Rating: 
Summary: Bravo Stone!
Review: Irving Stone is not a "great" biographer. He doesn't provide copious bibliographic details or even pretend particularly to serious scholarship. But he does do his research. What Stone is is a very good storyteller. And the stories he tells, whether about Jack London, Heinrich Schleimann, Michelangelo or Freud, have always entertained and (yes) enriched me. Van Gogh's biography, and it's companion-piece, Dear Theo, are particularly moving accounts of that great, tragic painter. I doubt if any artist ever despaired as deeply or more profoundly than Vincent. Stone captures the pathos of Van Gogh's few moments of exhiliration, followed always by days of dissilusionment and depression. Van Gogh was the saint and prototype of all struggling artists. The penury and neglect he suffered through shouldn't have to be endured by the mangiest stray animal. It's one of God's great ironies (Faulkner's cosmic jester?) that Van Gogh's works are bought by Japanese investors and museum collections for umptold millions, whereas their creator, having climbed down to the last rung of despair, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. If you enjoy this book as much as I did, read Dear Theo. It reveals the extraordinarly tender love the two Van Gogh brothers had for each other. Theo was basically Vincent's sole means of support during the artists's latter years. Unfortunately, Theo was living in boderline poverty himself, had a family, and thus couldn't give much to Vincent save for a little bit of money and a great deal of moral encouragement. Both of these books are infinitely sad, yet the redeeming aspect is that Vincent didn't live his life in vain, as he thought, and that the body of work which has survived ( many paintings were painted over - canvas was a luxury) is a testament to his genius.
Rating:
Summary: A fascinating study of a great man
Review: Irving Stone's biography of Vincent Van Gogh is a thoroughly absorbing story. Taking him from London to the Netherlands to Belgium and the South of France, the book takes you on a trip through Vincent's arduous yet fascinating life. What makes the story so fulfilling is that you're there with Van Gogh all the way, through his hard times as well as his brief successes. One of the most fascinating sections of the book is the period he spends in a coal mine in Belgium, living and working in utter poverty. His meetings with famous artists like Gaugin are also quite interesting. Sadly, his slow descent into madness is also chronicled here. You don't have to be a fan of Van Goh's work to appreciate this intense story (but it helps). Highly recommended for anyone who's interested in the lives of people who have led truly unique lives.
Rating:
Summary: A Classic for everyone to read and enjoy.
Review: Irving Stone's greatest novel, "Lust for Life," traces the life of Dutch artist, Vincent Van Gogh from his auspicious beginnings as an art dealer in London to his death at age 37 in Auvers in 1890.
The book is considered a 'biographical novel' because, although it is rooted in fact, the author has fictionalized certain details, as well as dialog that can only be imagined. Stone, however had quite an advantage when writing "Lust for Life." He had at his disposal the massive three volume set of "The Complete Letters of Vincent Van Gogh." Van Gogh, after all, was not only one of the greatest painters in history, but also one of most prolific and eloquent writer of letters. When reading "Lust for Life," one can easily find Van Gogh's own words liberally sprinkled throuhgout the dialog, giving a depth of insight into his art and philosophy that no author could ever dream up in a work of pure fiction. Stone seamlessly weaves a literary portrait of Van Gogh that can honestly be called a masterpiece.
Stone opted to skip over undramatic events in Van Gogh's life, such as his brief stay in Drenthe. Instead, he keeps the story moving steadily and sometimes swiftly, over the pricipal events in the artist's stormy life. Such ommisions have unjustly drawn harsh criticism from Van Gogh scholors, who question the wisdom of tampering with history. It must be remembered, however, that the purpose of "Lust for Life" is not to read as a dry, historically accurate biography, but as an entertaining story, which works wonderfully at emphasizing the drama without resorting to prepetuating myths about the artist.
"Lust for Life" works best as pure escapism for anyone wanting to transport themselves into another time. Van Gogh is brought into vivid focus, living and breathing from page to page. Stone has done an incredible job of distilling Van Gogh's personality and presenting in a highly palatable form. No matter how many times the book is read (I have read it nine times) the ending never fails to deliver an emotional whollop that will leave the reader in tears.
I wish all books could be this good.
Rating: 
Summary: The Woe of Van Gogh
Review: Irving Stone, a pioneer of the biographical fiction genre has produced a solid work. Depictions of Van Gogh's obsession with his art as well as depictions of the artistic personalities of the time including Toulouse-Latrec, Cezanne and Gaugin are flawless; the trite love affairs and his spiraling descent into madness are not as detailed or compelling. Still, if you love the art world, I would recommend this book.
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Summary: The standard by which all Van Gogh biographies are measured.
Review: Lust For Life, first penned by Irving Stone over 60 years ago, still stands out as the definitive biography of Van Gogh despite all the years that have since brought us new books on this man and his art. One little-known fact about this book is that in researching it back then, Stone was able to interview people who were acquaintances of Van Gogh, including his red-headed friend in Auvers, Dr. Gachet, who also sat for several of his portraits. This alone adds an authenticity to this work which subsequent bios find it tough to equal. Last summer I vacationed in France, and made a point of visiting several of Vincent's haunts, including Arles, St. Remy and Auvers. I will always remember the bittersweet sight of his grave on the lonely hill above Auvers where Vincent lies next to his beloved brother Theo. Having just read Lust For Life added immeasurably to my experience and understanding of the man and his remarkable, albeit brief, life.
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Summary: A powerful novel, an amazing read
Review: Not being big on reading I was at first intmidated to read this novel. I had heard from my father what a wonderful book it was (it was one of the few books he had read in his lifetime). Not quite sure what I was getting into I leafed through the weathered old copy and very soon became engulfed inside the life of this mysterious and wonderful man. This book is a powerful work of literal art. It is beautifully captivating, and was impossible for me to put down. I found myself falling in love with the character. When he cried, I cried, when he laughed, I laughed. This book is like a blanket, enveloping you with warmth and security. I would recommend this book to anyone who need to have a revival in life and spirituality because I can tell you from experience that it changed me. I hope my review has influenced you and you will deeply consider reading this novel.
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Summary: The best van Gogh book I've seen
Review: Someone recommended it, I said, well, sounds good... So I went and read it. It actually changed my life! I've always been intersted in painting, but everything changed after this book. Firts, Stone's storytelling and the way he describes things are beautiful. He grabs you from the first line. And the subject he had, too! Here you see van Gogh's life, his (many) struggles, how he suffered... his joys, too, and his achievments in painting. You get to see here Vincent's great, great soul. And after you're done with this one, go get Stone's "Dear Theo", a collection of Vincent's letters to Theo, which are actually the source of information for this book. After this book, besides of becoming a huge van Gogh admirer, I started painting myself... how's that for influence huh?
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Summary: A gentle soul was Vincent Van Gogh
Review: Stone takes the reader on a fascinating journey recapping Vincent Van Gogh's life of hardships and triumphs in his biographical novel Lust for Life. Beginning in London, the author reveals Vincent's inner core as a young man of twenty-one working as a clerk for European art dealers while falling madly in love with a vivacious nineteen-year-old kindergarten teacher. Vincent's reaction to this unrequited relationship establishes a pattern of behavior and insight into his personality, which makes him more empathetic as a character. Vincent leaves London and embarks on journey in search of his "true calling" and ends up as a minister living in abject poverty in a Belgium miners' village. This situation strengthens his character and weakens his faith, but out of that grows a passion for art and drawing. The obsession begins and so does his real journey. This book is well worth reading.
Rating: 
Summary: A remarkable accomplishment
Review: The accomplishment refers to the writing of Irving Stone. Starting from the collected letters Vincent sent to his younger brother Theo during his life, Stone does something very good: he writes a fictionalized biography without, at the same time, tampering with history. This is a novel as much as a biography. Stone invents dialogues, but they do not become fantasy. Anyway, the book is really moving, I read it 18 years ago and I still remember details of it, much more than some books I read last year. The most important thing about this book is that you get to be inside a great artist's life, being witness to his transformation, from a troubled but well-to-do art merchant (his uncles were among the most important in Europe, his father being a religious man), to his stay at the Netherlands trying to find his soul, to Belgium living in the midst of the terrible poverty of the coal-mine workers (and starting to draw), to Paris, where he dives into artistic life, learning very much in the way; to Arles and days with Gauguin, where his mind starts to go astray, to Auvers. [...] this book is very good indeed. Give it a try and you'll find a life you'll never forget.
Rating:
Summary: Intense, wonderfully written
Review: The book takes you to the level where one forgets being only a reader. Gogh lived a deep, intense life and the book does justice by bringing out his personality very well. Even the other characters are well written. After reading the book, the experience tinges on for weeks.
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