Louise Nevelson really is one of the great American stories; she came to this country penniless and torn from her country and roots, without identity. she struggled to find exactly who she was and what her art meant to her, often to the detriment of her relationships and far outside the norm of the social expectations of the time. an extremely thorough and well-researched book (the author extensively interviewed the artist herself) that's not always flattering to Nevelson. the author does explore her tendencies toward neurosis, guilt and depression, though always bringing back into context with the development of her artistic vision. the definitive biography of Nevelson, in my opinion.