Quotation from dust cover of the 1967 first impression: "The author sets himself the task of reviewing critically the main biographies of Chopin, especially the early ones, with the ultimate view of differentiating between the truths and falsities, as recorded by successive biographers. The result is a collection of studies on all the 'legend weaving' biographies as well as the 'antidotes' - the fearless demolishers of legends."