Awards/Selection
Lists:
- Robert F. Sibert Honor book
- ALA Notable Book
- ALA Best Book for Young Adults
- Common Core State Standards Text Exemplar
Author's Website:
Brief Summary: One of the most famous painters in history, this chronological account of the life and work of Vincent van Gogh begins with the birth of Vincent to Dutch Reverend and his wife. The first live child, but second of his name, to arrive in the household, Vincent's life never seems to travel in a straight line. Whether he decided to teach, to preach, or to draw and paint, he did so with relish few others could match, and with a fragility, humanity, and eccentricity unsurpassed by modern artists. Contemporaries of Gaugin, Toulouse-Lautrec, Manet, Monet and the Impressionists, Vincent's relationship to art, his family, and the world around him would lead to emotional masterpieces the world has not seen since, nor are they likely to.
Personal Reaction: Vincent van Gogh holds a special place in my heart, much like Einstein, da Vinci and P.T. Barnum. Often misunderstood, but highly emotional and sometimes intentionally reclusive, these artists and larger than life celebrities dared to live life outside the lines, creating a brighter, more vivid, compassionate and imaginative world than they came from. Van Gogh was often portrayed as troubled, mentally ill, and unstable. However, while not ignoring these facts, this biography places him squarely in the world of the attainable artist, the sensitive fellow searching for his place, his talent and his legacy for the world. Instead of being simply insane, the author shows how it is possible that, due to emotional stress (something that can be debilitating in highly sensitive individuals), poor diet, and partaking of the ever popular toxic absinthe, Vincent may have had epilepsy, contributing to some of his more strange behaviors. I would have liked to have seen a little more information on the side effects of prolonged absinthe usage, as it has been known to cause hallucinations, of which it was said Vincent suffered, but overall, the authors presented Van Gogh as a true person, rather than a commodity, and I think that is difficult to portray in non-fiction, while attempting to maintain facts.
I appreciated that the authors often fit his more famous works into the timeline of events of his life, to help the reader understand the factors that influenced his work and also the connection to his family, particularly his father, mother, and brother Theo, who financed him, both as a brother and an art dealer, for the majority of his life. Overall, I was amazed at the depth of knowledge explored on Vincent in this short 132 page work. A definite good read, though a little dry at points. It sill makes me wish I could paint the way I feel, like Vincent strove for so long to do.
Front/Back Matter: Front cover, Title page, Copyright
Page, Dedication, Contents, Map, Prologue, Chapters from birth through death, Postscript, Biographical Time Line, Museum Locations, Glossary of Artists and Terms, Notes, Index, About the Authors.
Content Evaluation: One problem I always have with children's non-fiction is the lack of accountability and citation of sources. The authors speak a lot to Vincent's emotional states, and those of his family and friends. Certainly some of it can be assumed due to the tone of letters and correspondence, but with no first hand accounts, how can this be positively assumed? However, the time line, postscript denoting Vincent's sister-in-law preserving his works and letters for display, the glossary and artist listing, as well as museum location lends an air of credence given the amount of research necessary to acquire this information. The Notes are where the authors gives their sources, chapter by chapter, and lends more authority to the research.
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