[40Q]⇒ [PDF] The Lost Diaries of Frans Hals A Novel Michael Kernan 9780312131173 Books

The Lost Diaries of Frans Hals A Novel Michael Kernan 9780312131173 Books

Download As PDF : The Lost Diaries of Frans Hals A Novel Michael Kernan 9780312131173 Books

The Lost Diaries of Frans Hals A Novel Michael Kernan 9780312131173 Books

A young man of today researches an old manuscript, found in a barn, supposed the journals of the Dutch artist. Fake or real? Most interesting was to read how he pairs the notes in the diary with actual records…yes, he was working on that painting then; yes, he was in court about a butcher’s bill; yes, the chemistry of the paper and ink are valid. The diary and the artist become the only stable thing in Peter Van Overloop’s life as his apartment burns, his job is terminated, his girl friend leaves, he joins a group of street entertainers. This is an imaginative contemporary portrait based on historical fact.


Tags : The Lost Diaries of Frans Hals: A Novel [Michael Kernan] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. <div>When ancient notebooks turn up in a Long Island garage, Peter Van Overloop, a Columbia graduate student,Michael Kernan,The Lost Diaries of Frans Hals: A Novel,St. Martin's Griffin,0312131178,G0312131178I3N00,Haarlem (Netherlands);Fiction.,Manuscripts;Collectors and collecting;Fiction.,Painters;Fiction.,1584-1666,Collectors and collecting,Diaries,Fiction,Fiction - General,Fiction General,General,Hals, Frans,Hals, Frans,,Manuscripts,Modern fiction,Painters

The Lost Diaries of Frans Hals A Novel Michael Kernan 9780312131173 Books Reviews

I am not a huge fan of historical fiction, but this was a whole lot of fun! Frans Hals was a XVII century Dutch painter, a contemporary of Rembrandt and Vermeer. His alleged diaries are discovered buried in a farm in upstate NY. Peter, a perpetual and therefore somewhat flaky graduate student, fluent in Dutch, is hired to translate them. The book alternates from Hals' crazy life to Peter's crazy life.

I loved Hals, and throughout the book Peter falls for him too and takes a very personal and emotional interest on the authenticity of the diaries. The book can almost be categorized as a "thriller" because there is definitively a sense of mystery and urgency in it.

One thing I did not understand whenever the focus was on Hals, the writing was superb

* who would have thought of using the word `escutcheon' in that context?! (Read the book and you will understand!)

* Same thing for `retiring', as in `Corwin being extremely retiring and unable simply to state the problem and get an answer [...]'

* `I am not sure I can bring myself to love a God who limits our intelligence but not our stupidity'.

* `Besides, like most children, they are a hard lot when it comes to aged parents. The cruelty of good sense'.

But when Peter was on, the writing became somewhat amateurish. The language was simplistic, and there was very little depth given to certain aspects of Peter's life. For example, when he escaped to see his brother for the weekend, the entire episode is described in a mere couple of paragraphs. It felt almost like the author had used all his best juices for Hals' parts, and then for Peter's parts there was nothing left.

The ending was slightly abrupt for my taste, but all is well that ends well, so I was left a happy camper. I am very thankful for all the photos of the paintings. It really helped understand Hals.

For the record, this book was published in 1994, way before Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier. I haven't read it, but I saw the movie, and got the impression that life in Holland in the XVII century could not have been that steamy. Well, after reading The Lost Diaries of Frans Hals, I think my impression was wrong.
An excellent premise for a novel. A package is found in a barn on Long Island, addressed to an Art Gallery that has been out of business for over 100 years. Inside are four notebooks, written in Dutch. The front flap attributes ownership to Franz Hals, the famous 17th Century portrait artist - considered one of The Dutch Masters. Is it real or is it a hoax? A present day Gallery is given the job of finding out. Peter Van Overloop, a grad student forever stalled on his dissertation, is given the task of translating them and asked to correlate what he finds with the known history of Holland and of Hals and to tell of anything that might prove it to be false. Everyone is so careful and reference is made to the fake Hitler diaries and how many careers that hoax ruined. No one wants to go out on a limb here. Our story wanders back and forth between Peter, his lack of acedemic interest and lack of employability, his blah relationship with his girlfriend and his tenuous living situation and Haarlem, Holland in the mid 1600s and the life of an underappreciated portrait painter. Hals' work is always in demand but he's very bad with money. Everytime you think he'd get a break, like the great ability to invest in tulips when the world is clamouring for them, just goes bad for Hals (everyone lost money in the crazy tulip speculation of the late 1630s.) The diary is extremely authentic sounding (from my diaristic perspective) and a joy to read. Hals is an engaging diarist in the spirit of Samuel Pepys (Pepys is possibly the world's most famous diarist. He wrote in the 1660s.) and the detail is enough to be interesting, but not so much as to seem contrived. There are some major issues that keep the diary's authenticity in question, and ... And that's where my review stops. I wouldn't want to spoil the plot for any future readers. This turned out to be a very enjoyable book. And I learned a lot about the real Franz Hals along the way.
not worth my time
gave it to the library book fair after chapter 4
sorry I don't give up easily!!
This used book arrived within the promised time, and in very good condition. I bought this as a gift for someone who loves the paintings of Frans Hals, and since the book is out of print, was thrilled to find it available used.
This elegant little book poses a puzzle. Did the Dutch artist Frans Hals write a series of diaries that survived the centuries to be found in a barn in America? A young Dutch student is hired by a presitious art gallery in New York to authenticate - or disprove - the tattered diaries. The chapters move between the life of Hals, with some emphasis on his painting techniques and subjects as well as his life, and the dedication of the young student in translating the diaries. Illustrated with some of Hals's paintings.
A young man of today researches an old manuscript, found in a barn, supposed the journals of the Dutch artist. Fake or real? Most interesting was to read how he pairs the notes in the diary with actual records…yes, he was working on that painting then; yes, he was in court about a butcher’s bill; yes, the chemistry of the paper and ink are valid. The diary and the artist become the only stable thing in Peter Van Overloop’s life as his apartment burns, his job is terminated, his girl friend leaves, he joins a group of street entertainers. This is an imaginative contemporary portrait based on historical fact.