A review by squidbag
Van Gogh: The Life by Steven Naifeh, Gregory White Smith

5.0

An exhaustive and phenomenal book for anyone who's interested in getting the real stories behind all the stuff you think you know about Vincent Van Gogh. This volume goes a long way toward putting down the fake stories and ridiculousness that has come out of the "Lust for Life" era. The year-by-year accounting of Van Gogh's rises and falls helps to completely explain what was probably Van Gogh's bipolarity exacerbated by his drinking and syphillis. Finally, a supposition of my own - that Van Gogh was a synesthete - was more or less borne out by various recountings in the text and stuff from his letters. Finally, the mysteries of Van Gogh's death are explored, and some of the myth-making blown apart by real evidence. I highly recommend this.