A fine read. Now go pick up a copy of Ninth Street Women: Lee Krasner, Elaine de Kooning, Grace Hartigan, Joan Mitchell, and Helen Frankenthaler: Five Painters and the Movement That Changed Modern Art by Mary Gabriel.

Really enjoyed this book documenting early life in Rotterdam (what a poor country this was), to early days in NY. Commeraderie among artists in NY in 50's... his process of discovery and struggle is inspiring.

I absolutely loved this book! I read this book because De Kooning's artwork is so amazing. He is definitely one of the greatest artists of all time, despite his tendency to drink and be a misogynist. This biography made him come to life and it made me feel as if I was there with him.

This book is greatly researched and wonderfully written. It delves into the life and artistic motivations of a painter described as the last of the true Renaissance painters.

I love this book! Being a self-professed art nerd, this shouldn't be a surprise. Although an extremely dense book, and not the quickest read of my life (I've taken more than a few breaks!), it always left me thinking about it when I wasn't reading it. An extremely comprehensive overview of de Kooning's life from his humble beginnings in the Netherlands to a who's-who in mid-century New York. As an artist who connects with his work on such a level that is incomparable to many today, his commitment and anxieties are endlessly fascinating. This is an important book for anyone who yearns for an understanding of the artistic process that produces some of the most extraordinary art of the century.

Fascinating story of the man, the city (New York), the 20th century, and modern art.

This book has haunted me for a bit now. Not in the material itself, but the density of it all. Imagine thirst and there is a coldest freshwater lake in front of you—quench yourself with a dropper. This book is not for the faint of heart. If you are truly interested in the art and the history of it during a time where the definition of art was radically changed, read this book.

You’re going to learn about a man, who against it all changed, the landscape of American art with his contemporaries. A classicist creating in a world that was evolving all around him—there’s a quote in the book I love where, during his health decline near the end of his life, encapsulates where his art and genius spawned from and continued throughout his entire life regardless of the ever-changing landscape of the art world around him: “[The National Gallery in Washington’s de Kooning Retrospective] was poignant not only because de Kooning himself was no longer painting but also because something seemed to be dying with him. In the eyes of many, de Kooning was the last great painter in a tradition that began in the Renaissance.” Critics called him stuck, hard-headed in sticking with his guns and choosing what he believed needed to be painted, regardless of money and popularity. This book will tell you the ups and downs of the man’s life, psyche, success, decline in incredibly, well-researched detail to the point where you will feel like you are suffering and succeeding with him.

I cried at the end of it, knowing how it was going to end. If a biography makes you cry, it’s really well made.

In terms of the approach towards his art, the critiques and analysis is absolutely wonderful. The authors going into the technical side of his genius, describing how his choices on the canvas can be directly traced back to either old masters who he admired and/or the uncertainty of his existence during his lifetime, made me appreciate art and the complexities within so much more. I have a new found appreciation for the era of abstract expressionism and the impact de Kooning had it on, next to Pollock.

Once again, if you love art, you should definitely read this book.

Will revisit it one day. Right now, I need an easy glass of water.

Even if you are not a fan of abstract art, this is a stunning masterful book. It won a Pulitzer Prize for a reason. When you make the decision to read this book be prepared to virtually move in with de Kooning, his masterful paintings, his struggles with alcohol, his friends, his women, and his art dealers. The level of detail and breadth of description is illuminating. His work was his life. Nothing else really mattered to him. He labored over his early paintings trying to determine who he was as an artist. Over his life he reinvented his art several times over impacting the art culture of the world. If Picasso was the pre-eminent painter of Paris at the time, de Kooning was the pre-eminent painter in NY establishing NYC as the center of art equal to Paris. This is probably the best biography i have ever read.

one of the best books read. extensive, well written, and expressive. a must read for any lover of art or art historian.

De Kooning not only tells us about the life of this genius master, but inter-weaves the lives of many great American artists painting a picture of Post-war New York and the history of modern art. A hefty book to carry around and terribly entertaining.

He had a fascinating life! The book is so well-written that I think even non-artists could enjoy it. A lot of 20th century art and history is woven throughout the book.

Was a pleasure...