What Are You Looking At?
150 Years of Modern Art in the Blink of an Eye
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Prime members: New to Audible?Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
What Are You Looking At?
Buy for $1.43
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Roy McMillan
-
By:
-
Will Gompertz
About this listen
Penguin presents the unabridged, downloadable audiobook edition of What Are You Looking At? by Will Gompertz, read by Roy McMilllan. What is modern art? Why do we either love it or loathe it? And why is it worth so much damn money? Join Will Gompertz on a dazzling tour that will change the way you look at modern art forever. From Monet's water lilies to Van Gogh's sunflowers, from Warhol's soup cans to Hirst's pickled shark, hear the stories behind the masterpieces, meet the artists as they really were, and discover the real point of modern art. You will learn: not all conceptual art is bollocks; Picasso is king (but zanne is better); Pollock is no drip; Dali painted with his moustache; a urinal changed the course of art; and why your 5-year-old really couldn't do it. Refreshing, irreverent and always straightforward, What Are You Looking At? asks all the basic questions that you were too afraid to ask. Your next gallery trip is going to be a little less intimidating and a lot more interesting.
©2014 Will Gompertz (P)2014 Penguin AudioRelated to this topic
-
The Wonder of Stevie
- By: Wesley Morris
- Narrated by: Wesley Morris, Michelle Obama, Barack Obama, and others
- Length: 6 hrs and 10 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 738
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 692
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 692
The year 1972 saw the beginning of a five-year span in which Stevie Wonder released five groundbreaking, critically acclaimed albums, garnering him more than half a dozen Grammys and more than 10 million albums sold, securing his place as one of the most important American musicians and songwriters in history. For the first time, uncover the untold story of an extraordinary artistic journey that shaped the greatest creative era in popular music history.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Good but not great
- By Anonymous User on 09-14-24
By: Wesley Morris
-
The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window
- By: Lorraine Hansberry
- Narrated by: Oscar Isaac, Rachel Brosnahan, Gus Birney, and others
- Length: 2 hrs and 7 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall3.5 out of 5 stars 76
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 71
-
Story3 out of 5 stars 71
Fresh off the success of her groundbreaking first play, A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry's The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window tells the tragicomic story of a young bohemian couple in New York's Greenwich Village, struggling to do what's right in a world that rewards everything that's wrong. Sidney is a dreamer who wants his own Walden Pond; Iris is a budding actress whose own backstory is a performance. They're caught in a moment where, "the world is about to crack right down the middle," as the play tackles racism, sexism, antisemitism, homophobia, liberal complacency, and more.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent performance of Hansberry play
- By Betsy Fowler on 11-30-24
-
We Were All Rooting For You
- By: Franchesca Ramsey
- Narrated by: Franchesca Ramsey
- Length: 4 hrs and 21 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 55
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 53
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 53
The resurgence of viral clips from the long-running hit reality television show America’s Next Top Model left fans and foes alike wondering–how did a show so outrageous and at times offensive ever get on the air? For years, Americans dutifully watched as contestants faced uncomfortable situations regarding their race and gender, body-shaming, stereotyping, and problematic photoshoots. The show, which first premiered in 2003 and ran for 24 cycles, was helmed by supermodel Tyra Banks–the first Black female host of a smash network reality show.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Emphasis on "woke-style" criticism
- By Karen J. on 12-24-24
-
The True Story of The Coward Brothers
- By: Elvis Costello
- Narrated by: T Bone Burnett, Elvis Costello, Rhea Seehorn, and others
- Length: 1 hr and 43 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 78
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 75
-
Story3.5 out of 5 stars 75
The True Story of The Coward Brothers follows two musical brothers – one English, one American, both the illegitimate sons of dubious parentage who may, as they claim to be, "one and half-brothers" – perhaps a reference to the disparity in their height and relative talents.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Cute
- By NRo on 11-26-24
By: Elvis Costello
-
Beat the Devil
- By: David Hare, Donald Katz - Introduction
- Narrated by: David Hare
- Length: 1 hr and 10 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 135
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 123
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 123
In the spring of 2020, as the world grappled with the deepening coronavirus pandemic, acclaimed British screenwriter and playwright David Hare was struck down by the virus himself. With brutal honesty, sharp humor, and his trademark insight, the renowned writer of modern classics like Skylight and Plenty brings us into his own experience battling the bizarre and terrifying symptoms of Covid-19.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Almost Hilarious If Not Sad
- By Anonymous User on 10-30-24
By: David Hare, and others
-
Weird Scenes Inside the Canyon
- Laurel Canyon, Covert Ops, and the Dark Heart of the Hippie Dream
- By: David McGowan
- Narrated by: Bill Fike
- Length: 14 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 836
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 701
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 704
The very strange but nevertheless true story of the dark underbelly of a 1960s hippie utopia. Laurel Canyon in the 1960s and early 1970s was a magical place where a dizzying array of musical artists congregated to create much of the music that provided the soundtrack to those turbulent times. But there was a dark side to that scene as well. Many didn't make it out alive, and many of those deaths remain shrouded in mystery to this day.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
My first review. This book changed me.
- By Robert on 06-30-19
By: David McGowan
-
The Wonder of Stevie
- By: Wesley Morris
- Narrated by: Wesley Morris, Michelle Obama, Barack Obama, and others
- Length: 6 hrs and 10 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 738
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 692
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 692
The year 1972 saw the beginning of a five-year span in which Stevie Wonder released five groundbreaking, critically acclaimed albums, garnering him more than half a dozen Grammys and more than 10 million albums sold, securing his place as one of the most important American musicians and songwriters in history. For the first time, uncover the untold story of an extraordinary artistic journey that shaped the greatest creative era in popular music history.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Good but not great
- By Anonymous User on 09-14-24
By: Wesley Morris
-
The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window
- By: Lorraine Hansberry
- Narrated by: Oscar Isaac, Rachel Brosnahan, Gus Birney, and others
- Length: 2 hrs and 7 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall3.5 out of 5 stars 76
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 71
-
Story3 out of 5 stars 71
Fresh off the success of her groundbreaking first play, A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry's The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window tells the tragicomic story of a young bohemian couple in New York's Greenwich Village, struggling to do what's right in a world that rewards everything that's wrong. Sidney is a dreamer who wants his own Walden Pond; Iris is a budding actress whose own backstory is a performance. They're caught in a moment where, "the world is about to crack right down the middle," as the play tackles racism, sexism, antisemitism, homophobia, liberal complacency, and more.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent performance of Hansberry play
- By Betsy Fowler on 11-30-24
-
We Were All Rooting For You
- By: Franchesca Ramsey
- Narrated by: Franchesca Ramsey
- Length: 4 hrs and 21 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 55
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 53
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 53
The resurgence of viral clips from the long-running hit reality television show America’s Next Top Model left fans and foes alike wondering–how did a show so outrageous and at times offensive ever get on the air? For years, Americans dutifully watched as contestants faced uncomfortable situations regarding their race and gender, body-shaming, stereotyping, and problematic photoshoots. The show, which first premiered in 2003 and ran for 24 cycles, was helmed by supermodel Tyra Banks–the first Black female host of a smash network reality show.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Emphasis on "woke-style" criticism
- By Karen J. on 12-24-24
-
The True Story of The Coward Brothers
- By: Elvis Costello
- Narrated by: T Bone Burnett, Elvis Costello, Rhea Seehorn, and others
- Length: 1 hr and 43 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 78
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 75
-
Story3.5 out of 5 stars 75
The True Story of The Coward Brothers follows two musical brothers – one English, one American, both the illegitimate sons of dubious parentage who may, as they claim to be, "one and half-brothers" – perhaps a reference to the disparity in their height and relative talents.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Cute
- By NRo on 11-26-24
By: Elvis Costello
-
Beat the Devil
- By: David Hare, Donald Katz - Introduction
- Narrated by: David Hare
- Length: 1 hr and 10 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 135
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 123
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 123
In the spring of 2020, as the world grappled with the deepening coronavirus pandemic, acclaimed British screenwriter and playwright David Hare was struck down by the virus himself. With brutal honesty, sharp humor, and his trademark insight, the renowned writer of modern classics like Skylight and Plenty brings us into his own experience battling the bizarre and terrifying symptoms of Covid-19.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Almost Hilarious If Not Sad
- By Anonymous User on 10-30-24
By: David Hare, and others
-
Weird Scenes Inside the Canyon
- Laurel Canyon, Covert Ops, and the Dark Heart of the Hippie Dream
- By: David McGowan
- Narrated by: Bill Fike
- Length: 14 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 836
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 701
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 704
The very strange but nevertheless true story of the dark underbelly of a 1960s hippie utopia. Laurel Canyon in the 1960s and early 1970s was a magical place where a dizzying array of musical artists congregated to create much of the music that provided the soundtrack to those turbulent times. But there was a dark side to that scene as well. Many didn't make it out alive, and many of those deaths remain shrouded in mystery to this day.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
My first review. This book changed me.
- By Robert on 06-30-19
By: David McGowan
-
Shelved
- By: Emrys Maxwell, Tom Maxwell
- Narrated by: Emrys Maxwell, Tom Maxwell
- Length: 7 hrs and 2 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 5
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 4
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 4
SHELVED explores the history and drama behind albums that were deemed too controversial, too far from the beaten path, or too ahead of their time for public consumption. Through interviews with musicians, producers, record executives, and journalists, as well as archival audio, key music and personal storytelling, each episode examines the “shelved” album’s place in musical history, and the spectacles behind each missed or nearly missed release.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
For Real Music Lovers & Music Heads
- By Kait Walsh on 12-11-24
By: Emrys Maxwell, and others
-
Petty: The Biography
- By: Warren Zanes
- Narrated by: Warren Zanes
- Length: 13 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,076
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,847
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,843
No one other than Warren Zanes, rocker and writer and friend, could author a book about Tom Petty that is as honest and evocative of Petty's music and the remarkable rock and roll history he and his band helped to write. Born in Gainesville, Florida, with more than a little hillbilly in his blood, Tom Petty was a Southern shit kicker, a kid without a whole lot of promise. Rock and roll made it otherwise.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Tom Petty gets some bio love
- By tru britty on 12-15-15
By: Warren Zanes
-
Farewell Yellow Brick Road
- Memories of My Life on Tour
- By: Elton John, David Furnish - foreword
- Narrated by: Richard Armitage, Vikas Adam, Daniel Henning, and others
- Length: 6 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 19
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 19
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 19
Farewell Yellow Brick Road is a celebration of Elton John's record-breaking, globe-spanning farewell tour—from Allentown to Auckland, from Sydney to San Francisco. Featured concerts include Elton’s dazzling performances at Los Angeles’ Dodger Stadium in November 2022, the finale of which streamed live on Disney+. Fans will be treated to a behind-the-scenes glimpse into every aspect of these spectacular shows, including Elton’s legendary touring wardrobe by Gucci, the set design, official photography, and more.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Wonderful
- By Anonymous User on 12-26-24
By: Elton John, and others
-
The Godfather: A Film We Can't Refuse
- By: Paramount Pictures
- Narrated by: Rebecca Keegan
- Length: 8 hrs and 27 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 259
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 236
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 236
With exclusive insights from the legendary cast, including Al Pacino, Robert Duvall, Robert De Niro, and Talia Shire, and commentary from a diverse array of film experts and ardent aficionados, we dissect the film’s magnetic allure and its pervasive influence across our culture. Journey alongside Rebecca Keegan, acclaimed senior film editor at The Hollywood Reporter, as she explores the heart of this cinematic masterpiece through a new lens.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Deep dive into The Godfather
- By C.F. on 08-28-24
-
Alex Newell and the Gospel of a Diva
- By: Alex Newell
- Narrated by: Alex Newell
- Length: 1 hr and 3 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 17
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 16
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 16
From a breakout role in the smash-hit Glee to breaking barriers as the first nonbinary-identifying Tony Award winner for their featured performance in Shucked, Alex Newell is no stranger to the spotlight. Now, listen to the talented trailblazer as you’ve never seen them before in their intimate new show, Alex Newell and the Gospel of a Diva. Alex shares untold stories from their remarkable life and career alongside a selection of their favorite tunes.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
An Entertainer's Entertainer
- By Phoebe Stratton on 12-13-24
By: Alex Newell
-
A Streetcar Named Desire
- By: Tennessee Williams
- Narrated by: Carla Gugino, Audra McDonald
- Length: 2 hrs and 52 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,237
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,092
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,084
With Emmy, Grammy, and six-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald as Blanche DuBois alongside Carla Gugino as Stella, O’Hara takes a fresh and visceral look at the emotionally charged relationship between these two iconic sisters. Haunted by her past, Blanche seeks refuge with Stella and Stanley (Ariel Shafir) in New Orleans, where she wrestles with the nature of her sister’s husband, her sister’s denial, and her own unraveling mind.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Classic With Fresh Insight
- By Talia Shafir on 12-04-20
What listeners say about What Are You Looking At?
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ben
- 04-03-15
An insightful listen
I thoroughly enjoyed the performance and highly recommend it.
I was a little sceptical as to how an art book would go as an audio book but as I have a bit of an art background I thought why not. So glad I did. Will covers in detail the movement and inspiration of the various art movements from the impressionists to today. Insightful, funny and a great performance by Roy McMillan. I did stop the book at times to google the various artworks he described but I found that did not impact on my enjoyment at all.
Five stars without a doubt.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 07-03-22
Good book, explained
Now before going to see any kind of art need to see/watch/explore/experience the idea behind the art. The greatest outcome - be present when you are with Art.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Dora D
- 06-28-18
A seamlessly woven story of modern art.
This is a very solid introductory book into modern art (and even a bit of contemporary art). Gompertz provides a systematic, clearly explained (though slightly oversimplified - but that is to be expected from a "popular" book) history of modern art and mentions all the most notable names, movements, dates, and works. But all of this is integrated into a series of stories which make the book fun to read and the information in it just so easy to remember.
I would definitely recommend reading it rather than listening to it even though all the works are easy to visualize the way Gompertz describes them. You can always look them up, but this is just an unnecessary complication and gets in the way of really enjoying the book.
Even though the book is quite basic, which is to be expected from something that covers such a broad range of subjects, I think a good number of professionals (art historians, art history students, museologists, gallery-workers, etc.) could definitely benefit from Gompertz's simple approach to art and, more importantly, his uncomplicated way of writing about art.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Darren
- 04-08-16
Good read for any level of art knowledge
Read this to refresh my knowledge of art, was very easy to listen to. Strongly recommended!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Valeriya
- 12-08-18
Amazing and the most profound book for a beginner like me
I’ve read a lot of other books about the art history , but this one is the most profound and interesting . So many references and explanations of why the art piece is considered art. Why this art piece is there in terms of the history and art history context
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Beatriz Santana
- 10-26-15
What are you looking at 150 years of modern Art
Would you listen to What Are You Looking At? again? Why?
Amazing book! I purchased it to help me with a modern art class and I loved it. I would recommend it,
What was one of the most memorable moments of What Are You Looking At??
I enjoyed the whole book.
Have you listened to any of Roy McMillan’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
No
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
Every chapter was interesting and informative.
Any additional comments?
Great way to understand what happened with art at this time.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance3 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Andrej
- 09-07-19
Great read. A bit hard to listen
Can't say I became such an art connoisseur after reading this, but I definitely went from the state "never to go an art gallery" to "make a detour to go to an art gallery". If you want to understand better (but still not completely in my case :)), why the heck someone would pay $60 mil. for Malevich's "Black square", this book not only will satisfy your curiosity, but will also expose you to the vast variety of art works you've never heard of before.
A bit hard to listen to this as an audiobook, a lot of names and verbal descriptions of the artwork. The narrator did not make it any easier, even though the diction was good and the intonation was not robotic, the reading speed was too fast and hard to follow.
In the end, I had to read the text book as well and look up all the pictures. Took quite a bit more time than I expected, but it was fun.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 06-11-24
Well written and great narration
Well written and great narration. Provides a great insight that allows you to see art pieces with different eyes.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Chipper
- 01-21-15
Good book. Well read.
Informative overview, real knowledge with a good sense of humor. Reader delivers it perfectly. Well worth a listen for art lovers and those curious.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Nigel
- 08-30-16
Nothing short of awesome
An amazing journey through a little over a century of art and artists. Fascinating insights into the gamut of modern art movements. Detailed analysis of many different pieces of art. All built into a magnificent synthesis of the how the big picture flowed through history. I really enjoyed this book and heartily recommend it to anyone with one or more artistic bones in their being.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!