The masterpiece
(Book - Regular Print)

Includes bibliographical references.

"For the nearly nine million people who live in New York City, Grand Central Terminal is a crown jewel, a masterpiece of design. But for Clara Darden and Virginia Clay, it represents something quite different. For Clara, the terminal is the stepping stone to her future, which she is certain will shine as the brightly as the constellations on the main concourse ceiling. It is 1928, and twenty-five-year-old Clara is teaching at the lauded Grand Central School of Art. A talented illustrator, she has dreams of creating cover art for Vogue, but not even the prestige of the school can override the public's disdain for a "woman artist." Brash, fiery, confident, and single-minded--even while juggling the affections of two men, a wealthy would-be poet and a brilliant experimental painter--Clara is determined to achieve every creative success. But she and her bohemian friends have no idea that they'll soon be blindsided by the looming Great Depression, an insatiable monster with the power to destroy the entire art scene. Nearly fifty years later, in 1974, the terminal has declined almost as sharply as Virginia Clay's life. Full of grime and danger, from the smoke-blackened ceiling to the pickpockets and drug dealers who roam the floor, Grand Central is at the center of a fierce lawsuit: Is the once-grand building a landmark to be preserved, or a cancer to be demolished? For Virginia, it is simply her last resort"--,Provided by publisher.

1928. For the people who live in New York City, Grand Central Terminal is a crown jewel, a masterpiece of design. For Clara Darden, the terminal is the stepping stone to her future. She is teaching at the lauded Grand Central School of Art, and dreams of creating cover art for Vogue. She's juggling the affections of two very different men-- with no idea they'll soon be blindsided by the looming Great Depression. In 1974 the terminal is full of grime and danger, from the smoke-blackened ceiling to the drug dealers who roam the floor. Recently divorced, Virginia Clay has accepted a job in the information booth to support herself and her daughter. Discovering an abandoned watercolor within the terminal, Virginia embarks on a quest to find the artist. -- adapted from publisher info