Book club selection (via POC).
Author recounts the story of folks - generally taken from the art world - who were attached to various army units, mostly starting around D-Day, and charged with helping the army minimize unnecessary destruction of historically significant objects. And to help track down art objects looted by the Nazis.
It really is quite a story, and an excellent companion piece to this narrative of the war in the west. Also fits with this really great story on this topic, based on Gustav Klimt's most famous work, in Vienna.
Hitler as the failed artist - but with an eye on building a collection for the ages. Goering also a collector, but moreso based on greed. The Nazis were incredibly systematic looters. Some materials hidden in mines. Quite a bit of focus on famous works such the Bruges Madonna and the Ghent Altarpiece, among others.
The "book club" folks - per POC's fine arranging - also attended the movie on its opening weekend. Let's say George Clooney took some massive liberties with the story line in the book, or maybe I just didn't read it carefully enough. In a story that would have been plenty compelling without being converted into a buddy movie, or whatever Clooney was trying to do here.
"The Rape of Europa" started it all with this author, and remains the most compelling work we've seen in this genre.
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