Brian Wilson was the visionary behind America's most successful and influential rock band. And as the leader of the Beach Boys, he sold 100 million records, produced Pet Sounds, and built a catalog of songs that continues to define the sound and feel of American popular music. He also became on of the culture's most mysterious and tragic figures. But after spending years lost in the wilderness of despair, Wilson has fought his way back to productivity. And now with the release of Smile - the masterwork that nearly undid him - he has returned to music's center stage.

Now Peter Ames Carlin, who conducted in-depth, exclusive interviews with dozens of sources and listened to hundreds of hours of unreleased studio recordings and live music, tells a uniquely American story of the band, the music, and the culture the Beach Boys both sang about and helped create. Carlin brings a fan's passion, a seasoned journalist's objectivity, and an cultural critic's insight to his subject, and the result is a magisterial and authoritative account of the Beach Boys' visionary figure, who has emerged into a new era of creativity.