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Priceless: How I Went Undercover to Rescue the World's Stolen Treasures
Priceless: How I Went Undercover to Rescue the World's Stolen Treasures | Robert K Wittman
6 posts | 7 read | 14 to read
"The Wall Street Journal "called him "a living legend." "The London Times "dubbed him "the most famous art detective in the world." In "Priceless, "Robert K. Wittman, the founder of the FBI's Art Crime Team, pulls back the curtain on his remarkable career for the first time, offering a real-life international thriller to rival "The Thomas Crown Affair." Rising from humble roots as the son of an antique dealer, Wittman built a twenty-year career that was nothing short of extraordinary. He went undercover, usually unarmed, to catch art thieves, scammers, and black market traders in Paris and Philadelphia, Rio and Santa Fe, Miami and Madrid. In this page-turning memoir, Wittman fascinates with the stories behind his recoveries of priceless art and antiquities: The golden armor of an ancient Peruvian warrior king. The Rodin sculpture that inspired the Impressionist movement. The headdress Geronimo wore at his final Pow-Wow. The rare Civil War battle flag carried into battle by one of the nation's first African-American regiments. The breadth of Wittman's exploits is unmatched: He traveled the world to rescue paintings by Rockwell and Rembrandt, Pissarro, Monet and Picasso, often working undercover overseas at the whim of foreign governments. Closer to home, he recovered an original copy of the Bill of Rights and cracked the scam that rocked the PBS series "Antiques Roadshow." By the FBI's accounting, Wittman saved hundreds of millions of dollars worth of art and antiquities. He says the statistic isn't important. After all, who's to say what is worth more --a Rembrandt self-portrait or an American flag carried into battle? They're both priceless. The art thieves and scammers Wittman caught run the gamut from rich to poor, smart to foolish, organized criminals to desperate loners. The smuggler who brought him a looted 6th-century treasure turned out to be a high-ranking diplomat. The appraiser who stole countless heirlooms from war heroes' descendants was a slick, aristocratic con man. The museum janitor who made off with locks of George Washington's hair just wanted to make a few extra bucks, figuring no one would miss what he'd filched. In his final case, Wittman called on every bit of knowledge and experience in his arsenal to take on his greatest challenge: working undercover to track the vicious criminals behind what might be the most audacious art theft of all.
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howjessicareads
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Kids are watching Swiss Family Robinson in my room. Husband is “watching football” (napping) in living room. So I‘ll be holed up here in the guest room with my book & some bunny grahams! #sundayafternoon

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howjessicareads
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I‘m only about 4 chapters in, but I‘m really enjoying “Priceless” so far! Have any of you read it?

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TheBookkeepersApprentice
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Doing some rainy day reading while waiting for my train to work, hoping to finish this one today! #currentlyreading

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TheBookkeepersApprentice
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Started this last night for the Popsugar Reading Challenge, so far it‘s really interesting! #nonfiction #truecrime #currentlyreading

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Macnjen
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Pickpick

This is a good listen on audiobook. Really interesting about FBI undercover work to recover stolen art. I liked the narration, it wasn't boring and it had a good pace.

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LeahBergen
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#ArtRelatedBooks Janson's History of Art is the only university textbook that I didn't throw out. 😂 #SeasonsReadings2016 #FolioSociety

mydearwatson Okay, I want that vase (?) the books are sitting on. 8y
LeahBergen @alexinwonderland Thanks! It's a big, fat bowl 😂 8y
Tsubame Oh hello there 😍 8y
See All 11 Comments
DebinHawaii There is my favorite bowl again! 😀 It makes the perfect holder for art books. 8y
LeahBergen @DebinHawaii It makes such a good support that I have to make it a signature look on here for me! 😂 8y
Cinfhen It's been on my TBR for ages 8y
LeahBergen @Cinfhen Ha! I just tagged you about this very topic on @Bookish_B 's photo. 😀It's been on my TBR for ages, too. 8y
Cinfhen @LeahBergen I just saw!!! Maybe we'll both get to it this year...I feel like it's been in my TBR for a reason...like maybe I'm REALLY not THAT into it 🙄 8y
LeahBergen @Cinfhen Let me know if you start it. It will inspire me! 😂 8y
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