Lust for Life (novel) Lust for Life (novel) Lust for Life (1934) is a biographical novel written by Irving Stone based on the life of the famous Dutch painter, Vincent van Gogh, and his hardships. It was adapted into a film of the same name starring Kirk Douglas, which was nominated for four Academy Awards, winning one. It is Stone's first major publication and is largely based on the collection of letters between Vincent van Gogh and his younger brother, art dealer Theo van Gogh. They lay the foundation for most of what is known about the thoughts and beliefs of the artist. Stone
Health of Vincent van Gogh explanation for van Gogh's behavior. Dr. John G. Gunderson, an expert on borderline personality disorder, concurs that van Gogh's "longings for love, his sudden mood changes (and most particularly his seemingly unpredictable and unwarranted rages), and his pattern of impulsive acts, including substance abuse, are all recognizable components of the borderline syndrome...whether Van Gogh was borderline or not, it is a useful prism through which to view his troubled life. The possibility that van Gogh might have suffered some form of chronic sunstroke was advocated strongly by Roch Grey. Vincent described the effects of the Arles sun in a letter: