothko et al. Art changed direction so many times during Hopper's lifetime. From this, it is refreshing to note that Hopper's work remained en-vogue and even today stands up well. As Simon and Garfunkel reveal in verse/song an America of roots, so Hopper does the same in pictorial form - Levin reveals in this biography an insight as to how he achieved this.
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Neil M.
5.0 out of 5 stars A extensive book on hopper recently watched a film which ...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 18, 2017
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A extensive book on hopper recently watched a film which named hopper as a artist imagine finding a long lost hopper now that would be a read.
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