Vincent van Gogh's 819 letters (658 to brother Theo) make up not only a creative autobiography without parallel in visual art but what the editors of a new selection call "a highlight of world literature," writes Boyd Tonkin in The Independent.

Vincent Van Gogh. Ever Yours: The Essential Letters, edited by Leo Jansen, Hans Luijten and Nienke Bakke, is the pared down version of a more pricey six-volume boxed set the authors previously released. There is also a free online version at vangoghletters.org

"...lovers not only of great art but great autobiography should devour this ample sample. A bargain at 770 pages, enriched by scores of the drawings (or "croquis") with which Vincent explained his works-in-progress, the volume knits 265 letters into a coherent, impassioned and eloquent pilgrim's progress," writes Tonkin.