NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERSteven Naifeh and Gregory White Smith galvanized readers with their astonishing Jackson Pollock: An American Saga; winner of the Pulitzer Prize for biography; a book acclaimed for its miraculous research and overwhelming narrative power. Now Naifeh and Smith have written another tour de forcemdash;an exquisitely detailed; compellingly readable; and ultimately heartbreaking portrait of creative genius Vincent van Gogh.Working with the full cooperation of the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam; Naifeh and Smith have accessed a wealth of previously untapped materials. While drawing liberally from the artistrsquo;s famously eloquent letters; they have also delved into hundreds of unpublished family correspondences; illuminating with poignancy the wanderings of Van Goghrsquo;s troubled; restless soul. Naifeh and Smith bring a crucial understanding to the larger-than-life mythology of this great artistmdash;his early struggles to find his place in the world; his intense relationship with his brother Theo; his impetus for turning to brush and canvas; and his move to Provence; where in a brief burst of incandescent productivity he painted some of the best-loved works in Western art.The authors also shed new light on many unexplored aspects of Van Goghrsquo;s inner world: his deep immersion in literature and art; his erratic and tumultuous romantic life; and his bouts of depression and mental illness.Though countless books have been written about Van Gogh; and though the broad outlines of his tragedy have long inhabited popular culture; no serious; ambitious examination of his life has been attempted in more than seventy years. Naifeh and Smith have re-created Van Goghrsquo;s life with an astounding vividness and psychological acuity that bring a completely new and sympathetic understanding to this unique artistic genius whose signature images of sunflowers and starry nights have won a permanent place in the human imagination.From the Hardcover edition.
#1670646 in eBooks 2011-01-25 2011-01-25File Name: B004K6ME4U
Review
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful. Ingrid on and off the screenBy M. SmithMuch of the book is about the authors childhood experiences before and after World War II. including her internment in a concentration camp - be warned: its not pretty. As a movie fan. I was surprised to learn just how much time an actress must spend promoting herself: being seen at industry parties. calling producers and directors about parts. looking for good scripts. and even trying to arrange financing. According to Ingrid. an actors two greatest assets are "luck and lying".Ingrid Pitt is a good writer. though it took me a while to get used to her informal. conversational style. I believe this title is out of print and has been republished as "Darkness Before Dawn". Recommended.9 of 9 people found the following review helpful. Lifes A Scream!By MykolIngrid opens up the pages of her fascinating life. She reveals all from growing up in a concentration camp. her struggles to become an actress in post war Berlin. her failed marriages. her rise to fame courtesy of Hammer Films. the subsequent blacklisting from the British film industry. and her battles with cancer. A book truly worth reading as Ingrid speaks her mind and doesnt bite her tongue. Youll realize her life is one hell of a scream!
