These engrossing diaries, currently on exhibit at the Archives of American Art at the Smithsonian, provide exceptional snapshots into the lives of American artists - as well as European artists living in America. Entries cover such topics as New Year's Eve dinner parties, reflections on the war efforts of World War I in France, musings on dreams, marriages, friends, and the quotidian details that...

Born in 1914 in Hamilton, Ohio, Robert McCloskey came to Boston to attend the now-defunct Vesper George Art School. He left to live in New York for a time and established a career as an author and illustrator in the late 1930s. Over the years, he became the force behind beloved tales like Homer Price, Blueberries for Sal, and Time of Wonder. His most famous work is Make Way for Ducklings, which...