Awesome cover photo of the "giant boy," as he was called in South America. Callow is a meticulous biographer.

Similar to the 1st book, perhaps slightly more accessible. Again, an undeniably well researched book. The book's center seems to lie in a subjective critique of Welles' life. For my tastes, there was much too much space devoted to Welles' lesser known or unfinished projects as opposed to his films or projects which remain. I thoroughly enjoyed the chapter on The Lady From Shanghai, which was interesting but too short. For me, these books are a love-hate situation. I greatly admire the amount of research and committment that has gone into these books. I think the writing could be less convoluted, less subjective, and more accessible to the reader. After reading 900+ pages, it seems like I am still waiting for more behind the scenes glimpses into Welles' surviving projects. I am very curious as to the details about his performance and involvement in The Third Man -- hopefully its forthcoming in the 3rd book. ( )