ISBN: 9781925240207 - War and Turpentine (2 results)

Paperback. Condition: Very Good. 304 pages. Shortly before his death in 1981, Stefan Hertmans' grandfather gave him a cou ple of filled exercise books. Stories he?d heard as a child had led Hertmans t o suspect that their contents might be disturbing, and for years he didn?t dar e to open them.When he finally did, he discovered unexpected secrets. His grandfather?s life was marked by years of childhood poverty in late-nineteent h-century Belgium, by horrific experiences on the frontlines during the First Wo rld War and by the loss of the young love of his life. He sublimated his grief i n the silence of painting.Drawing on these diary entries, his childhood m emories and the stories told within Urbain?s paintings, Hertmans has produced a poetic novelisation of his grandfather?s story, brought to life with great i maginative power and vivid detail.War and Turpentine is an enthralling se arch for a life that coincided with the tragedy of a century?and a posthumous, almost mythical attempt to give that life a voice at last.…

Soft cover. Condition: Very Good. 1st Edition. Very good condition. Minor wear to book corners and edges.Shortly before his death in 1981, Stefan Hertmans' grandfather gave him a couple of filled exercise books. Stories he'd heard as a child had led Hertmans to suspect that their contents might be disturbing, and for years he didn't dare to open them. When he finally did, he discovered unexpected secrets. His grandfather's life was marked by years of childhood poverty in late-nineteenth-century Belgium, horrific experiences on the frontlines during the First World War and the loss of the young love of his life.He sublimated his grief in the silence of painting. Drawing on these diary entries, his childhood memories and the stories told within Urbain's paintings, Hertmans has produced a poetic novelisation of his grandfather's story, brought to life with great imaginative power and vivid detail. War and Turpentine is an enthralling search for a life that coincided with the tragedy of a century and a posthumous, almost mythical attempt to give that life a voice at last. (back cover).…