This is the second biographical novel from Irving Stone that I've read after The Agony and The Ecstasy and I'd say this is too good.
Irving Stone is famous for his style of writing when he write about historical figures from his imagination. The novels are not totally imaginative and it has a solid research behind it. The author has added his imagination to put all the facts together to make it more readable.
This book is based on the life of famous Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh. Vincent had a lots of ups and downs in his life specially he never got love from whom he loved apart from the single most important person in his life his younger brother Theo. The book has been divided into various sections based on the places he lived and how these places affected his creativity.
Even after all the failures Vincent never gave up on what he was most passionate about until the end of his life. He painted in the worst conditions. One fact which really surprised me was that he started serious painting when he was 28 years old. Most of the people will not even think about picking a different profession but painting was not his profession, it was more like breathing to him. It was the reason for staying alive.
Another thing which I'd like to add was that this is this book has shown the relation of two brothers in a best possible way and The Brothers Karamazov comes to a close second in this context.
This book has shown that we're not in this world to fulfill our duty but to chase our dreams. I know this sentence sounds cliche or even a dud but that is the most important part of being alive.
I don't know how many people are sitting out there who could have been a different person altogether if they'd have been allowed to follow their dreams.
Not on all of us can be van Gogh but we all have a van Gogh inside us.
This book is a must read.
Peace
