Great review thanks Graham. The two best attributes about Hirst's practice are honesty and accessibility; the detrimental attribute, pure ambition. His admiration of the painter, Francis Bacon, is the best lens through which to consider Hirst's work. Gordon Burn's 'On the Way To Work' http://bit.ly/JVEmD7 is an insightful, entertaining read and clearly follows, as a template, David Sylvester's earlier 'Interviews With Francis Bacon'. Understanding Hirst's adoration of Bacon, his lens for understanding the genealogy of western art historical narratives becomes apparent as do his aesthetic successes, failures and ultimately his understanding of the class system.