Autobiography of Red

This book tells in verse the story of Geryon, a boy whose brother torments him and who finds escape in photographing a world beside our own. He loves Herakles, a golden youth, deeply, and is left behind when that love is at its height. Geryon withdraws further into the world his camera makes, drawn to his wings, his redness and the odd fact of who he is. Then Herakles comes back and everything breaks. The poem moves through meaning, feeling and the truth of being red.

Why You Should Read?

• Follow Geryon as he leaves a painful childhood behind and escapes into a world of photography.
• Meet Herakles, the golden young man whose love lifts Geryon and whose return shatters him.
• Experience a modern epic poem that carries currents of emotion, meaning and the truth of being red.
• Understand why Geryon is drawn to his wings, his redness and the accident of who he is.

About the Author

Anne Carson is a Canadian author and academic. In 2026 she received the Nobel Prize in Literature. The award recognized writing that is bold and inventive, engages playfully with classical tradition, and gives contemporary literature fresh shapes. She was born in Toronto and earned her degree at the University of Toronto. Since 1979 she has worked as a professor and lecturer at several universities, teaching classics, comparative literature, and creative writing. Her more than twenty books include essays, poetry, and translations of ancient Greek tragedies. She has also received Guggenheim and MacArthur Fellowships and two Griffin Poetry Prizes.