Baker, Phil - Austin Osman Spare: Life And Legend Of London’s Lost Artist

Fascinating, frustrating, entertaining, baffling biography.
Primarily because the subject was so elusive. Misremembering, fabricating, or simply confusing.
Spare, whose cult fame continues to rise, was an artist and occultist spanning the Edwardian period into the 1950’s. Some of his work mirrors Beardsley, yet the bulk is assuredly his own style.
Baker is on solid footing with the chronology of the man.
With details, anecdotes, history, he confesses when some events are outright dodgy.
Spare, to be kind, was a unreliable source.
Success wise, Spare, like many of us, was generally his own enemy. Perhaps his roots, the premature acclaim as genius, his temperamental encounters with others.
An early Surrealist, dabbler in automatic writing, side real perspective, creator of sigils, acquaintance of Crowley, illustrator of common folk, forgotten people, not the rich nor influential.
Filled with numerous illustrations, color and black and white, although I longed for more.
Overall, enlightening and informative.
Will likely reread.