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The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and a Dangerous Obsession
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Best Nonfiction (2023)One of the most remarkable true-crime narratives of the twenty-first century: the story of the world’s most prolific art thief, Stéphane Breitwieser.
In this spellbinding portrait of obsession and flawed genius, the best-selling author of The Stranger in the Woods brings us into Breitwieser’s strange world—unlike most thieves, he never stole for money, keeping all his treasures in a single room where he could admire them.
For centuries, works of art have been stolen in countless ways from all over the world, but no one has been quite as successful at it as the master thief Stéphane Breitwieser. Carrying out more than two hundred heists over nearly eight years—in museums and cathedrals all over Europe—Breitwieser, along with his girlfriend who worked as his lookout, stole more than three hundred objects, until it all fell apart in spectacular fashion.
In The Art Thief, Michael Finkel brings us into Breitwieser’s strange and fascinating world. Unlike most thieves, Breitwieser never stole for money. Instead, he displayed all his treasures in a pair of secret rooms where he could admire them to his heart’s content. Possessed of a remarkable athleticism and an innate ability to circumvent practically any security system, Breitwieser managed to pull off a breathtaking number of audacious thefts. Yet these strange talents bred a growing disregard for risk and an addict’s need to score, leading Breitwieser to ignore his girlfriend’s pleas to stop—until one final act of hubris brought everything crashing down.
This is a riveting story of art, crime, love, and an insatiable hunger to possess beauty at any cost.
In this spellbinding portrait of obsession and flawed genius, the best-selling author of The Stranger in the Woods brings us into Breitwieser’s strange world—unlike most thieves, he never stole for money, keeping all his treasures in a single room where he could admire them.
For centuries, works of art have been stolen in countless ways from all over the world, but no one has been quite as successful at it as the master thief Stéphane Breitwieser. Carrying out more than two hundred heists over nearly eight years—in museums and cathedrals all over Europe—Breitwieser, along with his girlfriend who worked as his lookout, stole more than three hundred objects, until it all fell apart in spectacular fashion.
In The Art Thief, Michael Finkel brings us into Breitwieser’s strange and fascinating world. Unlike most thieves, Breitwieser never stole for money. Instead, he displayed all his treasures in a pair of secret rooms where he could admire them to his heart’s content. Possessed of a remarkable athleticism and an innate ability to circumvent practically any security system, Breitwieser managed to pull off a breathtaking number of audacious thefts. Yet these strange talents bred a growing disregard for risk and an addict’s need to score, leading Breitwieser to ignore his girlfriend’s pleas to stop—until one final act of hubris brought everything crashing down.
This is a riveting story of art, crime, love, and an insatiable hunger to possess beauty at any cost.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published June 22, 2023
About the author
Michael Finkel
10 books1,073 followersMichael Finkel is the author of "The Art Thief," "The Stranger in the Woods," and "True Story," which was adapted into a 2015 motion picture. He has reported from more than 50 countries and written for National Geographic, GQ, Rolling Stone, Esquire, Vanity Fair, The Atlantic, and The New York Times Magazine. He lives with his family in northern Utah and southern France.
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September 26, 2023Dear Goodreaders:
Though "The Art Thief" is a short book (just over 200 pages), I worked on the project for more than 11 years, trying to make sure that everything in this wild and unpredictable tale is true - and also, to the best of my abilities, entertaining to read.
The art thief himself, Stéphane Breitwieser, granted me dozens of hours of exclusive interviews, and even visited a couple of museums with me. It was a bizarre experience, to say the least, to tour an art museum with one of the world's greatest art thieves.
I respect all of the reviews here (well, almost all), and I hope that the art thief's incredible crime spree, and his equally spectacular crash, capture your interest. My time with Breitwieser changed the way I experience museums and absorb works of art, and I expect that the same effects may happen to you as you wind your way through the book.
Yours,
Mike Finkel
PS: Since you made it down this far, I'll admit which is my personal favorite line in the book: "When you wear your heart on your sleeve, it's exposed to the elements." (p.74)
Though "The Art Thief" is a short book (just over 200 pages), I worked on the project for more than 11 years, trying to make sure that everything in this wild and unpredictable tale is true - and also, to the best of my abilities, entertaining to read.
The art thief himself, Stéphane Breitwieser, granted me dozens of hours of exclusive interviews, and even visited a couple of museums with me. It was a bizarre experience, to say the least, to tour an art museum with one of the world's greatest art thieves.
I respect all of the reviews here (well, almost all), and I hope that the art thief's incredible crime spree, and his equally spectacular crash, capture your interest. My time with Breitwieser changed the way I experience museums and absorb works of art, and I expect that the same effects may happen to you as you wind your way through the book.
Yours,
Mike Finkel
PS: Since you made it down this far, I'll admit which is my personal favorite line in the book: "When you wear your heart on your sleeve, it's exposed to the elements." (p.74)
July 28, 2023
The Art Thief is a narrative nonfiction so it reads almost like fiction. But this amazing story is true. Crazy to think that so recently in the past, someone could get away with stealing hundreds of pieces from various museums. Yes, not the big museums, but still! It was surprising to learn that Breitwieser didn’t go in for lots of advance planning. He was a think-on-his-feet kind of thief.
The book veers between the story of the various art heists with commentary by various psychologists, all of whom tried to determine what led him to steal. Meanwhile, Breitwieser declares “Art is my drug”, as if that is all the explanation needed.
The book also provides a unique look at the European legal system. I was shocked to learn that Breitweiser’s many thefts were deemed as less serious than a theft of some cheap item if a weapon was used in the latter. In fact, the amount of time he served was shocking to me. The person who comes across the worst here is his mother.
Breitwieser granted Michael Finkel hours and hours of interview time, so the book definitely has the feel of a one on one conversation.
I found it odd that Stephane Breitwieser is consistently called by his last name, while his girlfriend and accomplice is called by her first name, Anne-Catherine.
It was refreshing to read a true crime story with no violence involved.
My thanks to Netgalley and Knopf for an advance copy of this book.
The book veers between the story of the various art heists with commentary by various psychologists, all of whom tried to determine what led him to steal. Meanwhile, Breitwieser declares “Art is my drug”, as if that is all the explanation needed.
The book also provides a unique look at the European legal system. I was shocked to learn that Breitweiser’s many thefts were deemed as less serious than a theft of some cheap item if a weapon was used in the latter. In fact, the amount of time he served was shocking to me. The person who comes across the worst here is his mother.
Breitwieser granted Michael Finkel hours and hours of interview time, so the book definitely has the feel of a one on one conversation.
I found it odd that Stephane Breitwieser is consistently called by his last name, while his girlfriend and accomplice is called by her first name, Anne-Catherine.
It was refreshing to read a true crime story with no violence involved.
My thanks to Netgalley and Knopf for an advance copy of this book.
January 11, 2024
The Art Thief by Michael Finkel is True Crime Nonfiction!
The Art Thief is a fascinating True Crime story that verges on the unbelievable...
Stéphane Breitwieser professed to steal art not for money, but for love, an estimated $2B worth, in the years between 1995 - 2001. What he loved was Fine Art, primarily Renaissance Art and medieval art.
Leisurely visits, smartly dressed in upper-end clothes, to museums and galleries throughout Europe with his then-girlfriend Anne-Catherine Kleinklaus would net something of interest. He performed the theft and she would be on the lookout. They would seamlessly blend into the crowd, take their time, never rushing the door or speeding away.
Breitwieser and Anne-Catherine lived in two small rooms in the attic of his mother Mirelle Stengel’s house where the stolen art was on display all around them. Sleeping close to, being able to touch, and see the art was part of Breitwieser's obsession and thirst for what was now theirs alone to enjoy.
There is a great deal of information packed into a fairly short book and, because there are so many thefts, it can feel repetitive and confusing. It reads like a suspense thriller without the mystery of how it will end. We already know the ending. To dig deeper will reveal a character study, a relationship study, and a family study that rolls up into a compelling True Crime read/listen.
The audiobook is a 5H 39M listen narrated by the magnificent voice of Edoardo Ballerini. Although an audiobook will always be my preferred format, I do recommend sourcing a physical copy of this book for all the lovely color pictures of the "loot" found in the notorious attic rooms.
The Art Thief is a fun, entertaining, and compelling nonfiction read/listen I recommend to readers who enjoy reading edgy nonfiction books. I listened to it with my mouth agape!
4⭐
The Art Thief is a fascinating True Crime story that verges on the unbelievable...
Stéphane Breitwieser professed to steal art not for money, but for love, an estimated $2B worth, in the years between 1995 - 2001. What he loved was Fine Art, primarily Renaissance Art and medieval art.
Leisurely visits, smartly dressed in upper-end clothes, to museums and galleries throughout Europe with his then-girlfriend Anne-Catherine Kleinklaus would net something of interest. He performed the theft and she would be on the lookout. They would seamlessly blend into the crowd, take their time, never rushing the door or speeding away.
Breitwieser and Anne-Catherine lived in two small rooms in the attic of his mother Mirelle Stengel’s house where the stolen art was on display all around them. Sleeping close to, being able to touch, and see the art was part of Breitwieser's obsession and thirst for what was now theirs alone to enjoy.
There is a great deal of information packed into a fairly short book and, because there are so many thefts, it can feel repetitive and confusing. It reads like a suspense thriller without the mystery of how it will end. We already know the ending. To dig deeper will reveal a character study, a relationship study, and a family study that rolls up into a compelling True Crime read/listen.
The audiobook is a 5H 39M listen narrated by the magnificent voice of Edoardo Ballerini. Although an audiobook will always be my preferred format, I do recommend sourcing a physical copy of this book for all the lovely color pictures of the "loot" found in the notorious attic rooms.
The Art Thief is a fun, entertaining, and compelling nonfiction read/listen I recommend to readers who enjoy reading edgy nonfiction books. I listened to it with my mouth agape!
4⭐
June 24, 2023
My Recommendation
This was an incredible true story about the most prolific and brazen art thief in history. Between 1995 and 2001, Stephane Breitiviser is said to have stolen 239 valuable/priceless works of art from 172 museums, cathedrals and castles all over Europe. The author, Michael Finkel, extensively and meticulously researched his life, psychological theories about his mental and emotional state, personality, enablers, police investigations, and court cases. Many involved in the case, including Stephane himself, were interviewed.
Stephane considered himself superior to other art thieves as he never stole for profit. He felt the art was better cared for 'under his ownership' than in museums. While viewing specific works of art, he was overcome by aesthetic adoration and an obsession to have the treasure for himself to revel in its beauty. He was assisted by his long-time girlfriend, Anna-Katherine Kleinklaus, who frequently accompanied him and served as a lookout when he committed a burglary. He carefully removed desired objects using merely a Swiss Army knife, and the robberies were committed in daylight hours. Art objects he brazenly stole included paintings, sculptures, antique weapons, dishes, and decorative containers. He wanted to feel the joy of owning the object and the thrill of acquiring it.
He hoarded all the stolen works of art in two rooms in his mother's attic, where he lived with Anna-Katherine. All available spaces were decorated with his ill-gained treasures. He deluded himself into thinking that his mother thought he was carrying in cheap art acquired at flea markets while his mother denied seeing anything. Items estimated at between one and two billion dollars were displayed for the couple's pleasure. He was arrested, eventually confessed, and showed an encyclopedic memory of everything he stole and where he acquired all the items. He was sentenced to three years in prison and served twenty-nine months. (2015). During the trial, Anna-Katherine expressed a strong dislike for him and denied helping him.
Stephane's mother, his estranged father, and grandparents were strangely tolerant of his crimes. He had been spoiled, enabled, indulged, and felt entitled. His mother provided him and his girlfriend with living space in her home and later apartments, groceries, several cars and even gas money. After Anna-Katherine abandoned him, his mother found him a new girlfriend, Stephanie, and he moved into her apartment. He lived off Stephanie, his mother, and government assistance.
In 2009, he had the impulse to shoplift designer clothes and then a valuable painting estimated worth $50 million. Much to his surprise, Stephanie kicked him out of her apartment and notified the police. While he was in prison again, his enraged mother threw all the gold, silver, and ivory artwork into the Rhine. They are recovered from the mud, restored, and returned for display. Sadly, all the paintings and wood carvings were believed to be burned in the forest, a shocking and tragic loss of culture and art.
In 2016, badly in need of money, he went against all his stated principles, went on a robbery spree, and sold his accumulated valuables on eBay and other internet sites. Almost 200,000 dollars he had gained was recovered, and he was sentenced to prison again in 2019.
This fast-paced, gripping story is highly recommended for art lovers and true crime readers. Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada (Knopf Canada) for this compelling
book. Publication is set for June 27.
This was an incredible true story about the most prolific and brazen art thief in history. Between 1995 and 2001, Stephane Breitiviser is said to have stolen 239 valuable/priceless works of art from 172 museums, cathedrals and castles all over Europe. The author, Michael Finkel, extensively and meticulously researched his life, psychological theories about his mental and emotional state, personality, enablers, police investigations, and court cases. Many involved in the case, including Stephane himself, were interviewed.
Stephane considered himself superior to other art thieves as he never stole for profit. He felt the art was better cared for 'under his ownership' than in museums. While viewing specific works of art, he was overcome by aesthetic adoration and an obsession to have the treasure for himself to revel in its beauty. He was assisted by his long-time girlfriend, Anna-Katherine Kleinklaus, who frequently accompanied him and served as a lookout when he committed a burglary. He carefully removed desired objects using merely a Swiss Army knife, and the robberies were committed in daylight hours. Art objects he brazenly stole included paintings, sculptures, antique weapons, dishes, and decorative containers. He wanted to feel the joy of owning the object and the thrill of acquiring it.
He hoarded all the stolen works of art in two rooms in his mother's attic, where he lived with Anna-Katherine. All available spaces were decorated with his ill-gained treasures. He deluded himself into thinking that his mother thought he was carrying in cheap art acquired at flea markets while his mother denied seeing anything. Items estimated at between one and two billion dollars were displayed for the couple's pleasure. He was arrested, eventually confessed, and showed an encyclopedic memory of everything he stole and where he acquired all the items. He was sentenced to three years in prison and served twenty-nine months. (2015). During the trial, Anna-Katherine expressed a strong dislike for him and denied helping him.
Stephane's mother, his estranged father, and grandparents were strangely tolerant of his crimes. He had been spoiled, enabled, indulged, and felt entitled. His mother provided him and his girlfriend with living space in her home and later apartments, groceries, several cars and even gas money. After Anna-Katherine abandoned him, his mother found him a new girlfriend, Stephanie, and he moved into her apartment. He lived off Stephanie, his mother, and government assistance.
In 2009, he had the impulse to shoplift designer clothes and then a valuable painting estimated worth $50 million. Much to his surprise, Stephanie kicked him out of her apartment and notified the police. While he was in prison again, his enraged mother threw all the gold, silver, and ivory artwork into the Rhine. They are recovered from the mud, restored, and returned for display. Sadly, all the paintings and wood carvings were believed to be burned in the forest, a shocking and tragic loss of culture and art.
In 2016, badly in need of money, he went against all his stated principles, went on a robbery spree, and sold his accumulated valuables on eBay and other internet sites. Almost 200,000 dollars he had gained was recovered, and he was sentenced to prison again in 2019.
This fast-paced, gripping story is highly recommended for art lovers and true crime readers. Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada (Knopf Canada) for this compelling
book. Publication is set for June 27.
November 21, 2023
3.5
Crime works best, not with overpowering force but when nobody knows it’s being committed.
This book is about one man’s obsession to possess beauty, but not in the conventional way by paying for it. This man doesn’t have money. He lives in the attic of his mother’s house. He isn’t content to see the fine art he so admires behind a Plexiglas in a museum. He wants to own it and he is compulsive enough to take advantage of a distracted guard or a commotion to grab what he wants and disappear.
But he isn’t alone. His girlfriend helps him in his endeavors, but for her the incentive is her love for the man and the rush of adrenalin.
Their thefts are executed without violence or causing damage. They never sell any of the objects they take.
They live in the attic of a house, inside a treasure chest, owning nothing, surrounded by beauty.
But not all fairy tales have happy endings, do they?
Chris, I had such a fun time reading this book with you and discussing the fountains, sunflowers and ballet dancers!
Crime works best, not with overpowering force but when nobody knows it’s being committed.
This book is about one man’s obsession to possess beauty, but not in the conventional way by paying for it. This man doesn’t have money. He lives in the attic of his mother’s house. He isn’t content to see the fine art he so admires behind a Plexiglas in a museum. He wants to own it and he is compulsive enough to take advantage of a distracted guard or a commotion to grab what he wants and disappear.
But he isn’t alone. His girlfriend helps him in his endeavors, but for her the incentive is her love for the man and the rush of adrenalin.
Their thefts are executed without violence or causing damage. They never sell any of the objects they take.
They live in the attic of a house, inside a treasure chest, owning nothing, surrounded by beauty.
But not all fairy tales have happy endings, do they?
Chris, I had such a fun time reading this book with you and discussing the fountains, sunflowers and ballet dancers!
November 21, 2023
The Art Thief is a book about obsession, hoarding, and the insatiable desire to steal precious artifacts. The one aspect that makes this story a bit unique is the fact that the main thief does not take the antiquities to sell; he displays them to admire them in an attic imbedded in a typical suburban neighborhood.
Stéphane Breitwieser and his girlfriend stole over 200 items from museums, fairs, auctions, and cathedrals across Europe for nearly a decade. They circumvented authorities by picking up less-known items using only a standard Swiss army knife and a bit of luck.
The art they steal is varied. An ivory sculpture in Belgium, a tobacco holder, a bugle, some paintings, and a few large sculptures, to name a few. Most of their work is spontaneous and only takes a few minutes. Sometimes they steal several items per day!
But as Breitwieser gets older and the scores get larger in scope, Anne-Catherine eventually wants more stability in their relationship. If he gets caught, she is an accomplice and will be brought to justice as well.
It eventually all comes crashing down, and the authorities start putting the pieces together. Will the couple make it off Scott-free? What happens to the art room if they get caught? The story ends at a fairly recent date, and if the track record of Breitwieser stands, I am sure there will be more to the tale in the near future.
I read an interview with the author about the book, and although admiration is not the word I would choose, the quote is fairly spot on:
“Every reader can have a different opinion at the end between admiration and disgust, and nobody’s wrong.”
*Read with the witty, cunning, and intrepid, Helga. Thank you for talking thievery and art! :)
🎵| Soundtrack |🎵
❖ 38 Special – Hold on Loosely
❖ Bachman-Turner Overdrive – You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet
❖ Hall & Oats – You’ll Never Learn
⭐ | Rating | ⭐
❖ 3.5 out of 5 ❖
Stéphane Breitwieser and his girlfriend stole over 200 items from museums, fairs, auctions, and cathedrals across Europe for nearly a decade. They circumvented authorities by picking up less-known items using only a standard Swiss army knife and a bit of luck.
The art they steal is varied. An ivory sculpture in Belgium, a tobacco holder, a bugle, some paintings, and a few large sculptures, to name a few. Most of their work is spontaneous and only takes a few minutes. Sometimes they steal several items per day!
But as Breitwieser gets older and the scores get larger in scope, Anne-Catherine eventually wants more stability in their relationship. If he gets caught, she is an accomplice and will be brought to justice as well.
It eventually all comes crashing down, and the authorities start putting the pieces together. Will the couple make it off Scott-free? What happens to the art room if they get caught? The story ends at a fairly recent date, and if the track record of Breitwieser stands, I am sure there will be more to the tale in the near future.
I read an interview with the author about the book, and although admiration is not the word I would choose, the quote is fairly spot on:
“Every reader can have a different opinion at the end between admiration and disgust, and nobody’s wrong.”
*Read with the witty, cunning, and intrepid, Helga. Thank you for talking thievery and art! :)
🎵| Soundtrack |🎵
❖ 38 Special – Hold on Loosely
❖ Bachman-Turner Overdrive – You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet
❖ Hall & Oats – You’ll Never Learn
⭐ | Rating | ⭐
❖ 3.5 out of 5 ❖
March 5, 2023
When Breitwieser is not in bed, he dotes like a butler on the works in his rooms, monitoring temperature and humidity, light and dust. His pieces are kept in better condition, he says, than they were in museums. Lumping him in with the savages is cruel and unfair. Instead of an art thief, Breitwieser prefers to be thought of as an art collector with an unorthodox acquisition style. Or, if you will, he’d like to be called an art liberator.
With more than two hundred heists pulled off over seven countries, stealing some three hundred works of art worth upwards of two billion dollars which he then stashed in his attic rooms in his mother’s house, Stephane Brietwieser — averaging a theft every twelve days for over seven years — is considered the most prolific art thief of all time. Starting as a young man, often accompanied by his live-in girlfriend and accomplice, Anne-Catherine Kleinklaus, Brietwieser was such as aesthete, such a studied connoisseur, that when he would spot a work of art — whether a silver cup or smallish Renaissance oil painting — that struck him helpless with a coup de coeur, he would calmly liberate that object (whether from its frame or its locked display case), disguise it on his person, and walk out the door of the museum, church, or gallery that he had been visiting. This sounds like it could be a thrilling tale of crime and punishment — and as journalist Michael Finkel was given unprecedented access to Brietwieser in order to tell his story, I expected him to give us a colourful antihero story as he did with The Stranger in the Woods — but The Art Thief didn’t really take off for me. The thefts, investigation, and subsequent trials are recounted matter-of-factly, Finkel pads out the story with some interesting enough research, and although I had never heard of Brietwieser before, I’m left thinking there’s no particular reason I needed to learn of him. Not a bad read at all, but not a necessary one either. (Note: I read an ARC through NetGalley and passages quoted may not be in their final form.)
Anne-Catherine would never consider stealing without Breitwieser present. Her eyes are usually difficult to read. She seldom touches a piece before it leaves the museum. He’ll use her purse maybe one theft in ten. She is not exactly a thief, but she’s not not a thief either. She’s more like a magician’s assistant, hovering in the background during a trick, making sure the overly curious are gently diverted. She also reins in, when necessary, her boyfriend’s exuberance, and occasionally aids him.
Anne-Catherine and Brietwieser’s mother, Mireille Stengel, have the more interesting stories to me — it’s one thing to be a sociopathic art thief; a rather different thing to love one and risk prosecution for abetting him — but as neither of the women has ever consented to an interview, Finkel needed to rely on court records and Brietwieser’s own slippery word to form a picture of the women in his life, and it doesn’t amount to much. (Stengel in particular has a fascinating role in the story’s aftermath but the details can only be guessed at.) Finkel does attempt to learn where Brietwieser’s compulsion came from (after a childhood of privilege, his parents’ divorce saw his father move away with all the beautiful family heirlooms; court psychologists diagnosed Brietwieser as narcissistic and immature), and throughout, Finkel shares his related research, as in:
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Or maybe not. In 2011, Semir Zeki, a professor of neuroscience at University College London, used MRI scanners to track neural activity in the brain, deciphering the power of attraction. He discovered the exact place, he announced, from which all aesthetic reactions flow — a pea-sized lobe located behind the eyes. Beauty, to be unpoetic but precise, is in the medial orbital-frontal cortex of the beholder.
And:
Directors of small-budget museums don’t like to talk about security, but these institutions, rather than allocating funds for the latest protection measures, such as tracking devices as thin as threads that can be sewn into canvases, instead almost always opt to acquire more art. New works, not better security, draw crowds.
Breitwieser is unique in the world of art thieves in that he stole in order to own; never did he try to ransom or fence a work of art, and as his two small attic rooms became cluttered with stacks and piles, he was still able to convince himself that he was honouring these pieces more than their former curators had. There’s a fascinating story in that, and I’m not sure Finkel totally uncovered it.
The story of art, Breitwieser says, is a story of stealing. Egyptian papyri from the early written age decry the menace of tomb raiders. The Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II, in 586 BC, hauled off from Jerusalem the Ark of the Covenant. The Persians plundered the Babylonians, the Greeks raided the Persians, the Romans robbed the Greeks. The Vandals binged on the riches of Rome…Each pilfered work represents another reason he steals, Breitwieser says, and everyone in the art world is a thief in some way. If he doesn’t get what he wants, he expects others will. Some grab works by wiring cash to a dealer; he acquires pieces with a Swiss Army knife. At the very least, he’s a formidable rogue in the art world’s eternal den of iniquity. And perhaps when all is said and done, this is his dream, he will be written into the story of art as a hero.
July 26, 2023
2.5 stars
While I found the story itself fascinating, and the level of crimes committed and the resultant aftermath rather horrific in their way, several choices made by Finkel kept this from rising above ordinary.
A good bit of his nonfiction narrative leans into the overwrought, whether trying to complement or compete with the beauty of the stolen works of art, I'm unsure. The choice of present tense is beyond me — other than the typical gimmicky explanations — the utter relinquishment of control of his own story is nigh on unfathomable. Looking at the book in its entirety, as though it were actually unfolding in time as the book is read, makes no sense either for when the crimes take place or the resultant consequences we know occur.
In the end, though I appreciated the story and the depth Finkel reveals, he seems either reluctant to or to outright refuse to look at Breitwieser's thievery through a more critical and scrutinizing lens. His neutrality reeks of promises made to the subject in order to get this book approved, and is the weaker for it. Though he never seems to buy into the overly romantic notion that Breitwieser commits these acts through some desire to simply own art (because he admires it more than others) or even rescue it (anti-Indiana Jones, as it were [It doesn't belong in a museum!]), he ends the novel with the barest of mentions of Breitwieser's actual acts of petty thievery. The unwillingness to both fully recognize these contradictions and to directly address the utter lack of self-awareness from which Breitwieser suffers, detracts from Finkel's credibility.
Audiobook, as narrated by Edoardo Ballerini: Ballerini did a great job of laying a great foundation and support to this nonfiction book that had flaws of its own.
While I found the story itself fascinating, and the level of crimes committed and the resultant aftermath rather horrific in their way, several choices made by Finkel kept this from rising above ordinary.
A good bit of his nonfiction narrative leans into the overwrought, whether trying to complement or compete with the beauty of the stolen works of art, I'm unsure. The choice of present tense is beyond me — other than the typical gimmicky explanations — the utter relinquishment of control of his own story is nigh on unfathomable. Looking at the book in its entirety, as though it were actually unfolding in time as the book is read, makes no sense either for when the crimes take place or the resultant consequences we know occur.
In the end, though I appreciated the story and the depth Finkel reveals, he seems either reluctant to or to outright refuse to look at Breitwieser's thievery through a more critical and scrutinizing lens. His neutrality reeks of promises made to the subject in order to get this book approved, and is the weaker for it. Though he never seems to buy into the overly romantic notion that Breitwieser commits these acts through some desire to simply own art (because he admires it more than others) or even rescue it (anti-Indiana Jones, as it were [It doesn't belong in a museum!]), he ends the novel with the barest of mentions of Breitwieser's actual acts of petty thievery. The unwillingness to both fully recognize these contradictions and to directly address the utter lack of self-awareness from which Breitwieser suffers, detracts from Finkel's credibility.
Audiobook, as narrated by Edoardo Ballerini: Ballerini did a great job of laying a great foundation and support to this nonfiction book that had flaws of its own.
August 6, 2023
Michael Finkel has written one of the more unusual true crime books in producing this tome outlining the criminal career of Stephane Breitwieser, a French man from the Alsace region who has one, possibly two, true loves in his life. His primary love is art, works of art, precious works of art of the primarily 17th century. His second love is the young woman who accompanies him during many of his exploits—a compulsive career of art theft solely for his personal pleasure.
In sections that occasionally made me squirm with discomfort, the reader accompanies Stephane on some of his “missions”, for they feel like tasks he is compelled to perform. The author presents this story from multiple perspectives: from that of Stephane Breitwieser, from the views of various psychiatrists and psychologists who have attempted to analyze him and his need for works of art, from the viewpoints of the police departments who eventually discovered and stopped him. It’s estimated that he probably stole more than 300 objects, all to keep and enjoy, all from small museums throughout Europe.
After that beginning, where we live with this man as he travels and commits his crimes (or “liberations”), the story grows increasingly complex and interesting as it opens up more facets of the story, the people and the eventual chase. I think that I found the beginning section unsettling because it was presented with no counter, no evidence of any price to be paid and, indeed, there wasn’t one for some time.
I do recommend this book to true crime enthusiasts, especially those interested in art crime and psychology.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a preview copy of this book. The review is my own.
In sections that occasionally made me squirm with discomfort, the reader accompanies Stephane on some of his “missions”, for they feel like tasks he is compelled to perform. The author presents this story from multiple perspectives: from that of Stephane Breitwieser, from the views of various psychiatrists and psychologists who have attempted to analyze him and his need for works of art, from the viewpoints of the police departments who eventually discovered and stopped him. It’s estimated that he probably stole more than 300 objects, all to keep and enjoy, all from small museums throughout Europe.
After that beginning, where we live with this man as he travels and commits his crimes (or “liberations”), the story grows increasingly complex and interesting as it opens up more facets of the story, the people and the eventual chase. I think that I found the beginning section unsettling because it was presented with no counter, no evidence of any price to be paid and, indeed, there wasn’t one for some time.
I do recommend this book to true crime enthusiasts, especially those interested in art crime and psychology.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a preview copy of this book. The review is my own.
November 8, 2023
The true crime story tells us about Stéphane Breitwieser, a successful thief who stole over 400 pieces from museums, auctions and churches in 7 different countries.
He was stealing not for money but for his love of art.
The Book has many details and facts and is very interesting and educational.
He was stealing not for money but for his love of art.
The Book has many details and facts and is very interesting and educational.
September 3, 2023
Rating: 4.6
I'd first learned about the author when viewing the film adaptation of True Story: Murder, Memoir, Mea Culpa that starred Noah Hill and James Franco. While I've read numerous fiction stories on the subject, the summary captured my attention due to its completely unique premise.
Born in 1971, Stephane Breitweiser bonded with his grandfather whose home was furnished with antiques from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. As a child, he loved finding artifacts, pottery shards and arrowheads which he kept in his 'blue plastic box'. As great grandson of a well known artist which he often bragged about, his fascination with art from the 1600s grew. Breitweiser was extremely moody and anxiety prone, as well as awkward in social situations. Unlike his peers he'd subscribed to architecture and art magazines instead of playing video games or sports. During a visit to an archeological museum, a piece of lead from a Roman coffin broke off in his hand and was quickly stuffed in his pocket and taken home to add it to his childhood collection. Over time his fascination with figurines, ivory carvings and Renaissance art distanced him further from society. When his grandparents bought him a car, encounters with the police resulted with two weeks in a behavioral therapy clinic. During his senior year in high school, he met Anne-Catherine at a birthday party and it was love at first sight.
Living in the attic of his mother's home, the couple shared a mutual interest in antiquities, art, dishware and history. Their favorite recreational activity was visiting museums and during one such visit, Breitweiser spotted a flintlock pistol similar to one his father owned, but never allowed him to touch it. With Anne-Catherine watching for security guards of which there were few, he removed it from the display and stashed it his day pack and felt a rush of excitement when they left.
She worked as a nurse's assistant at a local hospital, while Breitweiser was supported by his mother who he referred to as Stengel, her surname. Their love grew and with it, their ploy deepened with every museum visit. Armed with nothing more than a Swiss Army knife, Breitweiser would analyze security while Anne-Catherine played lookout. Over a course of years, they managed over 200 thefts but instead of fencing the stolen pieces, they filled the attic without his mother's knowledge. Renaissance paintings, dishware, artifacts, ivory carvings and in one case a 150 lb statue, the estimated value was over $2B!
Perfect crimes always come to an end, and Breitweiser finally got caught. Sentenced to 5 years in prison, upon his release a publisher offered him $100K for the rights to his story. While on probation he got caught stealing again, and was sentenced to another spell behind bars.
Engaging and immersive, this is one of the most unique, factual stories you'll read and when compared to its fictional counterparts, trumps everyone of them in spades. You don't need to be interested in art to enjoy this, since this astounding couple's line of thefts is surreal! Mystery and crime are a popular genre and if you enjoy it, add this to your list.
I'd first learned about the author when viewing the film adaptation of True Story: Murder, Memoir, Mea Culpa that starred Noah Hill and James Franco. While I've read numerous fiction stories on the subject, the summary captured my attention due to its completely unique premise.
Born in 1971, Stephane Breitweiser bonded with his grandfather whose home was furnished with antiques from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. As a child, he loved finding artifacts, pottery shards and arrowheads which he kept in his 'blue plastic box'. As great grandson of a well known artist which he often bragged about, his fascination with art from the 1600s grew. Breitweiser was extremely moody and anxiety prone, as well as awkward in social situations. Unlike his peers he'd subscribed to architecture and art magazines instead of playing video games or sports. During a visit to an archeological museum, a piece of lead from a Roman coffin broke off in his hand and was quickly stuffed in his pocket and taken home to add it to his childhood collection. Over time his fascination with figurines, ivory carvings and Renaissance art distanced him further from society. When his grandparents bought him a car, encounters with the police resulted with two weeks in a behavioral therapy clinic. During his senior year in high school, he met Anne-Catherine at a birthday party and it was love at first sight.
Living in the attic of his mother's home, the couple shared a mutual interest in antiquities, art, dishware and history. Their favorite recreational activity was visiting museums and during one such visit, Breitweiser spotted a flintlock pistol similar to one his father owned, but never allowed him to touch it. With Anne-Catherine watching for security guards of which there were few, he removed it from the display and stashed it his day pack and felt a rush of excitement when they left.
She worked as a nurse's assistant at a local hospital, while Breitweiser was supported by his mother who he referred to as Stengel, her surname. Their love grew and with it, their ploy deepened with every museum visit. Armed with nothing more than a Swiss Army knife, Breitweiser would analyze security while Anne-Catherine played lookout. Over a course of years, they managed over 200 thefts but instead of fencing the stolen pieces, they filled the attic without his mother's knowledge. Renaissance paintings, dishware, artifacts, ivory carvings and in one case a 150 lb statue, the estimated value was over $2B!
Perfect crimes always come to an end, and Breitweiser finally got caught. Sentenced to 5 years in prison, upon his release a publisher offered him $100K for the rights to his story. While on probation he got caught stealing again, and was sentenced to another spell behind bars.
Engaging and immersive, this is one of the most unique, factual stories you'll read and when compared to its fictional counterparts, trumps everyone of them in spades. You don't need to be interested in art to enjoy this, since this astounding couple's line of thefts is surreal! Mystery and crime are a popular genre and if you enjoy it, add this to your list.
September 18, 2023
Stendhal Syndrome -- a psychosomatic condition involving rapid heartbeat, fainting and swooning and being overcome physically and emotionally when an individual is exposed to objects, artworks, or phenomena of great beauty.
The true story of an Art thief I'd never heard of. A man who loved art, Renaissance Art and medieval art in particular, who must possess it. He steals not for money but for love and collects. A story that is unbelievable at times, read so beautifully by Edoardo Ballerini that I binge listened to a large part of it. The story gets a little redundant at times (4 star rating) but I knew he would be caught and he does so well for so long I had to find out how and why or in what way he would eventually be tripped up.
The thieving is only half the tale, it is what happens next which is equally amazing. A really great piece of narrative non-fiction. Reads like a novel and was a great story taking place not so long ago (1990's). Would have loved a little more art background but it is mostly a character study and crime story brought to light.
I listened to it on audio but stumbled on the book while in a book store and was amazed to see the many color plates of the some of the items that were stolen by this man over the years. So even if you listen to this wonderful audio I would advise picking up the book as the pictures bring the story to colorful life.
The true story of an Art thief I'd never heard of. A man who loved art, Renaissance Art and medieval art in particular, who must possess it. He steals not for money but for love and collects. A story that is unbelievable at times, read so beautifully by Edoardo Ballerini that I binge listened to a large part of it. The story gets a little redundant at times (4 star rating) but I knew he would be caught and he does so well for so long I had to find out how and why or in what way he would eventually be tripped up.
The thieving is only half the tale, it is what happens next which is equally amazing. A really great piece of narrative non-fiction. Reads like a novel and was a great story taking place not so long ago (1990's). Would have loved a little more art background but it is mostly a character study and crime story brought to light.
I listened to it on audio but stumbled on the book while in a book store and was amazed to see the many color plates of the some of the items that were stolen by this man over the years. So even if you listen to this wonderful audio I would advise picking up the book as the pictures bring the story to colorful life.
August 27, 2023
It would be reasonable to assume that art thieves steal for financial gain. Maybe sell their haul to disreputable dealers or collectors for quick cash, seek a ransom for its safe return, or use the pieces as collateral for the illegal drug and gun trades. That’s the sort of scenarios police expect. After all, who would steal irreplaceable and breathtakingly expensive works of art for the sheer pleasure of sharing private space with them? It would be even stranger if a thief had no desire to monetize a two billion dollar collection when that person is an unemployed freeloader living in his mother’s attic.
When Stéphane Breitwieser sees a work of art that causes a sensation to thunder through him—a coup de coeur—he cannot rest until he possesses it. Why should he deny himself something that stirs him so deeply? He did not resist the first time he was moved in this way and successfully stole an early eighteenth century flintlock pistol. The whipsaw between terror and joy had him hooked. Stéphane found he had a special talent for stealing, and he did so at a breathtaking pace. He will gorge himself on art in his tiny attic kingdom with his love and accomplice Anne-Catherine at his side, the one who will provide ballast to his fanaticism.
This book is about art, yes. But it is also about a man who grew to be a larger version of an indulgent, spoiled boy, enabled by a family who wanted to show love but not the tough kind. He is compulsive yet disciplined in collecting. His love of antiquity has an endearing foundation. This is a study of untreated mental health issues; the sad story of a man with holes in a psyche he cannot fill, despite his staggering success at trying.
I did not expect to read this so quickly, but I was unable to put it down.
This book is scheduled for release June 27, 2023
My gratitude to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor and NetGalley for providing this eARC.
When Stéphane Breitwieser sees a work of art that causes a sensation to thunder through him—a coup de coeur—he cannot rest until he possesses it. Why should he deny himself something that stirs him so deeply? He did not resist the first time he was moved in this way and successfully stole an early eighteenth century flintlock pistol. The whipsaw between terror and joy had him hooked. Stéphane found he had a special talent for stealing, and he did so at a breathtaking pace. He will gorge himself on art in his tiny attic kingdom with his love and accomplice Anne-Catherine at his side, the one who will provide ballast to his fanaticism.
This book is about art, yes. But it is also about a man who grew to be a larger version of an indulgent, spoiled boy, enabled by a family who wanted to show love but not the tough kind. He is compulsive yet disciplined in collecting. His love of antiquity has an endearing foundation. This is a study of untreated mental health issues; the sad story of a man with holes in a psyche he cannot fill, despite his staggering success at trying.
I did not expect to read this so quickly, but I was unable to put it down.
This book is scheduled for release June 27, 2023
My gratitude to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor and NetGalley for providing this eARC.
November 10, 2023
This book is so out of my comfort zone I don't even know where to begin.
First of all - the format. Usually when I read non-fiction books I love huge bibliography with references clearly marked in the text. This one misses even a proper bibliography but I found it strangely fitting since the whole book feels very chatty - like a podcast that was written down and published.
Second of all - topic. I am not very into art and for majority of the time I differentiate only two types of it - the one I like and one I do not like. This book opened my eyes to fascinating aspect of art that I did not considered before - the thefts. Seems like its almost impossible to talk about art pieces and not mention crimes that were tied to them and I found that far more exhilarating than studying composition/lighting/craftsmanship of discussed pieces.
Third of all - strangeness of the described case. Stephane Breitweiser was not a kleptomaniac and yet he got consumed by the act of the stealing. Was he really a superb aesthete or it's just a person with problems that happen to inhabit enabling environment? What really happened with the remining missing art pieces? It's strange to be left with so many questions and yet feel satisfied by the story.
Forth of all - I have not visited a museum in couple years but now I feel a strange urge to visit one. Maybe to contemplate the pieces of exhibited art or maybe, just maybe, to check how the security in the museum works and why it was so easy for Breitweiser to steal.
Great book.
First of all - the format. Usually when I read non-fiction books I love huge bibliography with references clearly marked in the text. This one misses even a proper bibliography but I found it strangely fitting since the whole book feels very chatty - like a podcast that was written down and published.
Second of all - topic. I am not very into art and for majority of the time I differentiate only two types of it - the one I like and one I do not like. This book opened my eyes to fascinating aspect of art that I did not considered before - the thefts. Seems like its almost impossible to talk about art pieces and not mention crimes that were tied to them and I found that far more exhilarating than studying composition/lighting/craftsmanship of discussed pieces.
Third of all - strangeness of the described case. Stephane Breitweiser was not a kleptomaniac and yet he got consumed by the act of the stealing. Was he really a superb aesthete or it's just a person with problems that happen to inhabit enabling environment? What really happened with the remining missing art pieces? It's strange to be left with so many questions and yet feel satisfied by the story.
Forth of all - I have not visited a museum in couple years but now I feel a strange urge to visit one. Maybe to contemplate the pieces of exhibited art or maybe, just maybe, to check how the security in the museum works and why it was so easy for Breitweiser to steal.
Great book.
July 14, 2023
Generally speaking I like non-violent True Crime quite a bit, especially when it centers on a heist or museum theft.
This certainly fits those categories, but though it’s well-researched and well-presented, it just isn’t a particularly good story as gentleman thief stories go.
For a book like this to work for me, I need to either a) learn a lot or b) find the thief compelling. Neither of these things came through in this book. If you know very little about art and art theft it’s possible you’ll learn a few things, but don’t expect much if you’re reasonably well-informed on the topic.
Despite that, this still might have been a fun read had our thief been a more intriguing fellow. Though the text attempts to present him as such, Breitweiser isn’t much of a dashing antihero whom you want to root for. He’s just one more narcissist who thinks he’s smarter than everyone else (he’s not) and thinks he loves the art more than anyone else does (he doesn’t).
His thefts are executed purely out of a megalomaniacal belief that he will better care for the art and love the art more than anyone else, and therefore deserves to solely possess it. Unfortunately, there’s little that’s less interesting than a megalomaniac, especially an art thief whose thefts aren’t even especially smart or well-planned, just opportunistic and brazen.
I respect Finkel’s thorough research into the subject and think he did the best he could with the available material, but there are a lot of great reads about art theft out there, of which many are both more educational and centered on a more compelling thief or thieves.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
This certainly fits those categories, but though it’s well-researched and well-presented, it just isn’t a particularly good story as gentleman thief stories go.
For a book like this to work for me, I need to either a) learn a lot or b) find the thief compelling. Neither of these things came through in this book. If you know very little about art and art theft it’s possible you’ll learn a few things, but don’t expect much if you’re reasonably well-informed on the topic.
Despite that, this still might have been a fun read had our thief been a more intriguing fellow. Though the text attempts to present him as such, Breitweiser isn’t much of a dashing antihero whom you want to root for. He’s just one more narcissist who thinks he’s smarter than everyone else (he’s not) and thinks he loves the art more than anyone else does (he doesn’t).
His thefts are executed purely out of a megalomaniacal belief that he will better care for the art and love the art more than anyone else, and therefore deserves to solely possess it. Unfortunately, there’s little that’s less interesting than a megalomaniac, especially an art thief whose thefts aren’t even especially smart or well-planned, just opportunistic and brazen.
I respect Finkel’s thorough research into the subject and think he did the best he could with the available material, but there are a lot of great reads about art theft out there, of which many are both more educational and centered on a more compelling thief or thieves.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
July 23, 2023
This is not journalism or non-fiction. Instead, the “journalist” tells a one-sided, repetitive and uninteresting interpretation of a man’s fiction of himself, a criminal with Antisocial Personality Disorder who takes no accountability for his crimes while blaming everyone else and every museum for his behavior. The portrayal is presumably meant to make one feel sorry for this petty thief who doesn’t discriminate between million dollar art and shoplifting, yet at every turn I found myself shuddering at the trope of a creepy loser who steals because he thinks he’s better and smarter than the rest. Instead, I feel sorry for the countries, museums, and art lovers from whom these works and their viewings was stolen. I feel like my time reading this drivel was stolen too.
July 24, 2023
I found the story of Stephane Breitwieser, a prolific art thief who carried out over 200 heists over ten years, to be utterly fascinating!
Gripped from page one, I never wanted to put down this story. It reads like a thriller, evoking suspense and tension in every chapter. Not since reading My Friend Anna: The True Story of a Fake Heiress have I felt so emotionally drawn into a nonfiction true crime book.
I wasn't at all familiar with this story, so all the twists and turns along with way caught me by surprise in the best way possible! When a story like this leads me down hour-long research afterward, I know I've read a winner.
Highly recommend if you like reading true crime, love art and like your nonfiction to read like a novel.
Gripped from page one, I never wanted to put down this story. It reads like a thriller, evoking suspense and tension in every chapter. Not since reading My Friend Anna: The True Story of a Fake Heiress have I felt so emotionally drawn into a nonfiction true crime book.
I wasn't at all familiar with this story, so all the twists and turns along with way caught me by surprise in the best way possible! When a story like this leads me down hour-long research afterward, I know I've read a winner.
Highly recommend if you like reading true crime, love art and like your nonfiction to read like a novel.
October 23, 2023
The bizarre true story related in this book was new to me, perhaps because it all took place in Europe and, aside from sensational headlines at the time it initially broke, received relatively little press coverage in the US.
On 200 occasions, over a period of around 10 years, a young man named Stéphane Breitwieser stole art worth millions - or maybe billions (it's hard to assign a value to art that has been held in museums). This easily represents the greatest string of art thefts in history.
The truly weird thing is that at no point did he attempt to sell the hundreds of paintings, sculptures and other pieces of art that he stole. He kept them in his room in the small house he shared with his mother (and girlfriend), so that he could enjoy a more intimate relationship with them.
Yeah, so this guy is more than a little weird, and a lot of the book is devoted to trying to decipher the nature of his obsession with stealing art. Finkel has access to a wealth of primary sources, including the policemen Breitwieser interacted with, psychiatric reports, and hours of interviews with Breitwieser himself. Finkel has also done a great deal of research into the topic of obsession with art generally. Still, a definitive answer to the question, "What drives Stéphane to do these things?" eludes him.
Most of the rest of the book describes the techniques Breitwieser used to relieve the museums of items in their collections. I guess I've neglected to mention that all of his thefts were conducted during the day, while the museums were open and guards and other visitors were on site. While the aforementioned girlfriend kept an eye out, he took multiple tiny steps to liberate each piece.
Breitwieser was eventually caught, and what happens from there on is interesting in its own way.
This is the second book I've read this year that focuses on a man who is convinced that his superior intellectual gifts and/or appreciation of art entitle him to ignore normal social taboos. Malcolm Macarthur, from A Thread of Violence: A Story of Truth, Invention, and Murder, employed violence, something Breitwieser eschewed, but on the other hand, Macarthur's heinous deeds were more concentrated in time. Neither of them ever really seems to accept the wrongness of his actions.
Most of this book is written in the present tense, a choice I'm not sure I understand. I suppose the intention was to add a feeling of immediacy, but it came across as a bit odd, a distraction at times from the story. Often "true crime" books of this type are told from an author's perspective: how they came upon the story and how they gradually pieced together the events and the motivations of the principals involved. Finkel tucks this in at the end, and I can see how both ways work.
One final note: Edoardo Ballerini's quietly professional narration is well suited to this material.
On 200 occasions, over a period of around 10 years, a young man named Stéphane Breitwieser stole art worth millions - or maybe billions (it's hard to assign a value to art that has been held in museums). This easily represents the greatest string of art thefts in history.
The truly weird thing is that at no point did he attempt to sell the hundreds of paintings, sculptures and other pieces of art that he stole. He kept them in his room in the small house he shared with his mother (and girlfriend), so that he could enjoy a more intimate relationship with them.
Yeah, so this guy is more than a little weird, and a lot of the book is devoted to trying to decipher the nature of his obsession with stealing art. Finkel has access to a wealth of primary sources, including the policemen Breitwieser interacted with, psychiatric reports, and hours of interviews with Breitwieser himself. Finkel has also done a great deal of research into the topic of obsession with art generally. Still, a definitive answer to the question, "What drives Stéphane to do these things?" eludes him.
Most of the rest of the book describes the techniques Breitwieser used to relieve the museums of items in their collections. I guess I've neglected to mention that all of his thefts were conducted during the day, while the museums were open and guards and other visitors were on site. While the aforementioned girlfriend kept an eye out, he took multiple tiny steps to liberate each piece.
Breitwieser was eventually caught, and what happens from there on is interesting in its own way.
This is the second book I've read this year that focuses on a man who is convinced that his superior intellectual gifts and/or appreciation of art entitle him to ignore normal social taboos. Malcolm Macarthur, from A Thread of Violence: A Story of Truth, Invention, and Murder, employed violence, something Breitwieser eschewed, but on the other hand, Macarthur's heinous deeds were more concentrated in time. Neither of them ever really seems to accept the wrongness of his actions.
Most of this book is written in the present tense, a choice I'm not sure I understand. I suppose the intention was to add a feeling of immediacy, but it came across as a bit odd, a distraction at times from the story. Often "true crime" books of this type are told from an author's perspective: how they came upon the story and how they gradually pieced together the events and the motivations of the principals involved. Finkel tucks this in at the end, and I can see how both ways work.
One final note: Edoardo Ballerini's quietly professional narration is well suited to this material.
January 16, 2024
i had so much faith in this man and he decided to thoroughly destroy every bit of it <3
November 8, 2023
my only gripe is the audiobook narrator because it was easy to lose focus, but otherwise I think this is a very well-written and well-researched nonfiction. it has a fascinating balance between the thief's methods of operation, the psychological aspect of his deeds, and his personal life, specifically his romantic relationship.
September 5, 2023
Current best seller that I listened to on audiobook. The true story of an art thief that loved art more than profit. My main takeaway from this is how surprisingly easy it was for him to steal these valuable works of art! They say museums spend their money on obtaining new art over extra security. So it goes.
The question for the inevitable movie is who is going to play the art thief's mother?
The question for the inevitable movie is who is going to play the art thief's mother?
August 11, 2023
The AUDACITY
September 30, 2023
mom needs to stop paying his rent
September 28, 2023
I do not read much true crime, but I am interested in art, and occasionally pick up a book about art theft. This is one such book. In this case, journalist Michael Finkel brings us the true story of art thief Stéphane Breitwieser, who stole hundreds of pieces of art between 1994 and 2001 from museums throughout Europe. Unlike many thieves, Breitwieser did not steal in order to sell the pieces, but to collect them for his personal enjoyment. He displayed them in his attic apartment in his mother’s home, where he lived with his girlfriend, who served as lookout during his crimes. This book documents his many thefts and how he eventually got caught. It is a psychological study of an obsessed individual, and I found it fascinating. It will appeal to those who have enjoyed The Feather Thief, or anyone interested in art, art history, and true crime of a non-violent nature.
November 13, 2023
An arrogant, Alsatian hoarder with Mommy issues steals hundreds of artworks and then fails to properly protect them himself. Oceans 11 this was not. The passages in which Finkel describes and discusses the properties of select pieces of European Renaissance Art are easily the best. However, it does seem like half the book is "Breitwieser and Anne-Catherine... Breitwieser... Breitwieser... Breistwieser and Anne-Catherine... Breitwieser..." and neither proved worth the time.
3.5 stars
3.5 stars
June 29, 2023
Compelling compulsions never to be conquered!
The true story of the most successful art thief in history (Stephane Breitwiesser) is well laid out and narrated in the audiobook version. I know nothing about art but that was not an issue, but I’m sure art aficionados would appreciate it more. Breitwiesser is truly a talented thief and the sheer audacity of his crimes makes it worth your time.
Certainly, one of the least likeable criminals I’ve come across (and he’s not even fictional), and to think he is now only 52 (2023). I wouldn’t even let Breitwiesser attend a school art show if I knew he was in the area! Nonetheless, a story that needed telling.
I’m glad I read it and can see a show coming from this (maybe there is one already)?
The true story of the most successful art thief in history (Stephane Breitwiesser) is well laid out and narrated in the audiobook version. I know nothing about art but that was not an issue, but I’m sure art aficionados would appreciate it more. Breitwiesser is truly a talented thief and the sheer audacity of his crimes makes it worth your time.
Certainly, one of the least likeable criminals I’ve come across (and he’s not even fictional), and to think he is now only 52 (2023). I wouldn’t even let Breitwiesser attend a school art show if I knew he was in the area! Nonetheless, a story that needed telling.
I’m glad I read it and can see a show coming from this (maybe there is one already)?
October 2, 2023
A quick, compelling read, but one that ultimately pissed me off. Finkel seems enraptured by his subject -- Stéphane Breitwieser, who in over a decade stole supposedly over $2 billion worth of art from museums and auction houses -- and it is clear from his sources that he relied almost entirely on interviews with him to craft his story. The result seems incredibly biased, especially as pertains to Breitwieser's mother and girlfriend, both of whom ended up his accomplices to varying degrees, and who the narrative makes out subsequently "betrayed" him. (To be clear: his mother's destructive actions are particularly horrifying, but as a crime against the world, not Breitwieser.) But Breitwieser's obsession/compulsion/whatever ruined both of their lives, and he clearly deceived and compelled them in ways the text doesn't fully address. Breitwieser's girlfriend says under oath that he hit her, and while she pretty clearly also lies during her testimony to protect herself, Finkel depicts Breitwieser shattering a window in a rage without ever connecting one show of violent tendencies to the other. He doesn't ask many relevant -- and in my view, interesting -- questions about Breitwieser's skill as a manipulator. Perhaps because he's too busy being manipulated himself.
September 15, 2023
I quite enjoyed this story of the most brazen art criminals in history. A young well dressed couple walked into museums in the middle of the day, and walked out with treasures. They did this hundreds of times in museums and churches all over Europe. The most amazing part is that it wasn’t done to make money. It was just to own the beautiful items. I thought it was a fascinating story!
December 17, 2023
POV you let the intrusive thoughts win every time
August 12, 2023
I love reading about art crime: thefts, forgeries, etc. This one got good reviews, so I pounced on it - in spite of the author. I rather liked Finkel's previous Stranger in the Woods - on a lukewarm, 3-star level - but mostly because the subject of the book was more interesting and sympathetic. Finkel has a checkered background, fired from the New York Times for fabricating elements of a story, and his relationship with the "stranger" Christopher Knight was a bit weird. The art thief, Stephane Breitwieser, is no such sympathetic character. He is pretty loathsome, in fact. A standout narcissist, he roams Europe's regional museums, stealthily stealing whatever takes his fancy. He doesn't break in, he doesn't pistol-whip guards or hurt anyone, and he doesn't even sell off the art he steals (worth many millions, ultimately). He just hoards it, because he believes he is the only person in the world who properly appreciates it. So if it takes his fancy, he just takes it, in collusion with his compliant girlfriend. After he gets caught, and goes to prison for a few months (shortened sentences because his crimes were non-violent), he comes out... and resumes stealing. His mother destroys many of the works he stole to cover up what he'd done; she goes to prison for a few months too.
I read about half the book, and quit. One: it's written in the present tense, which I *almost* always find gimmicky and tricksy. It's supposed to make you feel like "you're there" as Breitwieser unscrews display cases as guards amble past in the corridor; instead it feels like Finkel is using a tired trick to *try* to make you feel that way. Two: Breitwieser is such a creep, with a sick compulsion and zero remorse or even acknowledgement that what he does could be seen as a problem. Three: Finkel all but fawns on him: how clever, how deft, how amazing that he could pull it off. Four: a review in the major trade journal in the art world, ArtNews, points out several errors of fact (including a dramatic and distorted claim that Picasso was accused of stealing the Mona Lisa), and given Finkel's history of fabrication, that doesn't sit well. I started to just feel slimy as I read. So I stopped. I might be more inclined to read a more critical book about Breitwieser's larceny called La Collection Egoiste ("The Selfish Collection") by Vincent Noce, but my rusty French may not be up to it.
I read about half the book, and quit. One: it's written in the present tense, which I *almost* always find gimmicky and tricksy. It's supposed to make you feel like "you're there" as Breitwieser unscrews display cases as guards amble past in the corridor; instead it feels like Finkel is using a tired trick to *try* to make you feel that way. Two: Breitwieser is such a creep, with a sick compulsion and zero remorse or even acknowledgement that what he does could be seen as a problem. Three: Finkel all but fawns on him: how clever, how deft, how amazing that he could pull it off. Four: a review in the major trade journal in the art world, ArtNews, points out several errors of fact (including a dramatic and distorted claim that Picasso was accused of stealing the Mona Lisa), and given Finkel's history of fabrication, that doesn't sit well. I started to just feel slimy as I read. So I stopped. I might be more inclined to read a more critical book about Breitwieser's larceny called La Collection Egoiste ("The Selfish Collection") by Vincent Noce, but my rusty French may not be up to it.
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