If you want a better understanding of Wyeth's artistic process, this book is definitely for you. Wyeth's thoughtful and informative insights into the creation of his art are the reason this book is important. Despite Hoving's fawning and questions that lack depth, the book is a marvelous look at this artist's approach to a variety subjects. Wyeth explains with passion and depth why he chose different scenes, the gradual evolution of his concepts, and the reason a particular medium (watercolor, drybrush, tempera, etc.) was chosen to complete the work.
Focusing on his work in Maine and Pennsylvania, Wyeth takes you through his process from first conceptual sketches to finished work, clearly relating his process to the reader in a concise and revealing manner. The emphasis here is on the art, with a wide variety of work discussed and displayed. The one flaw was the book could easily have been edited to eliminate the questions and allow Wyeth to ruminate unencumbered by the clumsiness of these interruptions.