A chronicle of the poet's life delves deeply into Arthur Rimbaud's extraliterary lives, including his stints as an explorer, mercenary, gunrunner, and friend to slave traders. Reprint. Unknown beyond the avant-garde at the time of his death, Arthur Rimbaud (1854-1891) has been one of the most destructive and liberating influences on early 20th-century culture. This new work by the biographer of Balzac and Victor Hugo now brings the "haunting and haunted poet" ("New York Times Book Review") vividly to life. of illustrations. List of Illustrations ix Introduction xi PART ONE (1854--1871) Bad Blood 3(12) Filth 15(11) 'Perfect Little Monster' 26(7) 'Mad Ambition' 33(13) Convictions 46(10) Tour de France 56(8) Needful Destruction 64(17) The Seer 81(15) Departure 96(13) PART TWO (1871--1874) 'Nasty Fellows' 109(11) Savage of the Latin Quarter 120(11) 'Mlle Rimbaut' 131(14) Dogs 145(9) Songs of Innocence 154(9) 'The Good Disciple' 163(9) Fugitives 172(11) Underworld 183(12) Pagan 195(12) Household in Hell 207(7) 'No Serious Motive'? 214(13) Harvest 227(10) 'Metropolitain' 237(16) PART THREE (1874--1880) Pigeons 253(9) Philomath 262(14) Mr Holmes 276(11) John Arthur Rimbaud 287(11) Explosive 298(11) PART FOUR (1880--1891) Empires 309(9) The Unknown 318(12) 'Poor Arthur' 330(8) Paradise 338(14) Abdo Rinbo 352(10) Guns for Africa 362(9) Horror 371(12) Profit 383(10) At Home 393(11) 'Odious Tyranny' 404(10) Opportunities 414(11) 'Ferocious Invalid' 425(10) Maritime 435(6) Epilogue 441(13) APPENDICES I. Family Tree 448(2) II. Poems by Rimbaud published in his lifetime 450(2) III. Historical Events 452(2) IV. Maps 454(19) V. French Texts 456(17) Notes 473(38) Select Bibliography 511(20) Index 531