For the Minds and Wills of Men – Book Club Kit

FOR THE MINDS

MANHATTAN, 1953. Fear of communist subversion and espionage are tearing America apart. Abstract expressionism is on the verge of exploding, making New York the cultural epicenter of the world. While recovering a stolen Jackson Pollock for a wealthy client, art insurer Will Oxley falls for the client’s daughter, Liz Bower, who leads him deep into the rebellious and seductive world of the abstract expressionist painters, their Village bar haunts and East Hampton binges. But when Will learns the painting-and Liz-may be hiding communist secrets better left hidden, he finds himself torn between exposing the girl he loves or risking his life by trusting her instead. Realizing nothing is as it seems, Will is caught between communist espionage, secret government programs, and the grip of cold war fear, suspicion, and betrayal where trust is all he has left…

With post-World War II New York, 1950s avant-garde art world, and the House Un-American Activities Committee hearings as background, the novel tells the story of abstract expressionism and mid-century American politics- through the thrilling search for a stolen Jackson Pollock.

PRAISE FOR FOR THE MINDS AND WILLS OF MEN

*2023 INDIEREADER AWARD WINNER: 1^ST PLACE FICTION*

“Lanier brilliantly evokes the energy and excitement of the New York art world in this Cold War thriller with an artistic twist. Along the way, he gives us fascinating insights into Abstract Expressionism and the power of art to communicate values and ideas.”

–Ross King, Acclaimed art historian and New York Times bestselling author of The Judgment of Paris, Brunelleschi’s Dome, and Michelangelo and The Pope’s Ceiling.

Book Club Tool Kit for

FOR THE MINDS AND WILLS OF MEN

by Jeff Lanier

 Interesting tidbits to consider:

Discussion questions to keep the conversation going:

1. What is the significance of the title, For the Minds and Wills of Men, and how does it represent one strategy of the Cold War?
2. One of the book’s themes is trust and mistrust. How is this reflected in the novel and how is the theme apropos for the Cold War and McCarthyism in America? Are there elements of mistrust in our society today?
3. Liz Bower represents a ‘Cold Warrior’ (as does Dickie) and the lesser-known men and women who engaged in the cultural and phycological war. What surprises you about her character? And was she a reliable character even though she had secrets to hide? Could she be considered a protagonist?
4. At the time, most people didn’t believe abstract expressionism was art nor that abstract expressionists were artists. Many people still have that view today about modern and contemporary art. Is there a definition of an art object, or can there be one that is universally applied? What is the definition of beauty and is it necessarily part of the definition of an art object?
5. The CIA sought to influence the foreign intellectual community by demonstrating what could be done in a free world, by flooding their communities with propaganda images. What do you think about governments exercising phycological warfare? Have we seen similar tactics today?
6. Did the novel change your perception of art and the countries and cultures from which it came? Liz says, “Great nations need great art.” Can you think of other periods in time where the art represents the country and how does the art accomplish this? (For example, French Impressionism and Italian Renaissance?)
7. Who would you consider to be the antagonist of the story? Is it Ira? And can his views be unpacked and understood to some extent? How do we view McCarthyism seventy years later?
8. Near the end of the novel, Will asks the question, if the CIA was funding their psychological war today, why not tomorrow? He says to Pritchett, “I think you’re right, Lou. We don’t ever know. Nothing is as it seems, and I expect it never will be.” Knowing how the CIA secretly used foundations as conduits to fund art exhibits, magazines, newspapers, banks, and universities, does that knowledge change your view of the world around you today?
9. In what ways does Will change by the end of the novel?

Post-discussion activity:

Jeff Lanier is an award-winning author. He earned bachelor’s degrees in history and art History at the University of Texas, Austin, with a focus on the History of American Culture through Art and Literature. He has a master’s from Rice University, is a member of the American Society of Aesthetics, and currently lives in Houston with his wife and three children.

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