The English Face

Despite writing with a general audience in mind, Piper can at times get a little deep for the average layperson. But nevertheless, The English Face was an excellent education for a numpty like me. When it comes to art I have no talent, no knowledge, and only the dimmest comprehension. Yet despite skimming the more difficult parts, I reached the end feeling I'd learned an enormous amount, had greatly improved my mind, and was much closer to an understanding of why so many people in portraits from the 17th and 18th centuries were so ugly and bug-eyed.