The celebrated art nouveau architect Antoni Gaudí was a contradictory figure: a deeply religious, politically right-wing man who nevertheless built revolutionary buildings. This book explores Gaudí's life, work, and influences, from Catalan nationalism to the Industrial Revolution. Michael Eaude expertly guides readers through Gaudí's dozen great works - including the Sagrada Família that attracts millions of tourists to Barcelona each year - and examines his moumental life, from the architect's provincial upbringing in Reus to his time in Barcelona, where he became a dandy whose only attempt at marriage was rejected. Gaudí later suffered a nervous breakdown, became obsessively religious, and fused Gothic, Baroque, and Orientalist architecture into his unique style.