Irving Stone was born Irvin Tenenbaum on July 14, 1903, in San Francisco, California. He earned a Bachelor's Degree from U. C. Berkeley in 1923 and a Master's Degree in 1924 from the University of Southern California. Stone first came to prominence with the publication of Lust for Life, a vivid fictionalized biography of the painter Vincent Van Gogh. He is known for his historically accurate fictionalized biographies. Stone won a Western Spur Award for Men to Match My Mountains and was a member of the Western Writers of America in 1959. Irving Stone August 26, 1989 at the age of 86.
"Riveting...Stone's graceful prose, vivid imagery and compassionately drawn characters make this one a standout." --Publishers Weekly