This is one of the few books of criticism which I return to for inspiration: it reminds me why I decided to become a literary critic. The book constructs a quirky pantheon of stories about statues and bodies: the artists discussed include Shakespeare, Charlie Chaplin, Wittgenstein, Pushkin, and Freud, among others. The arguments are always both surprising and wholly persuasive, and the writing has a sumptuous elegance. I am delighted that the book is being reprinted in paperback, and I hope that it gets the attention it deserves.