The Monuments Men

Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves, and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History

By: Robert M. Edsel, Bret Witter

Narrated by: Jeremy Davidson

Length: 14 hrs and 15 mins

Publisher's summary

Now a major motion film!

At the same time Adolf Hitler was attempting to take over the western world, his armies were methodically seeking and hoarding the finest art treasures in Europe. The Fuehrer had begun cataloging the art he planned to collect as well as the art he would destroy: "degenerate" works he despised.

In a race against time, behind enemy lines, often unarmed, a special force of American and British museum directors, curators, art historians, and others, called the Monuments Men, risked their lives scouring Europe to prevent the destruction of thousands of years of culture.

Focusing on the 11-month period between D-Day and V-E Day, this fascinating account follows six Monuments Men and their impossible mission to save the world's great art from the Nazis.

©2009 Robert M. Edsel (P)2009 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

"The story is both engaging and inspiring. In the midst of a total war, armies systematically sought to mitigate cultural loss." ( Publishers Weekly)

"[Narrator Jeremy Davidson] varies the pacing effectively, based on the nature of the text. He speeds up slightly during exciting action-filled sequences. He reads letters and documents with a flatter tone, making it easy for listeners to discern when the document stops and the author's words resume. He also gives a slight but not intrusive or cartoonish British accent to quotations by Britishers." ( AudioFile)

Fantastic Story, About Even More Fantastic People

I loved the movie, but I knew from the stories from my grandfather that it wasn't really accurate. If he would've been around to read this I know he would've loved it.
It is a profoundly well told story of the men who laid down their lives and left their lives behind to preserve some the greatest treasures of the Worlds History, so that others could look and learn from the masters just as they had. Many of these men had no obligation to do this thankless job, some not even needing to join the military despite the drat, yet they chose to do so to save Europe's history for us.
Edsel chose a fantastic topic that you can easily tell he cares deeply about, as it readily appears in his writing style. I can't wait to see what he writes about next, he's got me hooked.

Satisfactory

The story was interesting and entertaining, but didn't go beyond that. In some instances the story seemed to drag a bit.

Monuments Men

Would you consider the audio edition of The Monuments Men to be better than the print version?

I did not read the print version.

What other book might you compare The Monuments Men to and why?

I would compare this to The Black Count that I listened to recently.

What does Jeremy Davidson bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I think the enthusiasm and emotion as the story turns tense.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I was particularly moved by the passion and tenacity of the people involved in recovering this tremendous amount of art.

Any additional comments?

I really enjoyed the book. It is a well told story full of history, art, suspense, war and personal commitments. It kept me engaged throughout and was a great complement to the movie.

Must read if you appreciate art

I already knew a lot about Nazi art looting, but this book opened my eyes to its purposeful extent. And opened my eyes to the cultural destruction thé US s d alliés wrought. Thank goodness we had the Monuments men. And we still need them but no longer have them. To wit, Iraq.

A must read

History of a very important part of World War 2 that should not be forgotten

Worth the listen/read

I have seen the movie and enjoyed it thoroughly, but listening to the book was a much better eye opener to events unfolding during this time in history.

Dialect?

The narrator’s outrageous French and German accents are just too Hogan’s Heroes for this listener.

A beautiful piece of history

The accents are TERRIBLE, but the story is great. It’s well told & very interesting. The author does a good job of including the humanity & multifaceted nature of the monuments men & of the people they encounter.

Different than the movie

What did you love best about The Monuments Men?

Watched the movie first. Quite a bit different. Great book but did drag on a little. Overall I enjoyed it quite a lot and some very good history also.

What does Jeremy Davidson bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I like to hear books. It brings it to life better.

A SUPERB READ AND A HECK OF AN INTERESTING STORY!

What did you love best about The Monuments Men?

This was a gripping tale about the greatest assault on human culture ever perpetrated, and how a small group of incredibly brave individuals went above and beyond to rescue some of the greatest works of art ever created.

Any additional comments?

Couldn't put this one down! I've read some great books on the history of World War II, but this one stands out for the uniqueness of the story and the compelling outcome of its central figures. A must read for anyone for any serious student of history and the arts.