Pierre Coustillas was a French literary scholar and emeritus professor of English at the University of Lille.

'Nobody has ever known as much about Gissing as Pierre Coustillas, and it is quite possible that no one ever will. His authority in the area seems unassailable. Clearly and unpretentiously written, as devoid of error as any sublunary endeavor, this biography is the crowning achievement of a distinguished career.' English Literature in Transition, 1880-1920 'With the publication of the third and final volume of Gissing's biography Professor Coustillas has completed the monumental task to which he devoted his entire career over the course of five decades.' The Gissing Journal 'This outstanding literary biography deserves the accolade Coustillas gives his subject: it is a heroic achievement. Highly Recommended.' CHOICE

• 1. Third Italian Journey: Siena and Calabria (September 1897-December 1897) 2. From Rome to Surrey: Uncertainties Abounding (December 1897-June 1898) 3. 'The Crown of Life' (June 1898-May 1899) 4. The Ideal Put to the Test (May 1899-May 1900) 5. 'Married' Life in Paris (May 1900-May 1901) 6. The Invalid (June 1901-June 1902) 7. Swan Song (July 1902-December 1903) VI: Epilogue 8 Assessment and Controversy (1904-6) 9. Gissing's Afterlife: A Century On (1906-2003)