Book excerpt: A revealing investigation into Picasso's career-long fascination with the written word Throughout his life, Pablo Picasso had close friendships with writers and an abiding interest in the written word. This groundbreaking book, which draws on the collections of Yale University, traces the relationship that Picasso had with literature and writing in his life and work. Beginning with the artist's early associations with such writers as Gertrude Stein, Guillaume Apollinaire, Max Jacob, and Pierre Reverdy, the book continues until the postwar period, by which time Picasso had become a worldwide celebrity. Distinguished authorities in art and literature explore the theme of Picasso and language from historical, linguistic, and visual perspectives and contextualize Picasso's work within a rich literary framework. Presenting fascinating archival materials and written in an accessible style, Picasso and the Allure of Language is essential reading for anyone interested in this great artist and the history of modernism. Published in association with the Yale University Art Gallery Exhibition Schedule: Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven (January 27 - May 24, 2009) Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University, Durham (August 20, 2009 - January 3, 2010)