Malcolm Lowry was a ferocious malcontent, freewheeling to self-destruction with the help of mescal, cooking sherry, even bottles of skin bracer _ Rarely has a writer so elaborated his own legend as did Lowry. He was mythogenic; not only could he make the wildest nonsense about himself credible, but encouraged others to add to it. This makes him a murderous subject for a biography _ Gordon Bowker is a trustworthy guide. Fabulously methodical in his research, he has traced various members of the Lowry family as well as the writer_s first wife. Pursued by Furies is a gigantic tome, but Bowker writes well and keeps the pages turning. This is probably the last word on Lowry and a handsome achievement _ a fine, intelligent biography._ Ian Thomson, Guardian

_Intelligent and painstaking _ Pursued by Furies is a cool, thorough and not uncritical appraisal of a dreadful life and is not likely to be superseded._ Ian Hamilton, Sunday Telegraph

_Gripping and thoroughly engaged _ Lowry_s biography won_t have to be done again._ Martin Amis, Independent on Sunday