Interesting book. I've been to the Gardner Museum and have seen the empty frames where the stolen paintings were located. It sounds like the paintings may never be recovered; some may be irreparably damaged. We can only hope.....

Will be released at the Saturday edition of the Boston Bookcrossers meeting. If no one claims it, it will be taken to the Boston Youth Hostel OBCZ.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Welcome to BookCrossing!

Please make a journal entry to let me know that this book has been caught so I know that it has found a good home with you. If you are new to BookCrossing, when you join please indicate that you were referred by tobysrus. I hope that you enjoy the book. You can make another journal entry with your comments when you are done reading.

Then, whenever you are ready to send it on its way, make a journal entry if you are giving or sending this book to a known person, or a release note if you are leaving it “in the wild” again for anyone to catch. Then watch its journey. You’ll be alerted by e-mail each time someone makes another journal entry. And it’s confidential (you are known only by your screen name and no one is ever given your e-mail address), free, and spam-free.

I hope that you will enjoy the BookCrossing experience!

PS And if you find yourself liking BookCrossing, Boston has an active group of BookCrossers who meet monthly; the second Tuesday of the month at Algiers (40 Brattle St, Cambridge - Harvard Square, 2nd floor).

really enjoyed this book. i keep meaning to go visit the gardner museum. i've heard about it ... complete with description of empty frames hanging where the paintings used to be. i'll have to go soon. the book was great. i can see how one would get caught up in the mystery of the theft. very compelling.

to be released at boston bookcrossing meetup at algiers, in cambridge, ma on 2/12/2013

The robbery at the Gardner Museum is forever part of Boston's history much like founder's devotion of building her great palazzo filled with art and treasures. We are indebted to Isabella and the Gardner has always reminded me of a cozier version of the Frick (she would probably not be happy with me for saying that.) During grad school I had a friend who worked there at the time of the robbery and was part of the museum's press efforts to respond, etc. And he based several of his papers on the crisis management they all went through to deal with it and survive. The robbery through these documentaries, press/web coverage and now books, has almost taken on a life/lore/mythology of its own. In this book, the author undertakes an investigation inheriting leads from a WWII vet, an experienced art world insurance adjuster who passed away not long after they met and started collaborating. Unlike his mentor the writer was perhaps not as used dealing with criminal sources and informants and was lead in and around an elaborative network of theories and possibilities. He dutifully chased down major leads but became infected with his own mania and eventually wrapped the book--without obviously a conclusion for the paintings still remain at large. Still there are plausible theories of who the "hired" thieves were, yet who hired them, or who took possession of what they stole -- remains the larger, unknown mystery. The author sort of abandons it for the sake of his own sanity by giving up on running down any more tips. His website now points folks to former Gardner Security Director Anthony Amore (I believe Amore has his own book he co-authored in 2012 about major art thefts including a robbery at the Worcester, MA art museum). There are a few interesting footnotes here, notably about Mass. politicians John Kerry and Ed Markey. At this point, the Gardner continues to thrive in Boston, they renovated and added a large addition, and during that transition weren't afraid to hold a free community open house night. Personally, I'm not even sure "Nancy Drew" could solve this mystery but it does make for interesting reading, especially if you are from Boston, love art or both. ###

I picked this book up at the Boston BookCrossing meetup last night. Thank you for inviting me to your gathering, Boston BookCrossers, and for giving me such lovely books as parting gifts! :-)

I attempted to go to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum yesterday, but it was closed. It's just as well, though, because after reading this book I'll have a much better appreciation of the museum and the empty spaces this theft left (plus, I bet the museum is better in the spring when the flowers are in bloom in the courtyard).

I started reading this book today at the airport and on the plane. I'm loving it so far and grateful for the push to read it. Thank you! :-)

I picked up this book at the Boston BookCrossing gathering on the day that I tried to go to the Isabella Gardner Museum (it happens to be closed on Tuesdays). I'm sure it would be more interesting to see it in the spring when the courtyard is in bloom. I had no idea about this heist until tobysrus told me about it and this book. I also didn't know about the way the museum was structured and what provisions were made to keep it looking just as Gardner intended until she told me. Maybe by the time I finally end up at the museum, the pieces will be back where they belong!

It was fascinating to read about the museum and the details about the heist in this book. I'm sure the author left out a lot of paths that were explored and resulted in nothing. But it really felt like every little detail and avenue were thoroughly explored and explained on these pages. It was engaging and a bit heartbreaking as well. Recently, the theft has made it into the news again, so I guess only time will tell about where the paintings have been all this time and what has been done with them.

I really enjoyed this account, watching the author go from spectator to obsessed investigator. There were so many different possibilities, so many different angles. I liked being taken down the different paths, as though I were in any position at all to decide which was the most plausible, as if I might solve the crime somehow by noticing some detail in the book that was overlooked in the actual investigations. Mostly, though, I just liked the appreciation for art and the passion and desire to recover these precious works. And though the prospect of the paintings seems unlikely, the author does leave us with at least some hope.

I also really liked the photos throughout and to be able to see images of the works that had been stolen.

Funny fact: I take the METRO to DC (I can't stand driving in the city) and I read a book on the trip there and back. I brought this one with me to read today, in hopes of finally finishing it up (which I did). I also brought a copy of The Swan Thieves with me to wild release. It didn't occur to me until I was walking up the stairs to the National Gallery of Art that I was carrying exactly two books with me and BOTH were about stealing works of art from museums!

Taking this to a BookCrossing meetup so that it can find a new owner.

Welcome to BookCrossing!

Making a journal entry here lets me know the book has been found and is safe in your hands. The book is yours now! Read it, give it to a friend, pass it on, or keep it forever--it's your choice.

If you pass it on to someone or leave it "in the wild" for someone else to find, please make another journal entry or release notes here to explain that it's travelling to find another home.

You can remain anonymous on the website or join BookCrossing. Joining is free, safe, and spam free and you'll get an e-mail every time a new person finds this book. You'll be able to watch it move around and find out what other readers thought of it.

I hope you enjoy the book. Happy reading!

Kate brought this to meet up today and I could not resist.

A very compelling read for a non-fiction book and one where the ending is still known (or rather, unknown). The gimmick of titling the chapters after the works stolen was interesting, although I could never tell if it was supposed to tie in with the contents of the chapter or not. I do agree with the conclusion that Turner was involved in the heist, but beyond that I don't know what to think on this case. I hope that someday the art is found and that it has not been ruined beyond repair during its time in the hands of nefarious persons. And I now want to visit the museum even more than I did before I read the book.

I think there are others in the local group who would enjoy this book, so I will set it aside to go to a future meet-up.

Taking this book to meet-up in Westminster today. I noticed that it was on MaryZee's wishlist, so it seems fitting that I share it with someone today when we gather to remember her.

Any future reader or recipient of this book is encouraged to leave a journal entry here on the BookCrossing site to let prior readers know the fate of the book. You can make an anonymous entry without joining the BookCrossing movement, but if you are interested in joining, it is a free and spam-free community where your contact information is not shared with others. Best of all, members receive private messages via e-mail from books like this one when those books are journaled, allowing for long-term relationships between books and readers.