Lust for Life by Irving Stone Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Lust for Life
Book Review: Excellent novel!
Summary: 5 Stars
Absolutely fantastic novel about a passionate man. I have a new appreciation of his work. I would love to see a re-release of the novel with color images of his paintings interspersed with the text. My only (minor) frustration with the book was that I could not see the paintings as he discussed them. I wound up at a print store searching through the bins. Luckily no one heard me when I found one of his prints and said out loud, "Oh, he just painted this one 2 pages ago!" A great read, especially for anyone who considers themself an artist. _Lust for Life_ is now sitting next to my Margaret George biographical novels!Book Review: Expressing oneself
Summary: 5 Stars
"One day you will express yourself and that will justify your existence", said Vincent van gogh's teacher to him. if i start writing about the book, it will wet reams of paper. I have read the book at least fifty times and everytime i derive a different meaning from it. lust for life potrays the kind of life vincent van gogh, the famous painter lived. how he tried to find true love and how he failed. and how he experimented with painting; everytime you read his story, there is a sinking feeling in your heart. you can feel his agony and ecstasy. this book has given me confidence- of being separate and different from the crowd. i have learnt to be an extremist in life, no matter what price i have to pay for it. it has also made me think that i can work as a mason, a clerk or a writer, or as a social activist and still be able to be different and yes.... one day i'll express myself and that will justify my existence. after reading the book, i have sought peace. what i found is ecstasy, anguish, madness and loneliness... the solitary pain that gnaws the heart, but peace i did not find. do i need it? no. No. Never.Book Review: Falling in love all over again!
Summary: 5 Stars
I don't read often, especially biographies. Van Gogh's life is incredible, and reading this book is helping me to understand and appreciate his work so much more. A perfect book!Book Review: Good One!
Summary: 5 Stars
This was the second irving stone I read. And I must say that this book was brilliant and far surpassed the other, 'The Agony and the Ecstasy'. Reading this book made me realise that lives of men are more interesting than that of people in fiction. A must read!
Book Review: Good Overall
Summary: 4 Stars
This was a surprisingly good book, as I was leery of a novelistic approach to a biography. Sure there are some leaps and liberties taken, but for the most part it seems authentic.
The beginning is rather tedious with Van Gogh's unreciprocated love for Ursula. This is strained and not particularly interesting. It has little to do with Van Gogh's creation of art. After this episode the story picks up pace and is fast moving. The author does not dwell long on any particular topic. The chapters are short and the story progresses.
Van Gogh's sojourn with the coal miners in Belgium was very moving. When he arrives in Paris the story is energized by the painters he encounters - Toulouse-Lautrec, Gauguin and Seurat. Through-out all this the love of Van Gogh parents for him never wavers - they disapprove of his lifestyle but are always supportive. His brother Theo financially supports him to the end, besides providing an emotional cornerstone and friendship.
The story is depressing, as it should be. Van Gogh was a maladjusted individual. He could not relate well to people - particularly women. In a sense he was almost child-like in his relationships.
It is also good to follow the chronological progress of his paintings while reading the book. There is an explosion of colours after his arrival in Paris. One of his last paintings `Wheat Field with Crows' is very symbolic and moving as the black crows fly off at nightfall in several different directions.
One quote from the book:
A whore by Toulouse-Lautrec is moral because he brings out the beauty that lies beneath her external appearance; a pure country girl by Bouguereau is immoral because she is sentimentalized and so cloyingly sweet that just to look at her is enough to make you vomit.