Finding inspiration in his quiet village on the river Thames, early 20th-century painter Stanley Spencer drew on his familiar world to arrive at an art of epic grandeur--though often homely and weird. Biographer Fiona MacCarthy investigates Spencer's life, sets his work in its cultural context, and emphasizes the links between his life and his paintings--and sheds new light on this sensitive and enigmatic artist. 85 color and 30 b&w illustrations. .