Searching for Van Gogh - by Donald Lystra (Paperback)

About the Book

Set in Michigan during the tumultuous closing weeks of 1963, "Searching for Van Gogh" is a heart-wrenching story of two young souls bravely navigating life's challenges.

Book Synopsis

Award-winning author Donald Lystra brings us an unforgettable tale of love, loss, and self-discovery, capturing the turbulent spirit of 1960s America and the uncharted territory of the human heart.

Searching for Van Gogh is a stirring novel set in 1963 in America's industrial Midwest. Nate, a young man with a gift for math and science, rejects a comfortable future by walking away from college to pursue painting-a desperate attempt to access the emotions buried deep within him following the tragic death of his revered older brother. But Nate's search for meaning is lonely and frustrating until he meets Audrey Brubaker, a paradox of strength and vulnerability, who becomes a sort of mentor to Nate, guiding him toward self-discovery. But in the end it is Audrey who will ultimately need Nate's emotional insight, and in a devastating turn, she seeks redemption in the most unexpected way-forcing Nate to tap into the very depths of empathy and courage she's helped him to uncover.

Review Quotes

"Rising to the level of literary excellence.... Donald Lystra's genuine flair for creating memorable characters and a distinctive narrative-driven storytelling style quickly engages the reader's total attention from start to finish."

-MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW

"Searching for Van Gogh is a captivating book about pain and healing, about the search for personal identity and meaning in the face of loss....Lystra masterfully blends personal and social aspects, constructing a story that remains vivid in the reader's memory long after finishing.... Inspired and deeply satisfying."

-HISTORICAL FICTION REVIEW

"I was swept up in it from the first page and never doubted that I was in the hands of a master storyteller."

-JERRY DENNIS, author of best-selling The Living Great Lakes, and many other works

"I got as invested in these characters as I would in real people. Audrey is an especially rich character-absolutely convincing, multi-faceted, with a core of mystery. Highly recommended!"

-ANDY MOZINA, author of critically-acclaimed novel Tandem and other works of fiction

"This is fine writing of the highest caliber. My very highest recommendation."

-TIM BAZZETT, author of Soldier Boy and four other titles

"Superbly told coming-of-age story. Magically, the author transforms Audrey Brubaker, with all her eccentricities and flaws, into the ideal mentor for Nate Walker (the narrator)....An excellent book."

-DENNIS TURNER, author of bestselling What Did You Do During the War, Sister

"Searching for Van Gogh by Donald Lystra is an immensely enjoyable read and one that will stay with you long after you have turned the last page. I highly recommend."

-MARY ANNE YARDE, The Coffee Pot Book Club