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Surreal: The Extraordinary Life of Gala Dalí —A Riveting Biography of the Mother of Surrealism and Her Impact on Art History
"Michele Gerber Klein—at long last—gives Gala Dalí the close-up she deserves. When Gala met Salvador, they met their destinies. Surreal takes us backstage at the endless performance piece that was the couple’s life’s work and life’s play—a salient ingredient—and reshuffles art history along the way. Pour a stiff Pernod or Absinthe, kick back, and enjoy this delightfully sparking read."—Brad Gooch, author of The Life and Line of Keith Haring
"Original, engaging, and fiercely intelligent, Gala Dalí has at last inspired a biography that shares her own best qualities. In this brilliant book, Klein illuminates the crucial importance that Gala held not only for her famous husbands and lovers, but for avant-garde art as a whole."—Caroline Weber, author of Proust’s Duchess and Queen of What Marie Antoinette Wore to the Revolution
Surreal, the long-awaited, definitive biography of Gala Dalí, unmasks this famous yet little-known queen of the twentieth-century art world, who graced the canvases, inspired the poetry, and influenced the careers of her illustrious lovers and husbands with tenderness, courage, and agency.
Using previously undiscovered material, Surreal tells the riveting story of Gala Dalí, (1894-1982) who broke away from her cultured but penurious background in pre-Revolutionary Russia to live in Paris with both France’s most famous poet Paul Éluard and Max Ernst. By the time she met the budding artist Salvador Dalí in 1929, Gala was known as the Mother of Surrealism. She rapidly became his mentor and protector, marrying him in 1934 and subsequently engineering their vast fortune. At a time when artists were celebrities, Gala acted as the ambassador of the Surrealist movement, spreading its popularity across the globe. She was the survivor of two world wars, the Russian revolution and the Spanish Civil War, and lived between France, Spain and the U.S. Gala was a heroine whose originality captivated people wherever she went, and her life story has size; glamour; drama; true love, twisted love; ambition; money; art; defiance; daring and sweeping social unrest. In this vivid, detailed rendering, Michèle Gerber Klein has brought Gala out of the shadows to reveal a charismatic figure who played a pivotal role in the art world yet has never received the full recognition she deserves.
"Original, engaging, and fiercely intelligent, Gala Dalí has at last inspired a biography that shares her own best qualities. In this brilliant book, Klein illuminates the crucial importance that Gala held not only for her famous husbands and lovers, but for avant-garde art as a whole."—Caroline Weber, author of Proust’s Duchess and Queen of What Marie Antoinette Wore to the Revolution
Surreal, the long-awaited, definitive biography of Gala Dalí, unmasks this famous yet little-known queen of the twentieth-century art world, who graced the canvases, inspired the poetry, and influenced the careers of her illustrious lovers and husbands with tenderness, courage, and agency.
Using previously undiscovered material, Surreal tells the riveting story of Gala Dalí, (1894-1982) who broke away from her cultured but penurious background in pre-Revolutionary Russia to live in Paris with both France’s most famous poet Paul Éluard and Max Ernst. By the time she met the budding artist Salvador Dalí in 1929, Gala was known as the Mother of Surrealism. She rapidly became his mentor and protector, marrying him in 1934 and subsequently engineering their vast fortune. At a time when artists were celebrities, Gala acted as the ambassador of the Surrealist movement, spreading its popularity across the globe. She was the survivor of two world wars, the Russian revolution and the Spanish Civil War, and lived between France, Spain and the U.S. Gala was a heroine whose originality captivated people wherever she went, and her life story has size; glamour; drama; true love, twisted love; ambition; money; art; defiance; daring and sweeping social unrest. In this vivid, detailed rendering, Michèle Gerber Klein has brought Gala out of the shadows to reveal a charismatic figure who played a pivotal role in the art world yet has never received the full recognition she deserves.
336 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 1, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
June 2, 2025
I was expecting more from this book. Not too much that was knew to me. I was hoping to get more information on her daughter, Cécile Eluard, the child she had with the poet Paul Eluard, but not much there. I did know she pretty much abandoned her daughter when Cécile was only 11. So not much more there. The author does try to paint Gala in a more positive light, since she has always come off as a bit of a bitch, but I must admit that she did have an eye for talent and a "je ne sais quoi" kind of air about her. I do know Dalí would NOT have become who he was without her, so for that reason alone she gets kudos from me. Good read for those who don't know much about Gala's personal life. P.S. She had a very avid sex life! It did make me want to read a biography on her daughter, but can't seem to find one. I just found a great article/interview she did when she was in her 90's to The Guardian, which I recommend.
May 23, 2025
Book Review: Surreal by Michèle Gerber Klein
Gala Dalí was never just a muse—she was the director of the performance. In this sharp, witty biography, Michèle Gerber Klein finally gives Gala her due: as strategist, editor, mythmaker, and the woman who turned Surrealism into a lifestyle brand (with scissors, safety pins, and a lot of Schiaparelli).
Whether she’s telling Peggy Guggenheim to swap men for money, teaching Dalí to say “Connnnnnecticut,” or pranking Fulco di Verdura with a haunted house setup, Gala owns every room she enters. And usually redecorates it.
Surreal is smart, theatrical, and long overdue. A must-read for anyone who suspects the real power often stands just behind the frame—with a pen, a plan, and a bottle of Pol Roger.
— Tiffany Dubin
Whether she’s telling Peggy Guggenheim to swap men for money, teaching Dalí to say “Connnnnnecticut,” or pranking Fulco di Verdura with a haunted house setup, Gala owns every room she enters. And usually redecorates it.
Surreal is smart, theatrical, and long overdue. A must-read for anyone who suspects the real power often stands just behind the frame—with a pen, a plan, and a bottle of Pol Roger.
— Tiffany Dubin
April 27, 2025
Too much Salvador and name dropping. Not enough Gala. Finished this book feeling devoid of insights.
July 20, 2025
How can a book both be too little and too much? This one gives you too much detail on things that are not interesting and too little on the things you really want to know about. Her daughter is the number one example. How could she essentially abandon a child when she had her own issues in childhood? And for a famous couple, there are a million photos that could have been included instead of the sparse number chosen.
May 22, 2025
Michèle Gerber Klein’s SURREAL: The Extraordinary Life of Gala Dalí is a much-needed biography of one of the 20th century’s most polarizing muses. Gala was far more than Salvador Dalí’s wife—she was the architect of his persona, the manager of his empire, and, in many ways, the reason his fame endured. Klein’s research is extensive, her prose engaging, and the book offers a vivid sense of Gala’s early life, her marriage to poet Paul Éluard, and her transformation into a force behind the Surrealist movement.
But for all its strengths, the biography is notably cautious in areas where readers might expect deeper insight. Gala’s estrangement from her daughter is presented with minimal reflection, and the infamous financial scandals later in her life—including the sale of thousands of forged Dalí prints—are handled with a tone that often seems too generous. Most surprising, perhaps, is the near-total absence of any discussion of Gala and Dalí’s unconventional sexual dynamic, which is both well-documented and central to understanding their partnership. These omissions leave the narrative feeling incomplete, particularly for readers already familiar with the broader lore surrounding the Dalís.
Still, SURREAL is a valuable and compelling work that restores Gala’s presence to a history that too often reduced her to a footnote. For those new to her story, it’s an excellent starting point. For others, it’s a polished but partial portrait—one that tells us much, but not quite everything.
But for all its strengths, the biography is notably cautious in areas where readers might expect deeper insight. Gala’s estrangement from her daughter is presented with minimal reflection, and the infamous financial scandals later in her life—including the sale of thousands of forged Dalí prints—are handled with a tone that often seems too generous. Most surprising, perhaps, is the near-total absence of any discussion of Gala and Dalí’s unconventional sexual dynamic, which is both well-documented and central to understanding their partnership. These omissions leave the narrative feeling incomplete, particularly for readers already familiar with the broader lore surrounding the Dalís.
Still, SURREAL is a valuable and compelling work that restores Gala’s presence to a history that too often reduced her to a footnote. For those new to her story, it’s an excellent starting point. For others, it’s a polished but partial portrait—one that tells us much, but not quite everything.
June 1, 2025
Surreal tells the riveting story of Gala Dalí, who broke away from her cultured background in pre-Revolutionary Russia to live in Paris with both France’s most famous poet Paul Éluard and Max Ernst. By the time she meets the budding artist Salvador Dalí in 1929, Gala was known as the “Mother of Surrealism”. She rapidly became his mentor and protector, marrying him in 1934 and subsequently engineering and maintaining their vast fortune.
At a time when artists were celebrities, Gala acted as the ambassador of the Surrealist movement, spreading its popularity across the globe. She was the survivor of two world wars, the Russian revolution and the Spanish Civil War, and lived between France, Spain and the U.S. Gala was a woman whose originality captivated people wherever she went, and her life story has everything: glamour; drama; true love, twisted love; ambition; money; art; defiance; daring and sweeping social unrest.
In this biography, the author has brought Gala out of the shadows to reveal a charismatic figure who played a pivotal role in the art world yet has never received the full recognition she deserves.
At a time when artists were celebrities, Gala acted as the ambassador of the Surrealist movement, spreading its popularity across the globe. She was the survivor of two world wars, the Russian revolution and the Spanish Civil War, and lived between France, Spain and the U.S. Gala was a woman whose originality captivated people wherever she went, and her life story has everything: glamour; drama; true love, twisted love; ambition; money; art; defiance; daring and sweeping social unrest.
In this biography, the author has brought Gala out of the shadows to reveal a charismatic figure who played a pivotal role in the art world yet has never received the full recognition she deserves.
July 7, 2025
This novel is thoroughly researched, absolutely NO doubt, and credit to the author, a labour of love.
For me I felt like I came out of the novel not really knowing much about Gala as when I first started. There is a laundry list of her travels with Dali, which does get tedious, France, staying with 'friends', avoiding Europe during the war, showing off their wealth when they return. I would have liked more information about how she actually FELT. The writing keeps Gala at a great distance, and from what the author says she had access to Gala's writing, but it rarely makes an appearance. Her relationship with her daughter? It seems cold by the very few references, giving her money, or sending packages post war, and refusing to see her when she was dying. As another reviewer writes, we hear more about the men than Gala. Shrewd business woman? Yes. Likeable, no. For me it was the suffering of the people she left behind or came across that was an indication of her character, not the writing. Disappointing, as whether or not Gala was likeable, I would have enjoyed a more engaging read. (eg a woman of her time etc).
For me I felt like I came out of the novel not really knowing much about Gala as when I first started. There is a laundry list of her travels with Dali, which does get tedious, France, staying with 'friends', avoiding Europe during the war, showing off their wealth when they return. I would have liked more information about how she actually FELT. The writing keeps Gala at a great distance, and from what the author says she had access to Gala's writing, but it rarely makes an appearance. Her relationship with her daughter? It seems cold by the very few references, giving her money, or sending packages post war, and refusing to see her when she was dying. As another reviewer writes, we hear more about the men than Gala. Shrewd business woman? Yes. Likeable, no. For me it was the suffering of the people she left behind or came across that was an indication of her character, not the writing. Disappointing, as whether or not Gala was likeable, I would have enjoyed a more engaging read. (eg a woman of her time etc).
June 21, 2025
I’ve always been familiar with the work of Dalí but never knew much about Gala. I found that this book had a lot of great anecdotes and really imprinted on me how influential and important she was to Salvador and the world of surrealism and modern art as a whole. Very well written, though I understand other reviews I’ve seen that say there was too much Salvador (and others) and not enough Gala, but as someone who did not know her story before reading, I thought that the context of the people around her was important to understanding her life. I would recommend for anyone interested in the art world, Gala was certainly one of the most imposing figures in 20th century art.
August 26, 2025
What a great book about Gala Dali's life and influence on the surrealists. I was excited when I picked up this book and couldn't wait to read it. It was a very quick read and intriguing stories about Gala and her relationship in the art world starting out with poet Paul Eluard. It crosses history and backdrop with the Francois Gilot's book on her life with Picasso. She was not only muse but also a business woman, always promoting, selling, gaining new contracts for Salvador's works. I was constantly looking up paintings and images described in the book, learning more details about influence she had on the output on the talent of Salvador Dali.
June 28, 2025
I finally realized what I found lacking in this book... I wish there was included more thoughts and insights from Gala herself. For such a public figure I find it hard to believe that she didn't leave behind any personal thoughts via letters or diaries. This book felt like a chronological telling of her life as a part of the lives of the creative men around her.
October 1, 2025
After visiting Dali’s museum in Figueres, I wanted to know more about him. Weirdly, there were not many options. So I tried this one about Gala, and while it did chronicler life and loves, it felt dull.
May 12, 2025
interesting biography about dali and other surrealists
May 22, 2025
of course they have managed to write a biography of a woman about all the men in her life
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August 7, 2025hard to understate how important this is for me personally
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews