Giacometti's strange, passionate genius had its beginning in the tiny Swiss village of Borgonovo, flourished in prewar Paris, and came to fruition in the fifties and sixties, when his visionary sculptures and paintings brought him recognition as one of the towering creative spirits of the century. Picasso, Stravinsky, Beckett, Balthus, and Sartre pass through the story, along with flamboyant art dealers, whores, shady drifters, and homosexual poets and thieves. Of special interest are Giacometti's relationships with his wife, Annette; his last mistress and model, Caroline; and his brother Diego, his lifelong confidant and collaborator. Lord, who was close to the artist and his entourage, brings unique perception to the resources gathered during many years of observation and research. In a biography of great literary distinction, Lord shows how Giacometti made his life a heroic destiny by being utterly true to himself and his calling.