A review by collismeanshill
Possession: The Curious History of Private Collectors from Antiquity to the Present by Erin Thompson

informative sad medium-paced

3.5

I’ve never been a fan of collecting for collecting’s sake, and this book does nothing to make me think better if it. It did, however, make me rethink the antiquities (and presumed antiquities) found in museums around the world — and the forgeries, looting, and outright theft that have gone into filling them throughout time. 

Will I stand with a little less awe in front of my favorite Athena in battle helmet sculpture next time? Perhaps. Is that really such a bad thing? Not really, I’d rather know the whole truth.