November 6, 2010
By Holly Schneck
This was a brilliant work! I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in Van Gogh. Mr. Foster did an immense amount of research to put together this labor of love. He artfully blended fact and fiction to create a memorable book. The artwork is simply over the top. This book will stay with you forever once you read it.
Haunting, amusing, alternative look at famous artist
October 31, 2010
By Eric Sedensky (Madison, AL)
"Night Café" is one of those books that is really hard to classify. It's not a straight up novel, per se, and while it has some basis in historical fact, it's not historical fiction (or factual history) either. I guess it is best to say that Mr. Foster has more than a bit of imagination and probably had some fun concocting this collection of vignettes featuring Vincent van Gogh. After all, the painter was almost as famous for his insanity as he was for his paintings, and even if modern knowledge has absolved absinthe of being the potential cause of van Gogh's many delusions (a fact the author does not take into account), there can be little doubt that van Gogh probably had other issues, not the least of which was chronic drunkenness (which absinthe definitely can cause). While I can see where the book's blend of ghosts, delusions, and speculation might be disorienting to some, I found the mixture amusing and oddly thought-provoking. And although the book could certainly use a bit more editing, it is readable enough as is. Each chapter is accompanied by a drawing of the scene being (or about to be) depicted, and they make a great enhancement to the individual chapters. History, art, and alcoholic beverage enthusiasts (this reviewer being in the latter category) should all enjoy this entertaining book. Great Halloween reading (and reviewing)!
For the real low-down on absinthe, check out Boozehound: On the Trail of the Rare, the Obscure, and the Overrated in Spirits by Jason Wilson, or A Taste for Absinthe: 65 Recipes for Classic and Contemporary Cocktails by Guthrie and Thompson.
A creative impressionistic look into Van Gogh's disturbed mind
May 25, 2008
By George Stevens (Knoxville, TN USA)
The story is a short, fact-based fiction that takes place in Arles, France, around the time when Van Gogh was working on his painting Nigh Café. While telling the story, the author weaves in a lot of history about Van Gogh's life and several of his other paintings. Not being familiar with all of Van Gogh's works, I found it enjoyable to look up several of the paintings on the Internet as I read. More interesting than the simple history, however, is the creative way the author manages to paint an image for us of the disturbed inner workings of the famous painter's mind. In his story, the author portrays some of the painter's outward eccentricities, but he also gives us a sensitive impression of some of the life events that may have contributed to his shaky mental state. This was an enjoyable quick read. You don't need to be an art history buff to enjoy it.
A must read!!
Posted August 6, 2008, 2:59 PM
by Anonymous
I read the Night Cafe twice cover to cover. Its a hard book to put down. The author gives an unexpected twist to writing that I have never seen before, and I read alot! This book about Van Gogh's painting the Night Cafe. It is not the average boring tale of this painter who talks to himself and cuts off an ear. It is far better than that! You get to see everything though Van Gogh eyes, and see his point of view for once.
A reviewer
Posted January 5, 2008, 3:33 PM
by Anonymous
I, as an artist myself, am always interested in a new slant on artists of the past. I thought that the author presented the story in an interesting and believable manner. I was impressed with the author's detail to facts. I would recommend it to all artists and history buffs. Its content is more fact than fiction.
