My April pick for our Read Like an Artist book club is Nell Painter’s Old in Art School: A Memoir of Starting Over. To join our discussion next month, sign up now.

Here’s my intro:

Is it ever too late to become an artist?

At the age of 64, Nell Painter, an accomplished historian and writer, best known for her acclaimed bestselling books, The History of White People and Sojourner Truth: A Life, A Symbol, decided to go back to art school. This book is her “memoir of starting over” and details her time navigating a world that is predominantly young and white. Her classmates are shocked by her age and one professor tells her that she will never be a real artist. Despite it all, she finds meaning in the art and artists she loves, and investigates age and race in the art world. This book is a first for the club because… I’ve never actually read the book! It’s been recommended to me by countless people whose taste I admire, and I’ve been meaning to read it for years, so I’ll be reading it along with y’all.

To join our discussion, sign up for the club.