The main reason I wanted to take a trip to Russia was to see the great examples of abstract art there. The very beautiful pieces at the Tretyakov made much more sense to me because of these wonderful lectures which I actually heard live at the National Gallery years ago. If only most writing on art were like this, and that pertains particularly to art of recent times. Great criticism raises the bar for everything in your mind and with your senses.John Golding's book has made great art as one sees at the Tretyakov even finer in my eyes. But even the more quirky pieces, such as those in the fabulous show Painting Revolution which we saw at the Phoenix museum had a deeper resonance for me than they would have had if I did not have the insights in this book in my memory. Dr. Golding is also a painter whose works are at the Yale Center for British Art.