Favorite Book Review: "The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves, and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History" by Robert M Edsel

Out of all of the books that are written in the world, one of the most popular topics has to be World War II. Whether you're looking for biographies of famous generals, stories from just a particular country, exploits of one branch of the military,Nazi atrocities, Pacific POW camps, the amount of books and the details they go into are staggering. I have read several books on the topic. Though I have to be careful to space them out between other books or else my already vivid nightmares taken a very scary turn. There is only one book that I have found,so far, that has so wonderfully told a true (!) story about 2 topics that interest me so much: World War II and art.

I can not emphasize enough that "Monuments Men" is a true story. Keep that in mind while I weave the magical summary for you:

World War II is in it's last year ; death, destruction, bombs and terror are still spreading across Europe. A small group of men and women (only about 345) from around the world are recruited to the newly minted Monument,Fine Arts, and Archives division. The intimidating task given to these men and women is twofold: recover art that the Nazis have stolen (usually from museums or private collections) and try to prevent the destruction of cultural monuments (historical buildings, churches, etc). What makes this group of people even more impressive is that they were not soldiers. They were historians, museum curators, archivists, artists,sculptures and art restorers.They found themselves in an overwhelming position usually with little manpower or resources. They even faced ridicule from their own people at time (Why risk your life for a few smudges of paint or an old building? Especially if they were German, the people who are trying to kill you as you are trying to protect their cultural heritage.) They recovered huge caches of art: sometimes hidden away, sometimes proudly displayed in huge Nazi estates. Herman Goering, that fat bastard, was particularly proud of the art collection that he had looted and pillaged from across the continent. The book follows a small group of these men as they travel around the continent in a desperate bid to save it's heritage and cultural important places.

The MFAA were amazingly successful.However there are some monuments, artworks, and pieces of cultural history that have been lost, seemingly forever. The book details the frustrations and triumphs that the group experienced.

If you are a keen observer (or spend time on the internet) this story might already sound familiar to you. It's because it's going to be a movie. Some small, little known indie actors will be some of the stars: George Clooney,Matt Damon, John Goodman, Jean Dujardin (good looking Frenchmen). The release date is right before Christmas, December 18th. Which means you have a little more than a month to get thee to a library or bookstore so you can get this one read BEFORE you see the movie. (Or after, but the important thing is that you read it.) Also, I need a date to see this with me when it comes out because the husband is not interested...

When I think about all of the wars and battles that have been fought in Europe I'm amazed at the beautiful structures that still remain. I mean, Notre Dame has seen a lot of action. Likewise St. Peter's Square in Vatican City, St Basil's in Moscow and so many other historical buildings.

REAL WORLD APPLICATION! In a case of fortuitous timing check out the news story that broke this morning about 1,500 looted pieces that were found in a mansion in Munich.

Favorites Book Review : "Serena" by Ron Rash

A few years ago I started a book club called "Get Drunk and Read". (We were a pull no punches kind of book club). The book club didn't last for very long, but I think this book is our legacy.When we read this book it was universally loved. 

George Pemberton is a lumber baron in the making. The forests of North Carolina are falling beneath his companies saws and George enjoys his privileges as boss man and fathered an illegitimate child. However, he goes up to Boston and meets a woman named Serena who he wifes after a pretty short time. Serena is ambitious,smart, efficient and beautiful. She's everything that George needs in a business and life partner.

(because hooray for deforesting efficiently?)

However, Serena is also a bit unhinged. But we will get to that in a minute.

Things are going just as planned for the couple, until tragedy strikes and they realize they will always be childless. This has a profound psychological effect on Serena (we are building this empire and we won't have a son to give it to and carry on the family name!?) and this where the unhinging begins. This tragedy softens George's feelings towards his only living child but it makes Serena hard and calculating.Mysterious things start happening around camp and people start dying in mysterious accidents and things get very much out of hand.

It concludes with a huge, shocking twist and an amazing epilogue. I can't even emphasis how much you should NOT skip the epilogue.

I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars.The characters (all of them, not just George and Serena) are interesting and deep.The descriptions of the countryside and the logging camps are detailed and vivid. (Ron Rash lives in North Carolina, this is his backyard,he knows what's up.) Towards the end of the book my heart was in my throat the whole time, very high tension!


Another reason you should read this book, and maybe the most important of all, is that this is being made into a movie that starts filming next year. Starring.....wait for it....Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper.
So now you can be the person who knows how awesome this movie will be before it even HAPPENS.

God help them if they mess up that movie. The members of "Get Drunk and Read" will find them.