5 comments about Dear Theo: The Autobiography of Vincent Van Gogh.

1. here's your unadulterated chance to see just how screwed up van gogh was. letter after letter after letter sitting on the pity pot writing to his younger brother whining for money, crying for assistance, guilting his brother into supporting his art...his art habit...his art addiction. ya know, after reading this book my perspective on van gogh changed. he struck me as an ultra-martyr (in the icky sense of the word), so big into self-pity. now, having since read a little more of his history - screwy parents, etc. - i have some more compassion for the guy and for why he was so screwed up, but these letters are honestly nothing short of tedious. one after the other, whining for money, then waxing eloquent about his art, which actually struck me often as quite manipulative - like he was justifying his existence and his productivity to theo.

   anyway, i still think van gogh is a wonderful artist, but what a messed up life - can't miss that from these letters. but god, i wish they'd been even more edited. and one other thing - irving stone (the editor) thinks van gogh is one of the world's greatest writers and philosophers of all times, in addition to being the honcho primo artist. well, as for philosopher, sorry irving, no. the guy was miserable and depressed and lonely, and seemed to philosophize in his letters to just keep contact with the world, but his philosophy gets under my skin.




2. Vincent Van Gogh was a great painter, but not a writer. So these letters are of interest in terms of history and painting. The life of Van Gogh is better exposed here than it would have been in a "real" autobiography, because Theo, his younger brother, was the only real friend Vincent ever had. He was his supporter, admirer and listener, and in fact Vincent had an emotional dependence on his brother. People interested in the process of artistic creation and creativity will find this book of enormous value and interest, since Van Gogh speaks a lot about that process in himself, one of the greatest painters of all time. But it is true, as one reviewer said, that these letters include, each and every one, eternal whining and begging from Vincent to his brother. He was, of course, always out of money and, as a genius really disconnected from the common world, unable to make a living by conventional activities. So he depended almost entirely on Theo. I would like to insist in that, although by no means a literary accomplishment, these letters are worth reading, since they expose naked the soul of a great artist and an extremely sensitive man, certainly a tortured and twisted soul.



3. These letters speak the truth of van Gogh. This book opens a window of knowledge on a man so misunderstood to the world. At 14, I absolutely am in love with this book. "Dear Theo" has ignited a fire in my soul, a burning desire to study art and the men behind the works.



4. I, like the many reviewers of this book, was enthralled and inspired by this collection of letters when I first read it 25 years ago. I have recommended it to many friends. At the time I would have given it five stars or even more if they were available. Irving Stone writes in his preface "My aim has been to edit the 1670 pages of material down to a swiftly flowing, continuous normal-sized book..." He succeeded but even 25 years ago I was a little disturbed by the complete absence of indications where exactly Mr. Stone had done his cutting, or his editing. Today, in the age of internet we can now do some easy checking. The unabridged letters are on the net and reveal that basically what this Dear Theo is, is another novel written by Irving Stone. There is almost no resemblance to the original letters. The novelist has used his talents and the raw material to create a beautiful saga. Worth reading, but let the reader beware.



5. It is not as easy a read as Stone's van Gog biography Lust For Life, but for fans, it's a deep book.
   
   Vincent tells of how he went into the fields to paint, and then a rain storm came. He sought meager shelter behind a big tree while it lasted, and then resumed. And because he had started with a low vantage point, he now had to stand on his knees in the mud! He seems to merely mention this to point out why he considers common workman's clothes to be the artist's best friend...
   
   He also tells how he went out to paint the sea, in a storm so strong he could barely stay on his feet. One painting got so full of sand from the beach that he went to a nearby inn and retouched it... and then went back out into the storm to finish it with fresh impressions!
   
   Today, most of us: "Go out with the camera today? Nah, it's a bit nippy, and I just got the Sopranos on DVD..."
   
   Irving Stone edited Dear Theo, and while he may have done a good job generally, I think it was a disservice to the material to not indicate where he cut it. It is just one long text, no dates and no indication where each quote starts or ends.

5 comments about In the Garden with Van Gogh.

1. I am a preschool teacher and enjoy teaching three year olds about art and artists. One artist that we recently studied was Vincent Van Gogh. The children painted sunflowers just like Van Gogh. They loved looking at this book and hearing the story that went along with it. They spent a lot of time studying his sunflower painting in this book and then painted beautiful sunflowers of their own!



2. Little ones love these colors, Van Gogh used a lot of vivid colors and they are just as stimulating as Seuss illustrations. Finally a book parents can ejoy reading to their kids!



3. My 16 month old son enjoys this book very much. He is fascinated by the images and he likes to listen to the rhymes as well. An excellent introduction to art.



4. We bought the 4-box collection which includes this book, and have bought many of the others since. My daughter loves them, and they are a wonderful addition to any child's library.



5. I bought this book for my nephew and it is a nice quality board book that has poetry along with images of Van Gogh's famous paintings. Even the adults enjoy looking at the artwork!

5 comments about The Yellow House: Van Gogh, Gauguin, and Nine Turbulent Weeksin Provence.

1. This book gives us insight into the mind and vision of Van Gogh. A very good read.



2. Yes, I have loved Van Gogh forever, and I've read many of his bios. This book has loads of fascinating details, but is poorly organized despite its chronological sequence. Gaylord confusingly moves, from 1888, back and forth, creating disjointed scenes of Van Gogh's past, pieces of art (stupidly printed in black and white, when the author talks over and over about the importance of color), or a place, that he loses the content and context constantly.
   His editors don't know how to use commas; and his editors don't seem to know when to reorganize his writing in a way that emphasizes Van Gogh.
   Tangents on Paul G. are weirdly excessive, yet shed no light on their relationship. Missing is any reasonable discussion of their alleged duel, and yet, the author takes great liberty in suggesting a confrontation amidst the two with Van Gogh carrying an alleged razor (But where is the source of this conclusion)?
   Then the info stops. And starts, and is told in a way as manic and unmanageable as Vincent's disease.
   This book is worthy for the author's interesting research and revelations. But the book is a poorly organized hodge podge of this research.
   Also: he suggests Van Gogh's funeral in Auvers with no further insight. I've been to Vincent's grave in Arles.
   The author would have been smart to clarify why Arles as the final resting place of not only Vincent, but his brother, Theo, right next to him as well.
   Lots of great data poorly organized; lots of incomplete data, but well worth the price of the book for the facts you can find here and there.
   No sound footnotes, vague explanations of translations, and a poor bibliography make me wonder how well the subject was researched.
   Lorraine Keenan



3. A greatly enjoyable book. While focussed on just nine weeks in Arles, the narriative darts back and forth over the past lives of Van Gogh and Gauguin in the attempt to explain their specific actions that took place in and around the famous Yellow House.
   
   Martin Gayford does not claim to have written an academic history, but one attempting to shed clarifying light on the actual motivations, thoughts and techniques that resulted in some of the Western world's greatest art. I think the author succeeded in his objective.



4. One of the most famous episodes of disastrous behavior by an artist is the tormented Vincent van Gogh's cutting off his ear. People who don't know anything else about the artist, or anything about art, know about the spectacular self-mutilation. There is more to the story, of course, and the excision of the ear is certainly not the most important part of van Gogh's life, but it did provide a climax to an important episode in that life, the collaboration between van Gogh and Paul Gauguin. In _The Yellow House: Van Gogh, Gauguin, and Nine Turbulent Weeks in Arles_ (Little, Brown), art critic Martin Gayford has recreated almost a day-by-day account of the time the two painters lived together, painted together, stimulated one another, and got on each other's nerves. It is a period that art historians have probed ever since van Gogh's postmortem fame, and while there have been recent discoveries made about details of the collaboration, Gayford's book in its chronological account gets close inside the minds of the two giants as they muddled their way through their period as housemates. Though Gayford tells in abbreviated form about what went on in their lives before and after their sharing of the Yellow House, the concentration on this particular period is wonderfully illuminating.
   
   Van Gogh arrived in Arles in February 1888, and on his walks spied the Yellow House, which he leased for five months. He was well known as a loner, but he had long dreamed of making a colony for artists who would collaborate together; it wasn't that they would work jointly on their canvases, but they would "live and paint together - different in individual style but sharing a common aim, exchanging ideas, commenting on each other's work." Vincent's brother Theo, an art dealer in Paris who lent support in multiple ways to his brother, hoped that it would be good for Vincent to have a companion, and offered Gauguin, whose paintings Theo brokered, a stipend to move in. Shortly after Gauguin's arrival, they proceeded out to paint the autumn foliage of Arles. They would carry out their gear, set up a few yards from each other, and work simultaneously on parallel subjects. There are thus fascinating pairs of paintings to show what the two artists made of the same subject. They talked about their work, they criticized and praised, and for the first weeks all was well. Gradually, however, van Gogh began to behave in ways that Gauguin could not accept or change. The exact reason for van Gogh's peculiar behavior has been retrospectively diagnosed with a dozen maladies, but Gayford makes the case (already made by others) that van Gogh had bipolar disorder (also known as manic-depression). In the particular case of the Yellow House there were other strains. "The claustrophobic pattern of life," writes Gayford, "would have put a strain on the most phlegmatic pair of friends."
   
   Toward the end of the collaboration, van Gogh was strained by the chromatic complexities of his portrait _La Berceuse_. He was drinking, and alcohol always made him more erratic, and he was worried about Gauguin's departure; Gauguin had written to Theo, "Vincent and I are absolutely unable to live side by side without trouble caused by incompatibility of temperament and he like I needs tranquility for his work. He is a man of remarkable intelligence whom I esteem greatly, and I leave with regret, but it is necessary." Van Gogh had taken to wandering at night and winding up near Gauguin's bed, disconcerting his companion. At one point, after consuming an absinthe, van Gogh hurled the glass at Gauguin. On 23 December, van Gogh rushed menacingly in the dark upon Gauguin, and (if the report of the latter is to be believed) did so with a straight razor. Gauguin escaped to a hotel, van Gogh returned home, took the razor, and sliced off his ear. Gayford analyzes possible sources for the self-mutilation, from the Gethsemane story to a newspaper report about Jack the Ripper cutting off the ears of one of his victims. The police were called to the Yellow House to pack van Gogh off the to hospital, where in his delirium he called repeatedly for Gauguin. Gauguin, however, claimed that a visit would make things worse, and left for Paris; they never saw each other again. Gauguin indeed was off to the tropics, and van Gogh was off for a year and a half of hospitalizations and remissions and astonishing productivity, ending in his suicide. Gayford's account measures each day and week in the collaboration with fitting detail, and always concentrates on the paintings that the two men produced during the time. It is the paintings, of course, that matter, not the incivility, neuroses, or madness of the painters. Van Gogh himself declared, "Old Gauguin and I understand each other basically, and if we are a bit mad, what of it?"



5. Unfortunately the story of "Starry Starry Night" Van Gogh has grown into one of the biggest cultural cliches this side of Walt Disney and Hummel collectibles. Who hasn't walked into someone's grandmother's retirement flat and found a "sunflower" reproduction hung somewhere? (Last "sunflower" sighting I recall was in a bathroom in Cleveland above a catbox.) It's one of the givens of our time that "Lust for Life" Van Gogh was a tormented yadda yadda, misunderstood yadda yadda, visionary yadda yadda and we should all be glad he once walked upon the face of the earth. Yet those same people who use "sunflower" notecards to invite each other to Starbucks would probably have run screaming from the bad-smelling, bad-mannered, brothel-hopping, drunk, chain-smoking, loudly opinionated, mood-swinging, and just plain weird, dirt-under the nails-artist. (Reminds me a bit of what's currently happening with the even more extreme case of the apotheosis of Henry Darger and his armies of little girls. Has some enterprising museum administrator begun to market Henry Darger "thank you" notes yet?) So given all of this cultural baggage, anything that helps me to dig through the gunk and actually catch a glimpse of the reality lurking behind the production of such extraordinary paintings, and to see the pictures anew, is welcome indeed. Martin Gayford succeeds in doing this by going back to one of the most creche-like moments in the life of Saint Vincent (the slicing off of the Great Misunderstood Genius' ear), and infusing it with the reality of daily weather reports, of letters, of the memories of one of the oldest persons ever to have lived. He attempts to tease out hints from the pictures themselves. We learn the name of the prostitute to whom the grisly gift was offered up. We learn that the authorities kept the ear in a vial of alcohol, and that perhaps the newspaper reports of the surgical antics of Jack the Ripper as well as "La Horla" by Guy de Maupassant (himself well on the way to madness) might have colored this bit of desperate performance art that Van Gogh's mental illness led him to carry out. Still, all of Gayford's digging around and speculating cannot really explain the worm in this artist's brain and how the twists and turns of mental illness undermined his incredible talent. The author succeeds somewhat better with Gauguin, whose real gift seems to have been a massive ego and a rat-like ability to survive anywhere and to use anyone. He comes across as totally understandable in his coolly calculating attempts to create a career for himself in the art world. Gayford also shows us that Gauguin harbored a real fondness for Van Gogh, though it's hard to believe that such an affection would have been deep or lasting. Both of these gentlemen were kept under the scrutiny of the local police in their unusual comings and goings to and from the Yellow House, and most of you good people reading this review would have agreed with the authorities, even perhaps requested their surveillance, had you been living in that town at that time. The final detail that impressed me was that the architecture of the Yellow House placed Van Gogh and Gauguin's studio antics on street level, clearly observable by passers-by, who often stopped, stared--and in the case of Van Gogh and the local children--jeered. What worlds of pain existed for these two strange beings! Van Gogh--whose one attempt at "normal" life with a "fallen" woman and her child was condemned by his mother, father and siblings, so that he felt forced to give it up, and Gauguin, who turned his back on a good job and a loving wife and children to paint. The reality of their lifestyles must have been grim indeed. No wonder we construct "safe" and sugary versions of their story and hang their pictures in our bathrooms.

5 comments about Vincent's Colors.

1. I used this book for many lessons, integrating the visual art as well as the writing component. very lovely, easy for young children to relate to, stimulates their own artisty and a lovely book to own.



2. Vincents Colors is a beautiful book. I purchased it for my preschool to go along with the theme of illustrators and authors. The teachers used this book as a resource to go along with that theme.The children loved looking at the pictures.



3. I am a teacher in a class of 2 year olds and they LOVE this book. I have to read it at least 3 times per week, in addition to the children "reading" it themselves. The pictures are so bright and the words are so simple. We have even done pictures based on their favorite painting "Starry Night". I highly recommend this book to be added to any personal or classroom collection, especially if you are promoting art.



4. This is a beautiful book and a wonderful introduction to art for young children. In addition, children who are just learning to read can read the book themselves. My kindergarten aged grandson can read most of the book and loves to talk with an adult about the art. This book links meaningfully to the Baby Van GoghBaby Van Gogh video in the Baby Einstein series.



5. I have been an early childhood educator for over 36 years and am delighted that "Vincent's Colors" is available to my young students, ages 3-6. It is an exquisite introduction not only to the work of Vincent VanGogh but to the observation of color and art forms. In addition, the vocabulary associated with each picture links literacy to this introduction to art. Research clearly shows that the arts strengthen brain connections, particularly during the first five years of life. Every young child deserves this book in their early library!

5 comments about The Letters of Vincent van Gogh (Penguin Classics).

1. I bought this book several years ago in a college bookstore. How fortunate these students were to have been able to read and discuss this with others! I have had a long interest in Van Gogh and found this book to be fascinating, an almost voyeuristic look into his short life. I am glad to see that it is available * * and would hope that people now seeing the traveling Van Gogh portraiture exhibit might read it.

   De Leeuw has compiled letters covering over 25 years of Van Gogh's life, letters that offer the reader an intimate look into the artist's thoughts and emotions. He writes about his friendships, his family, his attempts at love affairs, his religious beliefs and questions, and most importantly, about his art. These letters reveal him as anything but the anti-social person often portrayed in the past, with the ones about his relationship with his brother Theo being particularly touching.

   Van Gogh was a prolific correspondent and an absolutely wonderful writer. His prose is remarkable--he could have been a writer as well as an artist. These letters shed light on the inner thoughts and the inspiration for his art and show him as a person of great passion and compassion.




2. A very fine collection of the letters, with multiple sides of VVG revealed. To read a collection of letters by an artist whose work you know very well is to invite yourself to take a look at him as a person. As a person, I found that I liked him best in these letters when he was struggling with his religion, his art, and his purpose. I'm glad that Roskill didn't make a selection that focused solely on the more famous and theatrical depressions.

   I don't agree that this work reveals Van Gogh as a writer. For me, they definitely confirmed his status as a painter. At his best in these letters, he's painting with words.

   Which doesn't make it a less interesting read. I found this a good adjunct to taking a look at the work again, it added an extra dimension to experiencing him as a painter.

   Well worth the time it takes.




3. Van Gogh is a tremendously powerful letter- writer. In these letters mostly written to his brother we see a great , suffering , soul, a devoted artist tormented and striving. This may all sound like 'cliche' but Van Gogh is perhaps the most conspicuous example of the cliche of the suffering , rejected in- his- life artist who knows great recognition only after death.
   Van Gogh is a person of great intelligence, and of a very strong conscience. There are no greater letters I think ever written by an artist.And while they may be filled with a troubled and agonized spirit they too have a great richness of feeling and appreciation of life.



4. this collection of van gogh's letters to his brother Theo both captivated me and broke my heart. Such an intimate look into the vulnerability of the artistic soul. Those who appreciate the artistic process will love this collection of letters. You don't need to be an admirer of Van Gogh's to appreciate this; but you will walk away admiring the man behind the sunflowers.



5. To read Van Gogh's letters is to come as close to sitting aside this world class artist as possible. I dare say, he wrote almost as good as he painted--his passion verily jumps off the page.
   
   In this addition, we are treated to an excellent selection of Van Gogh's letters (mainly to his brother Theo) from each seminal period in his extraordinary life. In between the sections, the editor provides us with fascinating details into the travails of Van Gogh's personal life.
   
   Alongside Rilke's Letters to a Young Poet, this collection is essential reading for all artists.

5 comments about Van Gogh (Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists).

1. Well, we should not have been surprised that Vincent Van Gogh presents a challenge to Mike Venezia, because the tragic life of this particular artist does not especially lend itself to the cartoons that Venezia includes in his Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists series. On the one hand we are talking about one of the most famous artists of all time, whose paintings now sell for millions and millions of dollars. But on the other hand we have a man who suffered severe emotional problems, cut off his ear, and ended up committing suicide. To be fair, Van Gogh was the epitome of the starving artist, and while none of the cartoons in the book goes too far, the one on the back of Venezia's self-portrait with a paper-cut is over the line given that this is a book for children.

   The strength of the book is that Venezia does one of his best jobs of explaining the unique style of the artist with his look at Van Gogh. It is ironic that in a book where the subject presents such problems, Venezia provides ten cartoons in the book, which might be the most I have seen in any of his volumes to date (there are 22 paintings and drawings by Van Gogh). Certainly the cartoons do not reflect the tone of the text, which deals with Van Gogh's problems in a straight-forward manner. But given the fate of the artist, it is hard to find them totally appropriate. Again, to be fair, this is Venezia's format and we could not expect him to abandon it and perhaps he was trying to provide a counterbalance to Van Gogh's self-destructive impulses. Certainly parents should check this one out and make a judgment for their own children, and teachers should do the same thing for their students. A good alternative text, although written for a slightly older audience, is "What Makes a Van Gogh a Van Gogh" put out by The Metropolitan Museum of Art.




2. This book offered a great resource for my classroom. There is a lot to read about his life and history so I would definitely not use it as a read-aloud. I do however, use this book to point out significant events in his life. The illustrations are light and add humor to an otherwise depressing life. They bring the artist to life and that makes it easier for my students to relate to and it keeps up their interest. Informative and enjoyable, this book is a must have for teachers.



3. My 6 year old liked the paintings in the book and while the book did a decent job of covering the basics, I knew enough to fill in the blanks with what I know about the artist. We also went online and researched some of his life and art. It was simple and to the point and since my child is 6 years old, I woudl say this book would be good for her age group and up.



4. these are a wonderful set of books for children to read to themselves, they are well researched and written. as an art teacher for pre-schoolers I found some of the information too negative, too personal and I really dislike the cartoons, it is too easy for children to focus on those and it detract from the artwork. Still I am glad I bought this one and will buy more, just maybe not to show my students, but to get ideas for teaching to kids.



5. I loved the fact that there is a children's book out there that contained all of my favorite works by Van Gogh, with text to support it, which can be read by my 7 year old. I don't know, perhaps I'm overprotective, but I didn't think one of the cartoons, showing a stick figure of "Mr. Van Gogh" in a NOOSE was appropriate for my son! (The context was that his students drew it....still, inappropriate! If a student would draw that on any chalkboard in any school district, they would probably be expelled!) I am planning on saving this book, for when he is older, and am looking for a replacement van gogh book for now, with only prints of his masterpieces!

5 comments about Camille and the Sunflowers.

1. This is simply one of the best books I ever got my daughter. When she was about 1-1/2 years old, we took her to a Van Gogh exhibition and she stared, absolutely transfixed, at "Wheat Field with Crows." So when I saw this book, it seemed like she would really enjoy it, and she has. Note that it is not an entirely happy story, true to Van Gogh's life, so it is maybe not for tiny kids. But even recomposed by Anholt, the paintings are still amazingly vivid and interesting, and led us on a web search to find more (http://www.vangoghgallery.com/ is the BEST spot!). If I could only have a few books to read to my daughter for the rest of her childhood, this would be on my list, and hers as well.



2. i used this book to teach an art project to pre-schoolers and it was perfect! they enjoyed the story very much and it made the portraits of Camille's family, which they had already seen in other lessons, come to life and at the end when they see the picture of "14 sunflowers" they became excited about creating their own sunflowers out of fimo clay. A beautiful book and a well written story.



3. This is a very well written and illustrated story about a young boy who encounters Vincent Van Gogh and befriends him. It is based on a true story. While it is well done and my children love the story, I was a little bit disappointed that it included only imitations of Van Gogh's paintings and not actual pictures of them. I felt that even though there is a sad element to this story, the author did an excellent job of making it suitable even for small children, and sparks their interest in learning more about his life and works. We will be using this book this year for our homeschooled kindergartner and preschooler, and I am sure that this will be a great starting point for further learning and discussions. I give this book four stars and highly recommend it.



4. I bought this book for my 6-year-old son, albiet with a little hesitation as to whether or not he would be interested in something like this, since his passions seem to be more with Spiderman, Harry Potter, etc. However he absolutely loves this book! He asks me to read it to him almost every night. And tonight after we finished it, he asked me where we could go to see Van Gogh's paintings in real life because "I really want to go and see them!" (Hmmm...this could be a good excuse to take a little vacation to Holland!) I am ordering several more of this book for him to give as birthday gifts to his friends and cousins.



5. This is the type of book that I do wish there were more of. I certainly am not going to go into plot, story-line, etc. here, as other reviewers have done so already and have accomplished it quite well. This story is based on a true encounter with the artist Vincent Van Gogh. This book is a wonderful tool to introduce children to the wonderful artist. It also has some wonderful lesson within it's pages dealing with acceptance and tolerance of those who are just a bit different than ourselves. The author has done a wonderful job with the text and the illustrations fit perfectly and are very well executed. The story is told through the eyes of a small boy. I have read this to quite a number of classes of children and they have all enjoyed it, which, when you think about it, is a pretty good indorsement for any children's book. This is certainly one you will want to add to your child's library.

5 comments about Vincent Van Gogh: Sunflowers and Swirly Stars (Smart About Art).

1. This is what my daughter called the famous painting when I first bought her this book. She is almost 4 and has owned this book for about 9 months and it is regularly a favorite that she likes to read...well, more often she likes to look at the pictures and name the paintings. This is a great intro to art book for young children. I highly recommend as a first book for your little art-lover, or art-lover-to-be.



2. I wanted something to spark my 6YO son's interest in art. This book sure did. He asked me to read it to him a 2nd time right on the spot. He also spotted a Van Gogh print that I brought home. This is a fine series. I also got the Degas which wasn't quite as interesting but he still liked it. I just ordered Picasso and a few others. Get the Van Gogh and if your child loves it, try some of the others. (I also liked that this mentioned Van Gogh was very depressed once at loving a woman who didn't love him back.)



3. My five year old was so inspired reading this that she went to the basement and proceeded to make her own copies of his works. It is nice and simple, but with a decent amount of info and great pics.



4. My 5, 6 and 8 yr old kids are entranced when I read them the Smart About Art books. After reading one, I came back to Amazon and ordered as many as I could.
   
   They are written as a student would write a book report, but are humorous, touching and extremely informative with plenty of examples of the artists' work. I attended Art School 20+ years ago and it was a refresher course for me as well. It includes background/personal info about the artist, but only as much as a child can comprehend and as it pertains to his art. These books have just the right amount of info on the artists and their work.
   
   I wanted to share the world of art with my kids. Though my youngest two still use coloring books and my oldest reads chapter books without illustrations, these Smart About Art picture books are the perfect mix where they all can gain something from them--this series is neither too young nor too advanced.
   
   After years of reading picture books, my kids often ask "can that really happen?" or "is that person real?" I wanted a break from the imaginative world of children's lit and now I'm happy to finally answer "Yes, this person really existed, this really happened!" after reading the Smart About Art books.



5. Great book to introduce Van Gogh - nice reproductions and storyline, but then I'm biased as this is my favorite artist!

5 comments about Lust for Life.

1. I should have read this biography sooner. I used to be in love with his paintings, and even fantasized that IF I were to travel back in time, I would've married him -- all this BEFORE I read this book. After I read it I found out that there was one such infatuated woman (Margot), and also a tragic unrequited love story that led him to religion and then to painting. Anyone who is creative will sympathize with the extent to which pain can be transformed into the strength to create. The creative path is not always materially rewarding, and even if it is all an artist has, it will continuously change others' lives. I absorbed every word of this book and was hooked until the very end. Poverty and disinterest is ephemeral... belief in oneself is revolutionary.



2. This is a beautiful novel about a beautiful human being. If you love Van Gogh's paintings (he is my personal favorite of all painters) then by all means, you need to read this wonderful book. In his prose, Stone is able to paint a vivid, vibrant, illuminating portrait of an amazing artist. I was truly blown away and completely consumed from the first chapter on. I actually read this fine story after visiting the Musee d'Orsay (Museum Orsay) in Paris and seeing first hand the magnificent works of this illustrious Impressionist. Of all the great many paintings presented at the Louvre and d'Orsay, it was the Van Gogh's that captivated me more than all the others (which is saying a lot, because the whole place is captivating!). I couldn't believe some of his self-portraits. What really fascinated me the most was the despondency in those steel blue eyes of his. This is what led me to read this story. I wanted to know where all that pain and suffering came from. Irving Stone answered all of my questions and then some. He is a brilliant and insightful writer and I will be looking forward to reading his novel "The Agony and the Ecstasy" which is based on the life of another favorite artist of mine - Michelangelo.
   
   Anyone who is struggling to become an artist needs to read this! Talk about sacrifice and desire and heart and passion... this man Van Gogh was a true original. A man like no other before or since.
   
   "...for by sadness the countenance of the heart is made better."
   
   I can't recommend this one enough.



3. I loved this book. For someone like me, with just a passing knowledge of art and art history, it was pretty amazing to learn about Van Gogh's development as an artist and the Impressionist art movement. In addition, I think that its two major themes of expression and immortality are going to have a lasting effect on me.
   
   By expression, I mean that Van Gogh put all his time and energy into expressing himself in a way that he felt was making the best use of his skills. For him, his calling was a new form of art, and he stuck with it despite receiving no recognition or profit for his work during his lifetime. By immortality, I mean that although Van Gogh was not successful in his lifetime, his work lives on and is hung in the most important museums in the world.
   
   Highly recommended.



4. Amazing book and so very well written as all of Stone's other books are...I have always been mesmerised by Van Gogh's paintings, especially when I saw an exhibit of his in London.The colours were so wonderful that I just stood there infront of those pieces of art like a zombie ! I loved this book !



5. My boyfriend's father convinced me that, as an art history major, I needed to read this book. I was a little hesitant, but after the first chapter I was completely hooked.
   
   This was a truly powerful book. No matter that it is not a true biography, it was beautifully written and moving. I would recommend this to anyone with even a passing interest in art.

4 comments about Twelve Van Gogh Bookmarks (Small-Format Bookmarks).

1. This collection of Van Gogh works really are great to look at and even more fun to give to others. What a nice way to expose young readers, especially, to the artwork of the masters.



2. these where great value for money. great to give as gifts & fantastic if ur a VG fan!



3. What can I say? This product would make a great gift to any book worm. It arrives in a small packet where you can detach the bookmarks as you use them, that way you don't lose them so easily.
   
   Van Gogh's art is unique. He uses bold colors with rough brushstrokes influenced by impressionism
   
   ==PROS==
   - good value & price
   - gives a short description of the artwork
   - detachable in a packet
   
   ==CONS==
   - none, how can you go wrong with bookmarks?



4. These are cute little bookmarks. A nice little gift for yourself or for the book/art lover in your life. I bought these for myself and they make me happy. They are fun and inexpensive. I have nothing bad to say about them.