“Thomas Hart Benton is an extremely valuable book for the student of American Culture, as Adams does an excellent job of going beyond the analysis of the murals, illustrations, and easel paintings, with regard to style and subjects, by integrating the art with the travels, writings, and political setting in which the artist was born and matured.”—Journal of American Culture
“His in-depth study of Benton’s artistic abilities at Martha’s Vineyard, his insightful analysis of Benton’s technical process in drawing and printmaking, and his illuminating discussion of authentication and connoisseurship not only add to our understanding of Benton, but also make a meaningful contribution to a scholarly field that too often excludes dealers, collectors, and other actors and aspects of the art market.”—The Annals of Iowa
“Adams’s detailed and knowledgeable analyses of Benton’s work makes clear that the man was an impressive and original twentieth-century figure—a creator, a writer, a musician, and a teacher.”—Gateway, the magazine of the Missouri History Museum
“If you read only one book on Thomas Hart Benton, read this one. It takes a balanced approach.”—Kansas History
“A helpful and heartfelt compendium of all things Benton by a scholar who remains intrigued by his subject, and committed to pronouncing his significance on multiple fronts.”—Missouri Historical Review
“Adams’s Benton differs from the standard image of the artist presented in survey books. This fascinating book gives readers an array of perspectives on Benton’s life, art, and career.”—Indiana Magazine of History
“Unfailingly interesting, this book should be a basic text for students in American art and cultural studies. It should also be required reading for anyone interested in the history of ideas (even mistaken ones) and the tangled interfaces between art, politics, and living. The Benton who emerges here—cultivated, emotional, a bit of a hick, an aesthetic experimenter—is a new Benton, a towering figure in the history of American painting. He’s Harry Truman and an old master muralist rolled into one, a movie star and a one-man show.”—Karal Ann Marling, Professor Emeritus of Art History and American Studies, University of Minnesota
“Very interesting collection of the author’s critical essays on Benton and his work.”—Chronicles