Everyday Monet: Book Review

As we move into fall, I thought that I might share a book that I will have in my backpack for my journey. Everyday Monet, by Aileen Bordman takes the reader inside Monet’s gardens at Giverny for a personal tour with history, photographs, and recipes to appeal to all the senses. She shares this experience with observations from her mother Helen Rappel Boardman, who is one of the handful of Americans responsible for the renaissance of Monet’s home and garden at Giverny.

While the reader is given a brief history of Monet’s life as an artist, the author shares his passion for taking everyday moments and turning them into special events. He built Giverny with this in mind and has left behind some of the most incredible works of art that were created there. The photographs of the grounds and home are breathtaking. I have visited Giverny twice and trust me, you will not be able to capture the beauty of Boardman’s photographic skills. Besides that, it is a very popular tourist destination and can be very crowded at times. More importantly though, she gives us insight into how we can incorporate such passion for everyday moments in our lives.

Monet loved to have simple picnics outdoors on warm summer afternoons. I picture some wine, cheese, fruit, and of course the crusty bread spread out in a field of wildflowers under a tree. He shared this passion through his paintings and in his life with family and friends. Readers are inspired to seek out everyday moments in their lives and to celebrate the memory being created. For myself, I have decided to embrace this philosophy by sharing my Moonflower Moments with you, and I thank Aileen Bordman for this incredible gift.