'Jackson Pollock: An American Saga' examines the turbulent life and tragic death of Jackson Pollock

Steven Naifeh and Gregory White Smith were awarded a Pulitzer Prize in 1991 for Jackson Pollock: An American Saga, their biography of the self-destructive and controversial American expressionist artist, Jackson Pollock.

Mr. Pollock was best known for abstract paintings that some critics and art lovers adored, and others vehemently abhorred. One art critic famously said of Mr. Pollock's work, "This is not art -- it's a joke in bad taste."

Steven Naifeh and Gregory White Smith were awarded a Pulitzer Prize in 1991 for Jackson Pollock: An American Saga, their biography of the self-destructive and controversial American expressionist artist, Jackson Pollock.

Mr. Pollock was best known for abstract paintings that some critics and art lovers adored, and others vehemently abhorred. One art critic famously said of Mr. Pollock's work, "This is not art -- it's a joke in bad taste."

Mr. Naifeh and Mr. White Smith spent seven years researching and conducting 2,000 interviews to assemble the material for An American Saga; the result is a powerful study of not only Pollock's personal problems and difficulties with his wife, friends, and relations, but a thought-provoking analysis of art history and criticism. Despite its impressive length (934 pages), An American Saga is extremely readable. The successful 2000 film Pollock, starring Ed Harris as Mr. Pollock was based on this biography.

Here is an exceptional scene from the movie, featuring Mr. Pollock (and his long-suffering wife) in meltdown mode:



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