In 18 remarkable essays, John Updike has collected together his thoughts and observations on American art. Beginning with early American portraits and landscapes, he goes on to extol two late-nineteenth-century masters, Winslow Homer and Thomas Eakins, considers the eccentric pre-modern James McNeill Whistler, discusses the competing American Impressionists and Realists of the early twentieth century - and concludes with appreciations of Edward Hopper, Jackson Pollock and Andy Warhol.

The resulting volume is proof that Updike is still looking and seeing what only he can describe.