This book presents some of the most engaging life stories of our time. Edward Lucie-Smith vividly evokes the lives of some of the great artists of the last 100 years or so, from Picasso and Duchamp to Joseph Beuys and Louise Bourgeois, guiding the reader through the maze of different styles and movements with authority and verve. Eventful, intimate and poignant biographies, clearly grouped according to style and era, are illustrated with important works, self-portraits and photographs. New entries on rising stars such as Marlene Dumas, Shirin Neshat and Zhang Xiaogang extend the books scope to cover the period from 1900 to the present day. Informative and entertaining, illuminated with telling anecdotes and balanced historical judgment, this is a wonderful collection for everyone interested in the art and artists of the past one hundred years.