Salvador Dali's (1904-89) surrealist paintings such as "The Persistence of Memory "and "The Metamorphosis of Narcissus" are internationally beloved for their unforgettable images and eccentric metaphors for the human condition. His lesser-known but equally intriguing writings, on the other hand, are remarkably coarse, describing human bodies and evocations of sexuality with a bewildering mixture of crude realism and naive simplicity."Dali and Me" is an account by art historian and controversial author Catherine Millet of a highly personal encounter with the artist's celebrated paintings and self-reflective writings. One of the first studies of the notoriously idiosyncratic artist's essays, this revolutionary book reveals all the narcissism, anxiety, and visual genius of the most famous--and infamous--of the surrealists.

Based on years of scrupulous research into Dali's life and art yet deeply enriched by Millet's autobiographical journey, this landmark volume uncovers the reverberations of Dali's influence on his friends and contemporaries. In its explorations of both Millet's and Dali's inner workings, "Dali and Me "ultimately becomes an argument in book form that personal involvement can be the key to understanding one of the most compelling oeuvres in art history.