Dear Theo: The Autobiography of Vincent Van Gogh

Van Gogh writes like he paints, beautiful and it can break your heart. One of my favorite readings.

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.

"Admire as much as you can; most people do not admire enough." Vincent Van Gogh, Book II page 12, "Dear Theo." Vincent Van Gogh's letters to his younger brother Theo, which were originally published in a roughly 1,600 page three-volume set, is now placed in my fingertips at just the well abridged version of only 480 pages. In this book, we see Vincent Van Gogh as one who was just as exceptionally gifted to write as he was to draw; you truly sense the loneliness and sorrow which encompassed and molded his life, and his sentiments are as they were the verbial explanations of his most famous paintings which display the profound depths of human expressions and feelings. We love when writers are transparent and vulnerable; here is a book in which we see someone whose conscience makes him no coward; for if all the world turn a deaf ear towards us, how can we deal in hypocrisy towards the only people who seem willing enough to listen to our grievances? Highly recommended book to anyone, anyone that is a human.

These letters are will make you smile and break your heart.

The edges were a little bent and I'm not sure if it's this company or all publishing of this book, but the text is thick And some looks kind of smeared on almost every other page. Is still readable but I just wasn't expecting that I guess. Anyway, good book. A nice read he lived an intriguing and sad life

I gave this as gift to my mother who has told me that she is reading it very slowly. She is savoring each word. She reads lots of biographies but said this one is so very different, because they are letters. She is so happy that I bought this for her.

pretty sure this was a counterfeit print, but it's still a great book

It is a lovely book. Not one I read cover to cover - no need, they are letters - not a story. The letters combined do tell a story so I will pick up and read on occasion to understand the changes The Artist was going through.

The letters are remarkable, his love of his brother shines through, He had such difficulty with relationships,only Theo appeared to understand him although even he had moments of doubt. The poverty the struggle for perfection, his desperate longing for love,its all there an extraordinary book.

This is a book for people who absolutely love Van Gogh and will persevere. I had just read Lust for Life by the same author and it read very much like a novel. But with this book I was surprised that much of the background content from the non-fictional Lust for Life was largely missing from the letters. When he discusses situations in his life there is very little context to put things in perspective. It is mostly internal dialogue written to his brother Theo about painting, which is great in itself, but also about how he feels about himself as a person. If I had not read Lust for Life first I would be totally lost at to what was happening in his life.

Letra muy pequeña e impresión chueca, a mi en lo personal me cuesta mucho leer con ese tamaño de letra, no me gustó tanto.

Although the content of the book is great as expected, the print quality is horrible. I suggest you buy this book from elsewhere

This fine book was in perfect condition and delivered promptly. An absorbing read.