‘A triumphant success. . . . His prose is confident, clear . . . occasionally perfect.’ —Dennis Potter, The Times (London)

‘It is impossible to suppose that this ‘Life’ will ever be superseded . . . the best literary biography to appear for many years.’—John Rothenstein,
New York Times ‘Written with vivacity and scrupulousness. . . . [Michael Holroyd] has a great novelist’s sense of the obstinate mystery of the human person.’—George Steiner,
The New Yorker

About the author

Michael Holroyd has written celebrated biographies of Hugh Kingsmill, Augustus John, and Bernard Shaw, as well as the acclaimed Basil Street Blues and Mosaic. He lives in London with his wife.