Profiles the intense personal and creative relationship between the abstract expressionist and the figurative Americana artist, describing how their initial relationship as student and teacher was compromised by Pollock's love for Benton's wife, in an account that also cites the inspiration for Pollock's famed drip compositions in Benton's mentorship.

The Multi-Million-Dollar Drips p. 1
Against the Cold p. 3
The Pollock in My Office p. 15
Benton and the Pollock Boys p. 19
The Kid from Cody p. 21
How to Make an Abstract Painting p. 54
The Formula p. 63
Mixed Up with Modern Art p. 65
The Cross-dresser p. 76
Astonishing the French p. 95
The Other Wright Brothers p. 101
Band of Brothers p. 103
Lost in Translation p. 110
The Painter of America p. 129
A Modernist in New York p. 131
A Wall to Paint p. 144
Pollock in the Thirties p. 157
The Happiest Time p. 159
Going Too Far p. 177
Negroes in the Library p. 179
Fame and Flight p. 193
Jack Falls Apart p. 197
Breaking the Ice p. 209
A Museum for Modern Art p. 211
The Man with Many Lives p. 215
The Influence of Jung p. 232
A Collision p. 239
The General p. 247
Poor Little Rich Girl p. 255
The Flight from New York p. 280
Heroic Gestures p. 287
The Hollow and the Bump p. 289
Fame p. 333
The End of the Game p. 343
? Used to Fuck Rita Benton?/td> p. 345
Memories of Macdonald-Wright p. 363
John Dracopoli, 1890-1975 p. 367
Acknowledgments p. 371
Bibliography p. 375
Index p. 391