From a Pulitzer-Prize winning biographer, the most revealing, fascinating, and important biography of one of our greatest literary figures.

A superb ( Wall Street Journal biography by a Pulitzer Prize-winning author on the most illustrious American of his age-the painter-turned-inventor Samuel F.B. Morse. This brilliantly conceived biography is the very American tale of a quiet man, raised by religious zealots, who became a gifted and prolific painter (more than 300 portraits and historical canvases), became the first Professor of Fine Arts at an American college, and founded the National Academy of Design. A classic overachiever, this was simply not enough for Samuel F. B. Morse; he subsequently ran for Congress and mayor of New York. Lastly, in his most famous life's work, he invented a machine that was to transform commerce, communication, transportation, military affairs, diplomacy, and the course of the modern world. What invention could be so revolutionary? The telegraph, of course-and the eponymous Morse code.

The lecture notes taken down by students were periodically gathered together and submitted to Merleau-Ponty for his approval. Then every two or three weeks these notes were published in the Bulletin du Groupe d'etudes de psychologie de l'Universite de Paris. By the end of the year, one would have the full set of lectures as transcribed by students and as reviewed by Merleau-Ponty.