When researching, Richard Holmes has often become captivated by figures peripheral to his main subject, literary forays that he couldn't resist. These tales-the forbidden love of John Stuart Mill, the bizarre novel of Oscar Wilde's tragic grand-uncle, Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald's nightmarish yet cathartic final trip to Paris-are part of what comprises Sidetracks, a marvelously original that includes letters and travelogues, radio plays, essays, and minature biographies. This book is a rare literary feast and an exploration of the creative processes of one of our most preeminent biographers.