Van Gogh's Inner Struggle

Life, Work and Mental Illness — Volume 2 of Secrets of Van Gogh, by Liesbeth Heenk

Using Van Gogh's own letters as the primary source, this book discusses the artist's life, his approach to his work, and his hereditary mental illness. The letters reveal a man who took struggling in his stride, no matter how gloomy the future.

Given his circumstances — financially dependent on his brother, not selling, mentally ill, and getting minimal recognition — his achievements are amazing. This is not a book about Van Gogh's art, but about his life as an artist and human being.