Richard Wagner His Life & Music, by Stephen Johnson. Well over a century after Wagner's death, the man & his music are as controversial as ever. This book makes no attempt to gloss over the darker sides of Wagner's character, personally or artistically. It tells the story of an extraordinary life, & charts Wagner's development, from unpromising beginnings, into a brilliantly innovatory creator of music. This multimedia biography also includes: 2 CDs of music spanning Wagner's career; Free access