About the Book

From National Book Award winner Deirdre Bair, the definitive biography of Saul Steinberg, one of "The New Yorker"'s most iconic artists.
The issue date was March 29,1976. "The New Yorker" cost 75 cents. And below the masthead unfolded Saul Steinberg's vision of the world: New York City, the Hudson River, and then . . . Steinberg's brilliant depiction of the world according to self-satisfied New Yorkers placed him squarely in the pantheon of the magazine's--and the era's--most celebrated artists.
But if you look beyond the searing wit and stunning artistry, you'll find one of the most fascinating lives of the twentieth century. Born in Romania, Steinberg was educated in Milan, where he was already famous for his satirical drawings. World War II forced him to emigrate to the United States. On a single day, Steinberg became a U.S. citizen, a commissioned officer in the U.S. Navy, and a member of the OSS, assigned to spy in China, North Africa, and Italy. After the war ended, he returned to America and to his art. He quickly gained entree into influential circles that included Saul Bellow, Vladimir Nabokov, Willem de Kooning, and Le Corbusier. His wife was the artist Hedda Sterne; they separated in 1960 but never divorced, and remained in daily contact for the rest of Steinberg's life. This conveniently freed him up to amass a coterie of young mistresses and lovers. But his truly great love was the United States, and he traveled extensively by bus, train, and car, drawing, observing, and writing.
His body of work is staggering and influential in ways we may not yet fully grasp, quite possibly because there has not been a full-scale biography of him until now. Bair had unprecedented access to 177 boxes of previously unexamined documents and more than 400 drawings, as well as personal interviews. Steinberg's curious talent for creating myths about himself did not make her job easy, but the result is a stunning achievement that is easy to admire and enjoy.

Product Details

Media: Hardcover Book, 752 pages

Edition: Unknown

Publisher: Nan A. Talese

Publication Date: Oct. 30th, 2012

ISBN-10: 038552448X

ISBN-13: 9780385524483

Shipping Weight: 2.90 lbs

Series: Not Applicable

• Categories: Cartooning Artists, Architects & Photographers Biographies & Autobiographies General Jewish History