This was refreshing and vivid. Much historical fiction is bland, but everything blended quite nicely, and the momentum was fresh. I also like the images of van Gogh's work, sprinkled throughout the book.

I've always been fascinated by Vincent van Gogh. His paintings displayed in the van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam are riveting. This novella takes one on a personal journey of discovery through the impressions of the main character Armand. Conversations with people who were important to Vincent and their memories bring the artist and his works to life.

A nice novella about a man tracking the paintings and stories of Vincent van Gogh, in service to the widow Johanna van Gogh-Bonger, wife of van Gogh's devoted, dead brother, Theo. The seeking man is supposed to be Armand Roulin, a person in van Gogh's painting, with yellow coat, black hat, and white necktie (uploaded). It's a vivid and imaginative novella with some nice paintings of van Gogh springing around the chapters (all uploaded here). It is written in an easygoing style yet captivating enough without boredom. There is an extremely close story to this book in the movie called "Loving Vincent" for those interested.

The story of Vincent Van Gogh is one that has mesmerized western culture for decades. His incredible and often misunderstood talent as well as his tragic and volatile personal life have left us searching for clarification. We seem to never lose interest in him. The book "Finding Vincent" by Les Furnanz rides this wave and brings to life those who knew and loved Vincent as we share their search for meaning and understanding in this most elusive character. How did he approach his work? How did he relate to others? What were the details of his mysterious death and what prompted him to take his own life. Those who knew him, this author, and the reader will forever be in the dark. In this book the people sharing Vincent last days and weeks come alive through the observations of our narrator Armand Roulin. Along the way we get valuable incite into the mores of fin de siecle France, contemporary artists such as Pissarro, Gauguin, and Signac, as well as relationships within the Roulin family. Supported by his extensive travel throughout France, Furnanz brings us a well researched, well crafted, and well written work that suggests answers to our perplexing questions. I recommend this book to anyone interested in this period of French history and particularly in the world of impressionistic art. This will probably spur further reading on Van Gogh and the other greats of the period.

Art in the late nineteenth century underwent many transitions as artists, most notably in France, strove to make their own mark on the world, to create a new style of expression that was completely their own. As the artistic geniuses of the time painted, argued and painted some more, they developed animosities and argued amongst their artist acquaintances. And that is how some of the legends evolved. Amidst the growing realm of artistic geniuses, Vincent Van Gogh emerged with a blatant style of rash colors and expressive techniques that challenged the minds of all who viewed his work. Not understood, nor appreciated during his lifetime, the stories that surrounded his mystique, like his madness and the event of cutting off his ear, magnified after his suicide, pushing his art into the spotlight. For one family, the postmaster’s family who knew this artist, a family whom this artist painted, Van Gogh’s life becomes a journey of discovery, particularly for the son, Armand Roulin, on leave from the army, who undertakes a task to find all of Van Gogh’s paintings and letters and to collect what stories he can. Les Furnanz has taken the stories and legends of a very complex nineteenth-century artist, Vincent Van Gogh, and developed a plausible and enjoyable plot to entice readers to learn more about this man. Finding Vincent is an exemplary art historical novel that takes the approach of one man’s (Armand's) journey on a quest to research the artist. The characters are real, for the most part historical figures that had a connection with the artist. As the main character, Armand, visits the many people, both artists and other acquaintances, another part of the mystical character of this fascinating artist unravels. The story captivates the reader as the author throws in a little bit of romance. A great read, compelling, thought provoking and well researched. An interesting way to learn about Vincent Van Gogh, his life and his art.