This is an exceptional biography of an artist who never fit into any pigeonhole, and has never gotten the full recognition he deserves. Thus, many are probably familiar with some of his many creations, without necessarily knowing his name, much less his remarkable life story.Associated most of all with Dada & the Surrealists, he was nonetheless a man apart in many ways. From childhood he knew that he wanted to be an artist, someone who creates & lives by his work. He stated that he chose to become an artist, that he consciously made himself, as much as he made any of his art. And he pursued his chosen calling with unfailing integrity, working in photography, painting, assemblages, collages, and the Idea itself as Art.Biographer Neil Baldwin follows & explores Man Ray's life from his Brooklyn childhood to life in his beloved Paris -- a life interrupted by WWII, which sent him back to America & ultimately to Los Angeles for several years, before a final return to Paris. And it explores the place of the female Muse in his life -- a succession of beautiful & talented women who inspired deep Romantic love & art to express that love. It's fascinating to see how several began as students or apprentices, and then went on to establish notable artistic careers of their own.What especially strikes me is the combination of an almost naive but intense sense of himself as a creative artist, and his down-to-earth, gruff, almost streetwise persona. It seems he always encouraged aspiring artists, preferring to offer constructive criticism & encouragement rather than disparaging their efforts. Nor did he insist that they follow his vision, only that they develop a true vision of their own, wherever it might lead.And it's deeply moving to read of his last years, as he showed an admirer notes & sketches for hundreds of proposed creations he knew he would never live to realize. He went so far as to say that sometimes he didn't even bother with notes, that merely having the idea was enough. All in all, a truly inspirational story -- not in any sappy, sentimental way, but as an example of someone actually living out his dreams, no matter what the personal costs. It should definitely send the reader in search of his art -- highly recommended!