I have previously enjoyed visiting Gaudi's work in Barcelona and know a little bit about him eg how he died. But this book provides greater insight into how he lived and the early experiences that shaped him. It also explains the rationale behind some of his iconic buildings. Thoroughly enjoyable.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC, in exchange for an unbiased review.

I have lived in Barcelona for many years, surrounded in my neighborhood by Casa Batlló, La Pedrera, Casa Calvet, and the intersection where Gaudí was run over by a local tram.

2026 is a big Gaudí year in Barcelona- June 10 2026 is the centennial of his death, and Sagrada Familia will be "completed" (note: it is not completed. With the Glory façade construction, fit and finishes, plus building the grand entrance if they decide to bulldoze locals' homes, it's estimated to be "done" in another 10-20 years!!!). So Stanford, a British religious historian, wrote this 2026 biography as seen through Gaudí's architecture.

Gaudí is a difficult man to document- he was famously reclusive, camera- and publicity-shy, and left little documentation behind of his work (much was destroyed during the Spanish Civil War). Yet, this biography is compulsively readable (with the exception of the very dry beginning). I'm a huge history and architecture nerd, and while I live amongst all things Gaudí, this book actually had tidbits I'd been unaware of (the Church of Felipe Neri apparently sports two portraits using Gaudí's face! I must go check that out this week....). So despite Stanford being a non-Catalan, non-Spanish outsider, he did his homework here- including alluding to Gaudí's rumored homosexuality and fiery temper, which conflict with current attempts at his canonization.

My biggest complaint of this book: Gaudí's work is so highly visual, and the book's descriptions of his buildings are so extensive, that the lack of large, detailed photographs is a big miss. If I didn't live in BCN, and wasn't intimately familiar with Gaudí's works, much of this book's descriptions would be lost on me.