Dancing Ledge

I've always liked Jarman's films and wanted to know more about his life. Reading this I feel like I've spent a little time as an avant garde artist and filmmaker in the 70s and 80s.

This edition was published in 1991. It is autobiography of Derek Jarman's early life. He openly talks about his sexuality, his typical middle class upbringing, boarding school, parents, training in art at the Slade school and his sexual encounters with men in his early days. The first chapter opens with his research on Caravaggio for his film. While he was working on his film, he recalled and wrote about his past in the most vivid and moving manner. I found one needs to read this book before his later autobiographical books titled in order; At Your Own Risk (published after Dancing Ledge), and Kicking the Pricks (this book includes a series of interviews he had while he was alive). Above all, this 1991 edition includes his black and white paintings, and photos from his films, behind the scene and it is beautifully written and highly recommend it to the fans of Jarman as well as people who are interested in making art films and queer history.