My Name Is...Vincent Van Gogh

Vincent Van Gogh was born in the Netherlands, but spent most of his life as an artist in Paris and the southern French town of Arles. His art, with its unusually vibrant colors and fantastic shapes, found very little acceptance during his lifetime, and he was supported in large part by his more practical brother, Theo, an art dealer. Vincent suffered from periods of clinical depression, which culminated with his suicide in 1890, when he was only 47 years old. His recognition as one of the great artists of his time came only after his death. Older boys and girls will find hours of reading pleasure in the very accessible biographies in the My Name Is ... series. The narratives are substantial, averaging roughly 7,500 words each, as they recount their subjects’ accomplishments in the context of their times and historical backgrounds. Each book’s narrative is supplemented with handsome full-color illustrations, including some of full-page size. Titles in this series make ideal additions both to school and home libraries, and can serve as supplementary reading for classroom discussion and essay projects. A two-page time line at the back of each book summarizes the subject’s life, as well as important cultural and historical events that occurred during his lifetime.