The Rape of the Muse - Tapa dura

Rand Taber, one of The Times'"25 artists under 25 to watch" has painter's block. He needs to get out of New York and work again. Introduced to Harris Montrose, an artistic giant and eccentric who has secluded himself in Providence, Rhode Island, Rand becomes Montrose's studio assistant. Rand has a front row seat on the deteriorating relationship between Montrose and his life-long friend, the sculptor Simon Pruhar.When Montrose puts Pruhar in his new picture, "The Rape of the Muse," and publishes it in Vanity Fair, his oldest friend sues for libel. Rand's journey, as he falls for a woman who pushes him to paint again, is one of artistic inspiration, love and betrayal, hero worship and disappointment. This novel is based on a true art world rivalry and courtroom drama.

Michael Stein is the author of five novels. His most recent, In The Age Of Love, was a national Booksense/Indie Reader's Choice selection. His first book of non-fiction, The Lonely Patient: How We Experience Illness, won the 2007 Christopher Award. The New York Times called his second non-fiction book (2009), The Addict:One Patient, One Doctor, One Year, "idiosyncratic, gripping and illuminating." He teaches at Brown University.