Boy on Fire is an intensely beautiful, profound, and poetic book exploring of the formative years of the dark prince of rock 'n' roll, Nick Cave. This biography serves as Cave's creation story, depicting the artist first as a boy and then as a young man. Offering deep insights into his family, friends, influences, environment, and, above all, his music, the book unveils the process through which a young Nick Cave molded himself into the extraordinary artist he would later become.
 
Beyond being a powerful account of a singular and uncompromising artist, Boy on Fire vividly captures a specific time and place. From the fast-running dark rivers and ghost gums of country-town Australia to the torn wallpaper, sticky carpet, and manic energy of the nascent punk scene that exploded onto the staid 1970s Melbourne like an atom bomb, the book provides a rich and evocative rendering of Cave's journey. Boy on Fire stands as a stunning biographical achievement.