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Rating: 
Summary: A rare look inside the mind of a genius
Review: Even though I had an enormous interest in van Gogh, when I purchased the massive three volume set of the Complete Letters, the idea of actually sitting down and reading them all, cover to cover, was at the least, daunting. I began one rainy evening, at the beginning, reading each letter in sequence, as if I were the recipeint. I made a real attempt to understand the complete content of each letter and digest its meaning against what I already knew about van Gogh's life. It was a journey that took me a whole year to complete, and it was the only thing I read during that time. The chance to peek inside van Gogh's mind, and to anylize his thoughs, was to look into pure, naked, genius -- and I was humbled! The question I started with was: has a greater artist ever lived? The answer I was left with was: not likely! No letter left me unimpressed. No words were without meaning. No thoughts imparted by this great man are without value. Even if van Gogh had never picked up a paint brush, these letters alone would have secured him a place in history. Anyone interested in what goes into making such a man would do well to read these letters, one by one. I doubt I will ever have a more gratifying literary experience.
Rating: 
Summary: If you have the time...
Review: I've seen Van Gogh's paintings many times in various museums and I find him one of the most fascinating characters in the history of art. Vincent's letters correspondence with his brother Theo are both revealing and transformative. Vincent writes as he painted--with great passion as he tries to communicate his inspirations, insights and frustrations to his dear brother Theo. The result of reading them is that they make you, the reader, see things in a new light. This three-volume compendium is essentially everything you'd ever want to know about Vincent and then some. Frankly, for me though it was too much. To wade through Vincent's endless letters and replies was more work than pleasure. Though I didn't feel comfortable settling for any of the abridged collections that various biographers have published recently. The only one of such books that I would recommend is "Stranger on the Earth : A Psychological Biography of Vincent Van Gogh" by Albert J. Lubin, which is a fascinating and, thankfully, shorter insight into Vincent's fascinatingly fragile personality.
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Summary: The torments of creation
Review: Other Amazon reviewers have related to the three volume complete letters, with introduction and memoir. I will relate only to the letters of Van Gogh themselves , and that portion of them which I have read. They are surely one of the great documents for anyone interested in the connection between literary and artistic creation. They certainly too are a moving and frightening document of the inner life of a tremendously tormented soul and great artist. There is aside from this focus on Vincent the feeling given in the correspondance of what a considerate, helpful, wonderful brother he had . Just to listen to the rantings of a madman genius which often tend to repeat themselves and which however brilliant must often upset and throw one off one's equilibrium, is a great act of kindness. The friendship of the brothers is a great theme of this work. As for Van Gogh how tormented his soul how rich his creation.Those wavy lines those deeply clear eyes seem to express a kind of horror and fear no other artist can match.
Rating:
Summary: Vincent Van Gogh correspondence
Review: This beautiful set of Van Gogh's letters starts with an introduction by his nephew (Theo's son) and a biography of Vincent Van Gogh by his sister-in-law , Theo's widow. It is a special set of books. The boxed set is very beautiful and I have it on display in my living room. I was fortunate enough to have seen the Van Gogh exhibit in Amsterdam ..., (and to have seen the Van Gogh exhibit when it came to the U.S. over 30 years ago. ...). I feel the artist's extraordinary family did so much to bring his art and writing to us, including this lovely book set. I thought the ... price was most reasonable considering what I got, and it made my trip to Holland even more special!
Rating:
Summary: Vincent Van Gogh correspondence
Review: This beautiful set of Van Gogh's letters starts with an introduction by his nephew (Theo's son) and a biography of Vincent Van Gogh by his sister-in-law , Theo's widow. It is a special set of books. The boxed set is very beautiful and I have it on display in my living room. I was fortunate enough to have seen the Van Gogh exhibit in Amsterdam ..., (and to have seen the Van Gogh exhibit when it came to the U.S. over 30 years ago. ...). I feel the artist's extraordinary family did so much to bring his art and writing to us, including this lovely book set. I thought the ... price was most reasonable considering what I got, and it made my trip to Holland even more special!
Rating:
Summary: If you have the time...
Review: This three volume set is an absolutely invaluable reference for any Van Gogh enthusiast. Van Gogh's letters offer tremendous insights into his life and works. That's why a complete set of the letters is a must--most of the other versions are heavily edited ("butchered" some would say). Dr. Jan Hulsker (one of the world's foremost Van Gogh scholars) once wrote: "[His letters] enable us to know more about Van Gogh's life and mentality than we do of any other artist. The letters form a running commentary on his work, and a human document without parallel." The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam is working on an exciting and ambitious project to issue a completely new and revised set of the letters, but until that extraordinary reference is available, this set is the next best thing. Even for those not especially interested in Van Gogh's art, the letters are a striking, and sometimes painful, exploration of a man consumed with doubt, filled with compassion and profoundly troubled.
Rating:
Summary: An invaluable Van Gogh resource
Review: This three volume set is an absolutely invaluable reference for any Van Gogh enthusiast. Van Gogh's letters offer tremendous insights into his life and works. That's why a complete set of the letters is a must--most of the other versions are heavily edited ("butchered" some would say). Dr. Jan Hulsker (one of the world's foremost Van Gogh scholars) once wrote: "[His letters] enable us to know more about Van Gogh's life and mentality than we do of any other artist. The letters form a running commentary on his work, and a human document without parallel." The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam is working on an exciting and ambitious project to issue a completely new and revised set of the letters, but until that extraordinary reference is available, this set is the next best thing. Even for those not especially interested in Van Gogh's art, the letters are a striking, and sometimes painful, exploration of a man consumed with doubt, filled with compassion and profoundly troubled.
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