This is a great book on not just Vincent but also his brother. The stories that I have heard about Vincent Van Gogh seem tame as to who this painter was. First and foremost he doesn't come across as someone who is just 'mad'. He is a brother who loves his own brother more intensely than others, and who is loved back by Theo.

The author does a wonderful job and using letters, stories that have been discussed for years, compiling them all and presenting them in a timeline that makes the time come alive. I was a fan of Van Gogh's work but now that I know more of him, I want to go and see his paintings again, armed with this new knowledge of the pain, love, and passion that went into them.