From an NYU art student's reading list

How the Irish Saved Civilization, Thomas Cahill

http://www.amazon.com/Irish-Saved-Civilization-

Five Hundred Years of Printing, S.H. Steinberg

http://www.amazon.com/Hundred-Years-Printing-

Composing a Life, Mary Catherine Bateson

http://www.amazon.com/Composing-Life-

Art since 1940, Strategies of Being, Jonathan Fineberg

http://www.amazon.com/Art-Since-1940-Strategies-Being

Ways of Seeing, John, Berger

http://www.amazon.com/Ways-Seeing-

Art through the Ages, Gardner

http://www.amazon.com/Gardners-Through-Ages

Mythologies, Roland Barthes

http://www.amazon.com/Mythologies-Roland-Barthes

The Eiffel Tower and other Mythologies, Roland Barthes

http://www.amazon.com/Mythologies-Roland-Barthes
 

from syllabus in art history, NYU