An ex-library paperback; large corner of top cover is ripped. The book is in good condition.
Amazon.com review:
There are only 35 known Vermeers extant in the world today. In Girl in Hyacinth Blue, Susan Vreeland posits the existence of a 36th. The story begins at a private boys' academy in Pennsylvania where, in the wake of a faculty member's unexpected death, math teacher Cornelius Engelbrecht makes a surprising revelation to one of his colleagues. He has, he claims, an authentic Vermeer painting, "a most extraordinary painting in which a young girl wearing a short blue smock over a rust-colored skirt sat in profile at a table by an open window." His colleague, an art teacher, is skeptical and though the technique and subject matter are persuasively Vermeer-like, Engelbrecht can offer no hard evidence--no appraisal, no papers--to support his claim. He says only that his father, "who always had a quick eye for fine art, picked it up, let us say, at an advantageous moment." Eventually it is revealed that Engelbrecht's father was a Nazi in charge of rounding up Dutch Jews for deportation and that the picture was looted from one doomed family's home...

This book is going out on a bookray journey next week. The members are:
rern (NY)
caligula03 (California)
pchemphd (Florida)
CrazyPooka (Oregon)
kbgoffe (Oregon)
skcreader (Virginia)
wandeca (Canada)
blacksheep99 (Austria)
talkland (UK)

Please journal the book as soon as you get it and PM the next person after you for their address, so you would have it available. Then read it as soon as possible - preferably within 3 weeks, and send it on, and post/edit a journal entry that it is traveling on. Enjoy! :)

If you want to join this bookray while it's already traveling, you may be added at the end of the list if you are willing to mail internationally or pay for international shipping to you if the last member is unable to do so.

Released on Thursday, August 14, 2003 at Bookray in BROOKLYN, New York USA.

Just recieved this book, was out of town since aug 16. This looks like a great book hope to get it out to the next bx'er by the weekend! Will journal again when I'm finished.

This was a beautiful story although confusing at times.
It reminded me of the movie The Red Violin. I would like to read othe novels by this author. This book travels on its way to Caligula03

I just got the book. I'm looking forward to reading this book. Would you believe the that the author was my highschool creative writing teacher? LOL! :)

Anyway, you can track my progress on my profile.

The Girl in Hyacinth blue is a classic example of Susan Vreeland's favorite type of story telling--where an object inspires and determines a course of story. One writing assignment we had in highschool was to write a story based on an object that we randomly chose out of a box. In the case of this novel, the Girl in Hyacinth blue is the object and in some regards, the protagonist. I love how the story unwinds itself back to its origins, to see just how it is that the painting arrived at its final owner. The theme of an objects life melds perfectly with the mission of Book Crossing.

On a side note, I found it fascinating that Ms Vreeland is still teaching creative writing. When I took her class back in 1990-1, her carreer as a writer had only just started. She had gotten "What Loves Sees" published and was working to get a second book published. It wasn't until joining Book Crossing that I learned that she had done well for herself as a writer. I'm very pleased that she has because she was one of the best teachers I ever had. :)

Release planned for Monday, November 24, 2003 at pchemphd in n/a, n/a Controlled Releases.

Will mail to pchemphd tomorrow.

Book arrived, safe and sound. Thank you!

I've sent a PM to the next reader and it will be sent out as soon as I have an address. Meanwhile, please forgive me for the delay, and I'm going to sit down and read the book right now.

This book works it's way backwards through the life of a painting. I thought it was very well-written and an unusual approach. A very pleasant way to spend a Saturday evening.

CrazyPooka asked that I skip her. I'll contact the next person.

Released on Wednesday, June 16, 2004 at fellow bookcrosser in fellow bookcrosser, postal release USA.

Sending this book out to the next reader. Enjoy!

I received this in the mail the other day - next on my TBR stack!

A lovely book - posting to the next....

ups, I completely forgot about this book and got another copy of it from another bookcrosser last week.

Therefore I´ll pm the next one and send the book right away - thanks a lot for sharing!

Will be posted to the UK tomorrow - I hope you´ll enjoy it :-)

The book arrived this morning.

A beautifully told story about the owners of a Vermeer painting from the present day back through time to when the picture was first inspired.