The Opposite of Art

Title: THE OPPOSITE OF ART
Author: Athol Dickson
Publisher: Howard Books
September 2011
ISBN: 978-1-4165-8348-6
Genre: Inspirational/contemporary

Ridler loves one woman and one thing. The woman, Suzanna, is from Harlem, and knows she’s wrong being with Ridler, but she can’t stay away. Ridler loves painting and he is good at what he does. But he isn’t so good with money, so the man that shows his art is getting rich, robbing Ridler with every painting he sells.

It all falls apart when Suzanna decides she can’t live with herself anymore. She’s ashamed of her life when she’s with Ridler. So, she refuses to pose nude for him anymore. And then, she walks out. Ridler realizes what he’s lost the moment she leaves of course, so he goes after her. But, instead of finding her, he is hit by a hit and run driver, and presumed dead in the Harlem River.

Fifty years later, rumors begin to circulate that Ridler is still alive…and two people are hunting for him. One is the daughter he never knew existed. And the other is the man who wants him dead.

Althol Dickson writes like no one else. I wasn’t real sure what I’d think of this book, and opening the page to a scene with a stoned hero was kind of a slap in the face. But Mr. Dickson’s writing style is such that whether I liked Ridler or not, I HAD to keep reading. I was sucked into the story, and couldn’t put it down for anything.

Yes, there were a lot of things I didn’t like. Some things I found confusing. Other things disagreed with everything I believed. But Mr. Dickson had me firmly in the grips of this story and I read it start to finish in one day, neglecting my own work. (Don’t tell my husband or my agent.) If you have never read any books by Mr. Dickson, then you must read THE OPPOSITE OF ART or any of his other books. Discussion questions and an author question and answer are included at the end of the book. $15.99. 362 pages.