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Book SynopsisThe Times Art Book of the Year 2021FINALIST FOR THE PLUTARCH AWARD 2022Must surely be the definitive life of Francis Bacon A biography that no Bacon fan or indeed foe can afford to overlook Mesmerising' THE TIMESA magnificent triumph I was captivated by every line' OBSERVERA decade in the making, based upon hundreds of interviews and extensive new material, Pulitzer Prize winners Mark Stevens and Annalyn Swan have written a startlingly original portrait rich, complex, and subtle of a commanding modern figure.Bacon concealed many important aspects of his life. He described himself as an asthmatic child in Ireland with foxhunting parents and a tyrannical father, but he was also rescued by a series of formidable women women who in this biography emerge in their own right. He was never just a dissolute young man but was also a passionate reader, largely self-taught. Early on, influenced by Eileen Gray, he became a hard-working and ambitious designer, a brief career explored here in
Trade Review Picked as a book to look out for in 2021 by THE GUARDIAN, THE TIMES, THE SUNDAY TIMES, THE FINANCIAL TIMES AND THE OBSERVER
The Times’ Art Book of the Year 2021
A WATERSTONES BEST BIOGRAPHY OF 2021
SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2021 APOLLO BOOK OF THE YEAR
FINALIST FOR THE PLUTARCH AWARD 2022
‘A spectacularly good biography which I adored’
Max Porter, R4 Front Row
‘Meticulously researched and compelling’
Guardian
‘Must surely be the definitive life of Francis Bacon … A biography that no Bacon fan – or indeed foe – can afford to overlook … Presents a mesmerising portrait of a performer commanding the stage of the 20th century’
The Times
‘A captivating triumph … [A] magnificent new life of the artist … It rings as clearly as a bell … It’s fascinating (and startling)’
Rachel Cooke, Observer
‘The definitive biography … an incomparable resource for art historians, dealers, curators and collectors’
Financial Times
‘There are not many biographical masterpieces, but … Mark Stevens and Annalyn Swan have produced
one … it is an utterly thrilling read’
Irish Times, John Banville
‘A weighty, thorough and compelling biography of the artist that records nine decades of intense moments … This authorised life brings the carousing, the paintings and the public and private lives together to form a convincing and often touching whole … Resonant’
Sunday Times
‘Compelling … From his early failures to the untimely death of two of his lovers, the life of the Dublin-born artist is laid bare in this absorbing read … Stylish and well-researched biography … A cracking read from start to finish’
Irish Independent
‘Authoritative and fascinating … full of human interest and fascinating detail … [The] seamlessly written double act is a magnificent, monumental achievement’
Sunday Independent
