A.S. Byatt’s books shimmer with all the hues of her critically acclaimed talent and imagination. In The Matisse Stories, this Booker Prize-winning author offers three elegant tales that explore the subtle interplays between mind and eye, heart and hand. In the first, Medusa’s Ankles, a fashionable woman watches her life take on darker, more ominous shades in the mirror of a beauty salon. In the next, Art Work, an eccentric housekeeper’s alarming eye for color leaves its mark on her employers’ lives. Each of these stories, including the last, "The Chinese Lobster", is like a finely crafted jewel.

Rich imagery and effortless narratives make The Matisse Stories an unforgettable listening experience. The characters are sketched with a sureness that confirms A.S. Byatt’s artistry. And through the nuances of Virginia Leishman’s eloquent narration, the listener is brought into a rare world of heightened sensibilities and perceptions.