New York City - "POP: The Genius Of Andy Warhol" (HarperCollins Publishers, 2009, hardcover $40) written by Tony Scherman and David Dalton takes a long, hard look at one of the art world's most recognizable (and popular) cultural icons - artist Andy Warhol.

Some may consider Warhol to be among the founders of the Pop art movement, and his works are instantly recognizable, from the Campbell Soup Can and Brillo Box, to his silk-screened images of celebrities, including Elizabeth Taylor and Marilyn Monroe, among others, however, this book reveals not just the artist in a public manner, but also the man - from his sexual confusion to his alienation among his comtemporaries in the art world, to his working class childhood and fragile health - as well as the insecurities and resentment, both real and imagined, that Warhol used to dictate, influence and direct his work, lifestyle and persona.

Scherman and Dalton have utilized a number of sources for the material for this book, including the Andy Warhol Museum and Yale's Beinecke Library to draw on over 130 interviews with those who knew Warhol from his "Factory" days to the end of his life, and to bring a new appreciation and information regarding this enigmatic man and artist. In particular, Dalton (and his sister) both worked as Warhol's assistants at one time, and that personal connection to the artist is evident in the refreshingly candid retelling and revisits to both his life and work.

Silk-screen of Marilyn Monroe by Andy Warhol.

Initially an illustrator, Warhol struggled to find the direction that would allow him to make a unique imprint on the art world. Admitting to being influenced by both Jasper Johns and Robert Rauschenberg, who nonetheless dimissed him as only a commerical artist, Warhol did indeed take ordinary items, as well as use the extraordinary curiosity about celebrities that grips the American conscious all to his advantage, and for this he must certainly be recognized as one of the more 'famous' contemporary artists of the 21st century.

Filled with enough bold faced names to, well, fill a book, Scherman and Dalton do manage to reveal an insight into an artist who, above all else, seemed obsessed with consumerism of both products and people.

Both authors bring intelligence and information to a book that does manage to unfold even more layers of the life and career of an artist whose contributions to both art and society were consumed by the public, particularly following his death, and offer a detailed and informed reflection into Warhol's life.

If you are a fan of Warhol's work and want to know more about him, than this is well worth the read.