BOOKS
When Harry Met Pablo: Truman, Picasso, and the Cold War Politics of Modern Art
Truman and Picasso were contemporaries and were both shaped by and shapers of the great events of the twentieth century—the man who painted Guernica and the man who authorized the use of atomic bombs against civilians.
But in most ways, they couldn’t have been more different. Picasso was a communist, and probably the only thing Harry Truman hated more than communists was modern art. Picasso was an indifferent father, a womanizer, and a millionaire. Truman was utterly devoted to his family and, despite his fame, far from a rich man. How did they come to be shaking hands in front of Picasso’s studio in the South of France?
BIO
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Matthew Algeo writes about interesting stuff.
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Or, as his mom liked to say, Matthew is an award-winning journalist and author.
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His latest book is When Harry Met Pablo: Truman, Picasso, and the Cold War Politics of Modern Art.
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He is the author of six other books, including Harry Truman’s Excellent Adventure: The True Story of a Great American Road Trip, which was named one of the best books of 2009 by the Washington Post.
In addition to reporting and writing, Matthew has held jobs as a convenience store clerk, a gas station attendant, a Halloween costume salesman, and a proofreader. He also worked in a traveling circus (as a hot dog vendor; no acrobatics involved).
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Matthew holds a degree in folklore from the University of Pennsylvania.
His wife, Allyson, is a United States Foreign Service officer. They have lived in Bamako, Rome, Ulan Bator, Maputo, and Sarajevo. They currently live in Botswana with their eleven-year-old daughter Zaya.