Susie

Nick Cave’s profound devotion to his wife Susie is present in the images he has crafted through words and lyrics since they met in 1997. Their longstanding friend, photographer Dominique Issermann, has spent years with Susie attempting the same elusive task on camera. The result is a mirror held up to an ethereal presence, whose form beguiles and evades the lens: there are many characters within, many Susies to record, beginning in the early days of Nick and Susie falling in love.

In her own words, the role Susie feels most true to is that of mother. This book is also an extraordinary testament to mothering—encompassing both the devastating loss of a beloved child and the deep comfort found in the one who remains. It opens up a visual account that was previously held close, and casts light on a transformative point in the family’s lives. Reflections from Nick and Susie center their adoration and faith in each other, and the strength gained through their friendship with Issermann, whose camera they have trusted to capture even the most intimate family moments.

This is a book to cherish: it affirms faith in art, enchantment, beauty, and the strength of the human spirit. It is a visual ode to love, to family, and to Susie.