BigWally

Fascinating book!

Revisado: 12-14-23

It is almost beyond belief that the New York TIMES could get away with printing total falsehoods which the editors refused to acknowledge. I was stunned at the gross "dereliction of duty" the newspaper engaged in when the New York TIMES is, for all intents and purposes, the paper of record. This terrible record of essentially playing "footloose and fancy free" with the truth defies any reasonable explanation. Theses shenanigans went on for decades. In the end it is a sad commentary on our country's leading newspaper.

The reader is terrible. She constantly mispronounces words and names. I usually don't like having authors read their own book, but, in this case, it would have been far preferable to have Ashley Rindsberg read it.

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Incredible story!

Revisado: 12-01-23

I was fascinated by the author’s trusting attitude towards Chris Longo’s seemingly endless lies. I suppose most people want to believe that the other person is being honest. But at some point it had to have dawned on Michael Finkel that he was being played the fool. In the end Finkel did realize he was being conned. Of course it is easy for me to be critical since I was not there speaking with Chris Longo. Clearly he is a psychopath who has committed unspeakable murders. If a man ever "deserved" to die for his transgressions, Chris Longo belongs near the top of the list. If he is allowed to walk free after brutally killing his wife and 3 young children then going on a "vacation," then there is no such thing as justice for all those whose lives he destroyed or touched!

Michael Finkel writes beautifully, and he builds up the suspense very effectively. I decided to listen to this book after listening to his book, THE ART THIEF, which is one of the best books I have listened to in many years. I hope Michael Finkel will write more books, especially in the genre of art mysteries, art looting, art stealing, etc.

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esto le resultó útil a 3 personas

A great listen!

Revisado: 11-17-23

This is one of Noah Charney’s best books. I have listened to a number of his books on Audible. They are all informative and written quite well. I have developed a real fascination for the subject of art which has been looted, destroyed, damaged, forged, stolen, etc. after listening to Prof. Charney’s books and watching his lectures on Wondrium aka The Teaching Company aka The Great Courses.

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S fascinating tale!!!

Revisado: 09-27-23

The story of one of the most successful art thieves in history is truly remarkable. It paints a picture (pun intended) of a man obsessed with beautiful works of art. In the end his obsession causes his downfall. He appears to be incapable of self examination. His story should serve as a cautionary tale to others who think they can outwit the system. In the end, in spite of all his rationalizations he was nothing but a “masterful” criminal who will never reform.

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Outstanding!

Revisado: 08-31-23

Excellent update to Giorgio Vasari’s Lives of the Famous Artists. Wonderful commentary by two experts.

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A disappointment overall

Revisado: 05-16-23

I had high hopes for this audiobook after reading the review in the Wall Street Journal. It is a subject which has always fascinated me. Is it possible to separate the artistic creation from the creator? At times the author seems to say yes. At other times she says no. My own opinion is that one can appreciate a work of art while being disgusted by the creator.

The worst part of this audiobook, read, I might add, by the author, is her constant use of extreme profanity. Why does a highly intelligent person feel compelled to use constant vulgarity? In many ways this ruined the book for me. The author does make some interesting observations, so I can recommend it if you are prepared to listen to a constant stream of bad language.

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Excellent!

Revisado: 05-02-23

I read this book many years ago, My opinion has not changed. This is an outstanding review of Whittaker Chamber’s life.

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Another outstanding book by Admiral Stavridis!

Revisado: 04-16-23

I learned so much from this remarkable book. I concur with another reviewer that we need people like Admiral Stavridis in the Senate or the House. He would make a first rate president. He possesses character, integrity, and honesty, qualities sorely lacking in our current crop of candidates.

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Outstanding !

Revisado: 03-26-23

Admiral Stavridis delivers another terrific book! Making extremely difficult decisions under extraordinary conditions is the theme of this book. What makes this story so compelling is that Admiral Stavridis has faced similar challenges. I admire the fact that he puts himself in the position of each of his protagonists, asks himself what he would have done, and renders his opinion. In some cases he agrees and in other cases he doesn’t. But he always shows profound sympathy for his subjects.

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Outstanding book on Ronald Reagan!

Revisado: 03-16-23

This is an excellent history of Ronald Reagan's presidency. It is a balanced account, and the author certainly criticizes Reagan for a number of mistakes, especially Iran-Contra. So it is definitely not a hagiography. I learned a great deal from the book and can wholeheartedly endorse this audiobook. I must confess that I am a great admirer of Reagan. Unlike most presidents he is willing to admit his mistakes, e.g. that he was not honest with the American people in regards Iran Contra. That to me is the mark of a great man. Incidentally, the reader, Robert Petkoff, does a truly outstanding job narrating this book. I have listened to >100 Audible audiobooks, and I would put Mr. Petkoff near the top of all the readers. His narration is a great example of why 90% of authors should NOT read their own books!

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