This biography investigates the complex psychological makeup and creative life of composer William Walton. Michael V. Kennedy, a prominent music writer, utilizes his unique access to private correspondence and personal archives to construct a portrait of a man defined by artistic commitment and profound personal insecurity. The text examines how Walton navigated the pressures of his career while maintaining significant relationships with notable figures in the musical and literary worlds.

Experts recognize this work as a definitive biographical account due to the author's direct authorization by the subject. Readers frequently note the balance between technical musical insight and the intimate, often contradictory, personal details provided by the correspondence.