Book Summary and Reviews of Vincent by Barbara Stok

Vincent by Barbara Stok

Vincent

Art Masters Series

by Barbara Stok

  • Published:
  • Mar 2015, 144 pages
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About this book

Book Summary

Vincent, award winner Barbara Stok's graphic biography of van Gogh, is "an emotional, informative, and inspirational biography for artists and art lovers everywhere. Fantastic" (Library Journal, starred review).

This graphic biography documents the brief and intense period of creativity Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890) spent in Arles, Provence, in southern France. Here van Gogh dreams of setting up an artists' studio—a haven where he and his friends can paint together. But attacks of mental illness leave the painter confused and disoriented.

When his friend and fellow artist Paul Gauguin refuses to reside permanently at the Yellow House, a distraught van Gogh cuts off part of his own ear. Throughout this period of intense emotion and hardship, Vincent's brother, Theo, stands by him, offering constant and unconditional support. Writer and illustrator Barbara Stok breathes riveting new life into a fascinating episode of art history, creating a vivid portrait of one of the world's most beloved and legendary artists.

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Reviews

Media Reviews

"Stok has drawn an emotional, informative, and inspirational biography for artists and art lovers everywhere. Fantastic." ―Library Journal (starred review)

"While approximating Van Gogh, she sticks to her own elemental, comic strip–like style that suggests both a simplified Tintin and a more complicated Peanuts." ―Booklist

"This inventive art biography eschews the usual visual cliches and brings its subject into a sharp and sympathetic focus." ―Publishers Weekly

"Stylistically, Stok is almost faultless ... [Vincent] leaves us aware of a small breath of fresh air blown into the world of art history." —Times Literary Supplement

This information about Vincent was first featured in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.

Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.

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Author Information

Barbara Stok

Barbara Stok is well known for her candid autobiographical graphic novels. She was awarded the 2009 Stripschapprijs for her body of comic-book work. In addition to writing for newspapers and magazines, Stok has authored many books, including The Philosopher, the Dog and the Wedding. She lives in the Netherlands.

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