An amazing look at Bataille's life, philosophy and writings. I picked this up by happenstance out at a little bookstore on Moody Street in Waltham and am so glad I read it. I totally understand the transgressive literary style and themes touched up on his classic pornographic novella 'Story of the Eye' and got to take a tour of all of Bataille's amazing thought around economics, sovereignty, morals, philosophy and Surrealism. I feel that art historians and students of philosophy would miss out dearly if they investigate Surrealism without considering a deeper look at Bataille. He actually seems to pull the Surrealist International to a more interesting, sociological and more scientifically significant place. Richardson's book on this interesting personality definitely deepened my understanding of Surrealism as something far more than what we read in Art History class — its much more apparent to me now that Surrealism is more of a philosophical movement, one that needs further investigation, one that needs further documentation and analysis. A very liberating read! I highly recommend it.