The photographer who just happened to be a nanny

About a decade ago, a Facebook friend shared a post about a trove of photographs discovered by Chicago resident John Maloof. The mysterious photographer, Vivian Maier, had died in 2009, leaving thousands of negatives and hundreds of undeveloped rolls of film.

The black and white street photographs attached to the article were so compelling that Maier became one of my favorite photographers virtually overnight. I wasn't alone -- Maier's story and astounding body of work (painstakingly archived by Maloof) became a worldwide phenomenon.

Ten years later, I continued to be awed by Maier's work and puzzled by her persona. She was described by those who knew her as distant or affectionate, shy or gregarious, imposing or repulsive, depending on who was being interviewed. The Oscar-nominated documentary 2014 documentary "Finding Vivian Maier" answered some questions but raised many others.

So I was intrigued when I found that Ann Marks had written a comprehensive biography, Vivian Maier Developed: The Untold Story of the Photographer Nanny. Marks spent years uncovering the details of Maier's life, details that she kept to herself for a number of reasons. One of the mysteries Marks clarifies is that Maier did not wish to keep her work secret. In fact, Marks hypothesizes, photography was not only her self-expression, but a means of coping with the effects of an unmoored childhood and profound mental illness.

I was a little apprehensive as I began reading -- would uncovering these mysteries make Maier's work less compelling?

To the contrary. I now have a deeper appreciation for Maier's work than ever. The book includes numerous photographs and Marks deftly shows how they reflect the photographer's development as an artist. News media were quick to label Maier as the "Nanny photographer" -- a domestic serving wealthy clients who happened to have a hidden talent. Marks deliberately titled the book "Photographer Nanny" to highlight the truth: Maier was a talented and thoughtful artist who happened to be maker her living caring for children. Check out her work at vivianmaier.com.