{"title":"Books by Susan Goldman Rubin","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"9781419725449","title":"Coco Chanel","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eA bold life of fashion, independence, and reinvention—told for the next generation of changemakers.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e From the orphanage to the runway, Coco Chanel’s story is one of grit, vision, and transformation. This engaging biography introduces the woman behind the little black dress, the iconic pearls, and the world’s most famous perfume.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Through vivid storytelling and rich historical context, explore how Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel defied expectations and reshaped the fashion industry forever. This engaging nonfiction biography is crafted for middle grade and teen readers and includes color and black-and-white photographs, a bibliography, a list of where to see her work, and an index.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Award-winning author Susan Goldman Rubin brings Chanel’s journey to life with clarity and inspiration, tracing her early struggles, her rise as a designer, and her fierce independence in a time when women were expected to marry rather than lead. The book explores Chanel’s rivalry with Elsa Schiaparelli, her groundbreaking designs like the quilted purse with gold chain, and her creation of Chanel No. 5—each a symbol of her enduring legacy.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e This biography balances historical insight with accessible prose, making it ideal for classroom use, independent reading, or gift-giving to budding fashionistas and history lovers. Reviews praise the book’s “well-designed” layout and its empowering message for young audiences, highlighting Chanel’s determination to succeed on her own terms.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eCoco Chanel: Pearls, Perfume, and the Little Black Dress\u003c\/i\u003e is more than a fashion biography—it’s a celebration of creativity, courage, and the power of self-expression. Whether readers dream of designing, leading, or simply being themselves, Chanel’s story offers timeless inspiration.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e“Rubin’s biography is clear-sighted about Chanel’s faults while extolling her fashion genius. Her source notes and bibliography are meticulous, as is the book’s design . . . This will attract young fashion mavens eager to learn about design history.” —\u003ci\u003eBooklist \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56299440865653,"sku":"9781419725449","price":13.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781419725449_141a3cc3-6747-4c53-bdcc-b1a0f1cde227.jpg?v=1786019892"},{"product_id":"9781419721311","title":"Quilts of Gee's Bend","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eShare the extraordinary creative legacy of the women of Gee's Bend, Alabama, whose improvisational quilts have been recognized globally as one of the most important contributions to American art history.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis gorgeous 56-page book is especially for readers 8 to 12 but will be appreciated by all ages. It celebrates the collective genius of these quilters, descendants of the enslaved people who lived on the former cotton plantation, who transformed necessity into stunning, abstract artistry.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMore than just a catalogue, this book is an intimate journey into the history, lives, and unique aesthetic language of the women of the Gee's Bend collective, located in a remote Black community on the Alabama River. Their work, often compared to masterpieces of modern art by artists like Paul Klee and Piet Mondrian, is characterized by:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eBold Improvisation:\u003c\/b\u003e A distinctive style that defies traditional quilting patterns, utilizing asymmetry, startling color combinations, and recycled materials like denim and work clothes.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eDeep Heritage:\u003c\/b\u003e A powerful visual link to African American history, traditional textile work, and the resilience of a rural community.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eThe Quilters' Voices:\u003c\/b\u003e Featuring compelling portraits of the artists and original interviews that tell their stories in their own words, providing crucial context for the art they created.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis book is an essential visual archive for artists, art historians, textile enthusiasts, and anyone interested in the profound beauty and enduring power of American folk art.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA map, directions on how to make a quilt square, endnotes, and an index round out this stunning nonfiction book.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56299459740021,"sku":"9781419721311","price":17.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781419721311_a86bcc4e-93b0-48af-aeb2-c2c97ad0decb.jpg?v=1786019861"},{"product_id":"9781419728433","title":"Degas, Painter of Ballerinas","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eThrough Edgar Degas’s beloved paintings, drawings, and sculptures, award-winning author Susan Goldman Rubin—in collaboration with The Metropolitan Museum of Art—conveys the wonder and excitement of the ballet world. \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Degas is one of the most celebrated painters of the impressionist movement, and his ballerina paintings are among the most favorite of his fans. In his artwork, Degas captures every moment, from the relentless hours of practice to the glamour of appearing on stage, revealing a dancer’s journey from novice to prima ballerina. Observing young students, Degas drew their poses again and again, determined to achieve perfection.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The book includes a brief biography of his entire life, endnotes, bibliography, where to see his paintings, and an index.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e“A beautiful, engaging, and informative book . . . it’s hard to find fault with this enchanting book. It’s the perfect gift for aspiring artists and dancers.” —New York Journal of Books\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56299463934325,"sku":"9781419728433","price":13.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781419728433_7e2592e7-824a-4ef5-b251-fa3039341183.jpg?v=1786019923"},{"product_id":"9781419754364","title":"Dragonflies of Glass","description":"\u003cb\u003eFrom award-winning kids’ nonfiction author Susan Goldman Rubin, and radiantly illustrated by Susanna Chapman, the picture book \u003ci\u003eDragonflies of Glass\u003c\/i\u003e celebrates the innovation, determination, and ambition of the brilliant woman artist behind the world-famous Tiffany glass\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e In the mid-nineteenth century, most women who weren’t raising families became teachers or nurses. But Clara Driscoll longed to be an artist, drawing inspiration from nature: from every flower, weed, dragonfly, and even cobweb, on her family’s farm.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e In 1888, Clara was hired at the renowned Tiffany Glass Company, where Mr. Louis Comfort Tiffany was known for creating gorgeous stained-glass windows for churches, theaters, and libraries. Impressed by her talent at choosing and cutting glass, Mr. Tiffany eventually put Clara in charge of her own staff of 35 women designers.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e These “Tiffany Girls” sketched intricate patterns, chose dazzling colors and precise shapes, and carefully soldered and placed each piece of glass to create stunning lamps, murals, windows, vases, and clocks. Yet their names weren’t always credited on the finished pieces, and when Clara designed the “Wisteria” lamp that would become Tiffany Studios’ most famous, everyone assumed that Mr. Tiffany had designed it.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Today, Clara Driscoll‘s work lives on in museums, galleries, and private collections around the world. \u003ci\u003eDragonflies of Glass\u003c\/i\u003e celebrates the innovation, determination, and ambition of the unsung women behind many of Tiffany Studios’ masterpieces.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Includes a list of places where Driscoll’s Tiffany art can be found; examples of Driscoll’s Tiffany lamps and archival photographs; endnotes; and a bibliography.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56299471044981,"sku":"9781419754364","price":13.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781419754364_c7edb1b0-39e9-40ff-af95-440d9a2f2dd2.jpg?v=1786019290"}],"url":"https:\/\/backstory.london\/collections\/author-susan-goldman-rubin.oembed","provider":"Backstory","version":"1.0","type":"link"}