Augustus John: The New Biography [Paperback]

Michael Holroyd (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 14, 2010

Drawing on the mass of new material which has come to light since the first edition was published in 1974, this revised biography presents a detailed account of the passionate and unruly life of the bohemian British painter, Augustus John, and his circle.

Product Details

• Paperback: 752 pages
• Publisher: Vintage Books (May 14, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0099333015
• ISBN-13: 978-0099333012
• Product Dimensions: 1.8 x 5.2 x 7.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,216,502 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Biograpphy or Dictionary?, January 30, 2000

By 

R. Kent Lancaster (Maryland, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Augustus John: The New Biography (Hardcover)

In many ways an admirable book and Holroyd writes with elegance, knowledge and wit. He, however, follows the recent trend in biography by feeling it necessary to retail every tiny tidbit he has discovered about John. Long letters are printed, for example, when the relevant information could be capsulized in five words. The reader is finally distracted by the sheer volume of inconsequential material and the overwhelming feeling that the author doesn't believe that the reader can follow where he is going without constant, constant reinforcement. The book edges toward a sixth grade account of the summer at camp in which logical development is snowed under and beautiful writing obscured by detail.