Jill Blocker

What was Beautiful and Good, a novel about the origins of the Dada art movement

by Jill Blocker

ISBN: 978-1-916964-33-4

also on Audiobook

Narrated by the author, available at:

In the midst of chaos and destruction, a young singer fights to find her voice. “What was Beautiful and Good” is an enthralling novel based on a true story, weaving together history, art, and a tale of resilience.

Emmy Hennings, a free-spirited artist, revels in the beauty and excitement of Europe’s most captivating cities. But when the First World War shatters her world, Emmy’s life takes an unexpected tum. Unable to perform and separated from her friends who are drafted into the military, she finds herself imprisoned for trivial offenses and branded unpatriotic.

As despair threatens to consume her, Emmy’s fate takes a hopeful twist when a young man named Hugo Ball proposes an escape to Switzerland. In this sanctuary of peace, they discover a vibrant community, but surviving as a refugee comes with its own challenges.

Driven to find purpose amidst the chaos, this remarkable novel transports readers to a turbulent era where art becomes a beacon of hope, defying the darkness of war and igniting a global artistic revolution named “Dada” that will remind generations to come of the true meaning behind what is beautiful and good.

For readers of works about female artists, including The Outline of Silence. Sophie Taeuber-Arp (2018) by Margaret Greiner and The Feast of Frida Kahlo (2021) by Claire Berest, as well as films such as The Photographer (2023) by Ellen Kuras, Eileen Gray and the House by the Sea (2024) by Beatrice Minger, and Leonora in the Morning Light (2025) by Thor Klein and Lena Vurma, and the graphic novel Everything is Dada. Emmy Ball-Hennings by Fernando Gonzáles Viñas (texts) and José Lázaro (illustrations), this book will appeal to readers drawn to biographical storytelling that reimagines the lives and legacies of often overlooked women artists.

Full Academic Review: Hugo Ball Almanach, a peer-reviewed journal issued by the Hugo-Ball-Gesellschaf and member of the Association of Literary Societies and Memorials.