Though he's better known now as a filmmaker, Julian Schnabel was also one of the leading figures on the American Art Scene in the late '70s and '80s where, for better or worse, his gigantic canvases and infamous arrogance typified the last years of Warhol's New York. You either love the Schnabel of that period or you hate him. Luckily for me, I thought he was a genius and therefore I enjoyed his autobiography, Cvj. Covering his childhood in Texas, Cvj doesn't carry all of the insider gossip that a lot of readers will probably be looking for but it is a rare and fascinating glimpse into the development of one of the greatest artists of modern times.