Take a photo of a barcode or cover
612 reviews for:
The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves, and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History
Robert M. Edsel
3.73 AVERAGE
612 reviews for:
The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves, and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History
Robert M. Edsel
3.73 AVERAGE
I couldn't bring myself to finish it. Although I usually enjoy history, the writing put me off; perhaps it just wasn't what I expected.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
fast-paced
I really loved this. I saw the movie first and adored it - and I really wanted to know how closely they stuck to the source material. I think they did an excellent job of translating the story of these men into film. They changed everyone's names so that any additions weren't adding fiction to an actual person's story, but they pulled out many, many actual events. The book was intimidatingly large but it read quite smoothly and quickly. The stories of these men and what they accomplished were fascinating, and if he does go on to write a book about the Monuments Men in Italy, I'd read that too.
informative
slow-paced
This book tells a largely unknown part of a tremendously important part of history and I am glad I read it.
Growing up we have been taught of Hitler's ruthless racial predjudice, greedy power struggle and sometimes even of his failed attempt to enter art school. However it was only after reading this book that I have begun to understand the full impact of how Hitler's "artistic" vision of German glory, coupled with his jealous rage and prideful arrogance, we're the spark to the fire that devastated the world and nearly wiped out a large portion of European culture.
Neither did I understand the heroic efforts of the men and women who risked (and sacrificed) their own lives in the incredibly difficult task of preserving generations of culture and heritage during a time where many would have considered these pursuits to be trivial to the war that raged around them.
Even if you have already seen the movie (as I had) this book is well worth the read. However, be prepared that this book does read at a slow pace and is often repetitive (hinting at details that are later explained in more depth). If the movie was lighthearted and absurd, the book seems equally absurd but in a much more serious and enlightening manner.
Growing up we have been taught of Hitler's ruthless racial predjudice, greedy power struggle and sometimes even of his failed attempt to enter art school. However it was only after reading this book that I have begun to understand the full impact of how Hitler's "artistic" vision of German glory, coupled with his jealous rage and prideful arrogance, we're the spark to the fire that devastated the world and nearly wiped out a large portion of European culture.
Neither did I understand the heroic efforts of the men and women who risked (and sacrificed) their own lives in the incredibly difficult task of preserving generations of culture and heritage during a time where many would have considered these pursuits to be trivial to the war that raged around them.
Even if you have already seen the movie (as I had) this book is well worth the read. However, be prepared that this book does read at a slow pace and is often repetitive (hinting at details that are later explained in more depth). If the movie was lighthearted and absurd, the book seems equally absurd but in a much more serious and enlightening manner.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
This is the book on which the recent film was based. I've not seen the film, but I hope that it has a more cohesive narrative than the text, which (in my opinion) is very episodic. Some parts seem to be written independently of others, as Edsel re-uses the same situation or descriptions. In the end though it just never caught on for me.
The book is very interesting, but too long. Edsel could have told the same history with far fewer chapters without losing anything. It will be interesting to see how it translates as a movie.
slow-paced
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced