Bruce Chatwin's death from AIDS in 1989 brought his meteoric career to an abrupt end. His reputation as a storyteller has grown over the last decade, and his exquisite, subtle texts continue to inspire readers all over the world. Chatwin was different things to different people: a director at Sotheby's, an archaeologist, a journalist, photographer and art collector. Married for 23 years, he was also an active homosexual. He was at once a socialite mixing with the rich and famous, and a loner who explored the limits of extreme solitude. From unrestricted access to Chatwin's private notebooks, diaries and letters, Nicholas Shakespeare has compiled the definitive biography of one of the most charismatic and elusive literary figures of our time.