Lou Reed emerges as rock's greatest poet in this definitive biography by Will Hermes. Tracing his journey from Lower East Side bohemia to cultural icon, the book captures Reed's revolutionary fusion of pop accessibility and avant-garde experimentation. Through his pivotal collaborations with Bowie, Warhol, Cale, and Anderson, we discover the wit, edge, and artistic restlessness that defined the Velvet Underground and shaped American culture. Drawing on the New York Public Library's Reed archive, previously unreleased recordings, and new interviews, Hermes reveals a trailblazing figure who challenged conventions around sexuality, gender identity, and artistic expression—a brilliant, contentious visionary whose influence continues to reverberate.