VINCENT VAN GOGH WRITES HIS BROTHER, "DEAR THEO..."

Dear Son,

DEAR THEO: The Autobiography of Vincent van Gogh, Edited by Irving Stone, is a luminous portrait through letters by the artist to his brother.

What we have is a modest trade edition in our library, probably valued today as a used book at cents on the dollar.  But I have probably spent over a hundred dollars acquiring this book.  Years ago, this was the book I kept meaning to take with me as I hopped from one airport to another during a busy period of business-related travel (yes, it's hard to believe but your mother once was a banker).  But I kept forgetting the book at home and so kept buying copy after copy at various airport bookstores across the United States.  Being a busy banker, though, I never actually had time to read the book but wanted to and so kept buying it whenever I discovered I'd left the copy at home.

Finally, one day, I did manage to read the book ... and it was worth all the perseverance I brought to the effort to read it.

The life lesson, of course, is never give up.  And if you don't give up, you often will be rewarded.

I hope you also will end up reading this book someday; you may have to buy your own copy in case the one we have keeps on its downward tattering path (we will keep the blue copy; I'm bringing the other edition to the used bookstore while it's still legible).  But when you read this book, it will be a transcendent experience!

Love,
Mom