The Monuments Men

As you may recall, a movie just came out entitled The Monuments Men.  With a cast of so many famous actors and an interesting story, it was hard to resist.  I bet you saw it.  We went to see it the night it came out and we enjoyed it very much.  I knew it was based on a true story and I had the book on hold at my local library, but I was number 122 on the list.  Much too long for me.  So I went to my alternative library, the community college library.  They have one copy and there was no holds on it.  Yay!   Before I continue, I have to tell you that I am not one of those people who hates a movie because it is nothing like the book.  On the other hand I don't hate a book because it's not like the movie.  I hold them separate from each other and, by so doing, can enjoy them both. 

The Monuments Men by Robert M. Edsel, chronicles one area of the effort put forth to save the cultural history of the world while Europe was being destroyed by World War II.  Nazi Germany had been looting famous, and not so famous, cultural works for years before some teams were put together to find, save, and return these works to their respective places.  As you read you can follow different teams as they travel from village to village and discover with them what they find in the next war torn area.

This is a very quick read despite it's 400 + pages.  Beware movie goers, all the names are different and only a very few real soldiers can be compared and linked to the characters in the movie.  When I found out that the movie was based on true events I wondered 'why haven't I heard of this?'  One reason that America has not heard of these men until the movie came out is because they were humble men who did their job without a fuss and without much recognition.  Their story simply got lost in all the other stories of World War II.

Go ahead and put this one on hold at the library.  I'm sure the list is long, but it will be worth it.