Reviews for

Strindberg: a Life – winner  of the 2012 Duff Cooper Prize for non-fiction,  shortlisted for the 2012 Samuel Johnson Prize for non fiction and for the 2012 Sheridan Morley Prize for theatre biography.

“What an absolutely extraordinary man August Strindberg was, and what a tormented, demented life he led. I haven’t read such a fascinating biography for ages… You can see how much fun [Sue Prideaux] is having with Strindberg. Anyone reading her marvellous book will have that much fun too.” Sam Leith, The Spectator.

“A rich and absorbing biography…writing the life of a frenzied, unstable genius like Strindberg is an enormous challenge, and Prideaux rises to it with fine authority.” John Carey, The Sunday Times.

“Sue Prideaux has written a lively, enlightening, and at times thrilling life of an extraordinary artist… Prideaux also writes very movingly of the playwright’s last years… she is persuasive in conveying Strindberg’s greatness and the novelty of his achievement.”  John Banville, The New York Review of Books.

“An absorbing new study…Prideaux is a deft guide to the absinthe-heavy bohemian underworlds of Berlin and Paris which Strindberg inhabited for much of the 1890s.”  Claudia FitzHerbert, Daily Telegraph.

“The best biography I’ve read in ages.” Matthew Sweet, Nightwaves, BBC radio 4.

“A deeply researched and engrossing biography…the copious selection of his elemental canvases and celestographs is one beauty of this outstandingly produced book…Prideaux opens her book with a bravura chapter on the origins of Miss Julie, excels in relating his characters to their living originals, and in showing how they were transformed by the process of post-naturalism.”  Irving Wardle, Literary Review.

“Fascinating and beautifully written.” Anthony Beevor, The Sunday Telegraph.

“In Prideaux’s hands, Strindberg, a vulnerable but also naively determined man with striking chaotic hair like a combed back walnut whip, comes vividly to life. Indeed the joy of her book is in the detail, from quoted letters and diaries and some stunning photography.” Tim Auld, The Sunday Telegraph.

“The Strindberg portrayed in this detailed, accessible biography, which coincides with the centenary of his death on 12 May 2012, reveals a man and a writer few in the English speaking world will have the notion of… Sue Prideaux’s lively account of a wilful, passionate, often deranged pilgrimage in search of truth, artistic honest and, finally God, will change  our narrow perspective on the astonishing polymath.” Robert Carver, The Tablet.

“An exhaustingly researched biography… and a deft piece of detective work.” David Stenhouse, Scotland on Sunday.

“This unstable genius is brought to book in this fine study.” Sunday Times Culture.

“very readable” The Art Newspaper.

Strindberg A Life has won the 2012 Duff Cooper Prize for non-fiction.

It was  chosen as one of the 6 titles on the shortlist for the 2012 Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction, the prize that, as the organisers say, aims to highlight books which bring fascinating non-fiction subjects to a wide audience. It was also shortlisted for the Sheridan Morley Prize for theatre biography.

13th October 2012  Symposium on Edvard Munch  at Tate Modern with Tracey Emin and others. Sue Prideaux gives paper entitled  “Wither truth? Writing Munch’s life.”

17th October 2012 Authors shortlisted for the Samuel Johnson prize, including Sue, will be at Foyle’s bookshop in London.

Reviews of Strindberg: A Life 

The Spectator,  17 March 2012  ‘What an absolutely extraordinary man Strindberg was, and what a tormented, demented life he led!  I haven’t read such a fascinating biography for ages…Prideaux has a lovely, dry turn of phrase: “Strindberg’s differences with Grandfather Reischl  over their attitude to money, Jews and pianos finally volatilised”; Strindberg’s  first wife  had ” a graceful neck, a feature much prized in those  days when people were still beheaded in Sweden”. In other words, you can see how much  fun the author is having with Strindberg. Anyone reading her marvellous book will have that much fun too.’ Sam Leith

Saturday Telegraph 3rd March  2012  ‘Prideaux is a deft guide to the absinthe-heavy bohemian underworlds of Berlin and Paris…’ Claudia FitzHerbert.

Sunday Telegraph 18th March 2012 ‘…the joy of her book is in the detail, from quoted letters and diaries and some stunning  photography…Prideaux tells an extraordinarily wierd story with some panache.’ Tim Auld.

The Sunday Times 18th March 2012 ‘ A rich and absorbing biography…writing the life of a frezied and unstable genius like Strindberg is an enormous challenge and  Prideaux rises to it with fine authority.’ John Carey.

The Scotsman 26th March 2012  ‘Prideaux’s exhaustively researched biography is a deft piece of detective work…’

Times Literary Supplement ‘She is admirably thorough in  tracing Strindberg’s conflicting influences…and in documenting  the many intellectual and geographical adventures…Prideaux reveals Strindberg to have been, if not involved in the intellectual mainstream,  powerfully involved in the cross-currents.’ John Stokes

Literary Review  April 2012 ‘…unflailing flair…Prideaux excels in  relating his characters to their living originals, and in showing how they were transformed by the process…’  Irving Wardle.

The Tablet 14th April 2012 ‘Prideaux’s lively account of a wilful, passionate, often deranged pilgrimmage in search of truth, artistic honesty and, finally, God, will change our narrow perspective on this astonishing polymath.’

Guardian 21st April 2012 ‘Prideaux’s achievement is to restore Strindberg’s humanity… Prideaux’s sophisticated book  makes it entirely credible.’  Ruth Scurr

Sue Prideaux interviewed  in connection with the sale of The Scream on BBC radio 4 Today Programme,   BBC World Service World Update, BBC TV One Show and The Wall Street Journal.

Sue gave a paper on Strindberg and Symbolism to the University of Illinois on 27th April and went on to New York  for the sale of The Scream,  for which she wrote an essay, The Scream in Munch’s Life, which opens Sotheby’s hardback sale catalogue. You can read her account of the sale here.

March/April 2012. Strindberg lecture &  Scream sale. Sue Prideaux to Chicago to give paper ‘Strindberg and Symbolism’ at University of Illinois.  To New York to attend Sotheby’s sale of Munch’s Scream for which she has contributed an essay to the sale catalogue. Interviews with BBC TV’s One Show, BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme and BBC World Service World Update on April 13th, concerning the sale of The Scream.