For someone like me, who knows very little about art and even less about David Hockney, this chronological retrospective of David Hockney's work and life up until the mid-90's was easy to read. I liked the layout. There are more pictures than text. Each chapter spans a number of years, starts with a description of Hockney's life and work during that period and is then followed by a number of colour plates, each accompanied by a detailed discussion.

It is clear to see Hockney's development over the years. Once he moved beyond his initial "penis" phase the pictures become more pleasing to the eye (in my opinion). I was intrigued with his experiments with perspective. Without knowing that is what the artist was trying to do, I would have dismissed the particular pictures as 'child art'.

I read this book in anticipation of David Hockney's A Bigger Picture Exhibition at the Royal Academy of Art in London. Although this book was published just before the years which the exhibition covers, and in spite of being only half-way through the book at the time, I enjoyed the exhibition more than I would otherwise have done. For example, had I not known that Hockney had experimented with the likes of photography many years ago I may have dismissed the iPad and video sections of the exhibition as too gimmicky. Some of the older works such as "Mulholland Drive" and "Pearblossom Hwy" were a thrill to see for real.

I read somewhere that, after Lucian Freud died in late 2011, Hockney became "Britain's greatest living artist". Personally, I don't like all his work, but found that some grow on you as you look at them more and more. Reading this book has just once again confirmed to me that knowledge and understanding of a subject helps one to appreciate it better. ( )