Mervyn Peake : the man and his art

Mervyn Peake was one of the most multi-talented artists of the twentieth century. Best known for his Gormenghast trilogy of novels, one of the most sustained flights of imaginative writing ever attempted, Peake was also an author of children's books and nonsense verse, a painter, war artist and poet. He illustrated such classic works as Treasure Island, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, The Ancient Mariner, Grimm's Household Tales and Bleak House. A man of extraordinary vision and imagination, his illustrations, paintings and writings are unforgettable. His influence is felt to this day in the fields of literature and art, and he has been an inspiration to many. In this highly illustrated new book, his son Sebastian Peake has collaborated with Alison Eldred and G. Peter Winnington, author of an highly acclaimed biography of Mervyn Peake, to compile a stunning collection of illustrations, paintings, photographs, letters, notebook pages and other material -- much of which has never been published -- to produce a unique memoir of the artist's life and work. Contributors who discuss various aspects of his literary and visual output include the writers Michael Moorcock and Joanne Harris, Langdon Jones, editor of Titus Alone, artists John Howe and Chris Riddell, David Glass and John Constable, creators of the stage version of the Gormenghast trilogy, and Estelle Daniels, producer of the BBC dramatization. The book includes sections on Peake's upbringing as the son of a missionary in China, his development as an illustrator, artist and writer, marriage and fatherhood, his wartime experiences, creation of the Titus trilogy, Mr Pye and other literary works, and his tragic decline as illness overcame him, resulting in early death.