Gregory Books

A wealth of sound and practical information, written in a clear and concise manner. Leroy Van Allen, numismatic author

I agree with Bill Murray (in the Editorial Reviews section) that not enough people will read this book. It is priced moderately enough that there should be no excuse for any collector not to buy one. As one who collects both coins and banknotes, I find very often too much emphasis is given to coins; very little to banknotes. Fortunately, the book does not omit banknotes. (Just a prejudice of mine!).

My name is Lee Martin and I am the founder of the Numismatic Literary Guild. I have been privileged to review many books and usually they are most satisfactory, however few are regarded by me as N.L.G. Book of the Year material. This book, in my view, merits that thought. It is for everyone in numismatics and is even a "must have" for those who may become heirs, but lack the know-how of what to do next. Senior citizens, like myself, will be especially happy with the interesting stories of estates, etc. I had intended to just scan the book but it was so interesting I stayed with it until I had read it all. EVERYONE should own it if coins are involved in their activities. I highly recommend this book and wish to congratulate all involved in its production.

This is a great coffee table book. It brings the colors and architecture of the world into your living room. The pictures are beautiful.

A Husband and Wife team bring their insights together in a book that exudes beauty and order in the natural and the built environments. The photos are meticulously color balanced, the natural hues in buildings are inspiring and life affirming. The book is so multi-faceted that it could have other titles as well, "Color in Geometry" and "Homes with Soul" would be appropriate. The book deserves a cloth cover, much like Christopher Alexanders opus "The Theory of Life. This is a book you will come back to when you need to recharge your soul with the beauty of man and nature in harmony. I smiled a lot while looking through the book. Give this book to your friends, it's that good!

I'm tired of the fluffy books about color. Here is some concrete studies on color use in different cultures with relation to architectural color choices. This information is the perfect addition to my thesis research for grad school on the topic of cultural differences in color perception. Plus, it is so beautiful to look at! Really beautiful.

I just want to share summaries with other costomers

I just want to share summaries with other costomers

Published six months after Custer's death, Frederick Whittaker's "A Complete Life of General George A. Custer" traces the American icon's life from his boyhood in Ohio through his cadet years at West Point, his Civil War exploits, his impressive rise to the rank of Major General of cavalry in the Army of the Potomac and his transition to the peacetime army. All the foundation elements of the Custer story are stated in Vol. I of Whittaker's book. They are supported by the first person accounts of Custer and other of his peers, and in my opinion, clearly define the reasons for Custer being rightfully considered a genuine, homegrown American hero based on his Civil War exploits alone! [See also: "Custer Victorious"/Urwin; "Custer and His Wolverines"/Longacre; "Touched by Fire"/Barnett] My reading of this book was enriched by the fact that, as a Custer contemporary, Whittaker was not only in touch with the the 19th century ambience, but that he had the added advantages of active service as a trooper in the 6th New York Cavalry and access to Custer's papers, Civil War memoirs and personal anecdotes through his collaboration with Custer's widow, Elizabeth. As a result, the book is replete with knowledgeable commentaries on the customs, mores and military standards of the times. Of special interest to me were the final three chapters devoted to Custer's transition from the wartime to the peacetime army [Book Six, Chapters 1-3]. In these chapters Whittaker gives a clear and perceptive overview of the postwar military structure; the social psychology of the men Custer would come to command; the negative public perception of the postwar enlistee; the deficiencies in the formation of the 7th Cavalry; and the intense political intrigues which seem to surround and infect the military, particularly in peacetime. [For a contemporary example, see "Patton: A Genius for War"/D'Este]. In a clear and interesting fashion Whittaker enunciates the undercurrents which produced the "four D's" (demoralization; disobedience; dipsomania; desertion) which Custer had no part in creating but over which he was expected to exert appropriate control. Whittaker makes it clear that it was Custer's efforts in this direction, coupled with his own naivete, that set the stage for many of his future difficulties with the command structure. Whittaker's "A Complete Life of General George A. Custer" is the spiritual and intellectual great granddaddy of most subsequent writings on the subject. I found that, in spite of its venerability, the book is still productive of provocative thought pieces. As an example, it contains perhaps the first published mention of Custer having been offered a full colonelcy in the 9th Cavalry, a black regiment, which he allegedly refused , ". . .preferring a lower step to a lower grade of service. . ." One may speculate as to how the acceptance of that command might have influenced Custer's subsequent career. In this regard, it is interesting to note that the acceptance of command of a black regiment (the 94th Massachusetts) provided an upward step for Col. Robert Gould Shaw, and Gen. John J. Pershing's early command experience with the all-black 10th Cavalry Regiment (and the resulting sobriquet "Black Jack") may well have called attention to this officer and advanced his career. In spite of Whittaker's lapses into florid prose and blatant hero-worship, I found Volume I of his complete biography of Custer to be emminently readable and informative. I would highly recommend this as a "must-read" for both Custerophile and casual history reader alike.

I was getting so tired of stories on Miami. I had almost decided that Florida was now permanently off my personal "place to visit" list. That was before this delightful story, TRUE story, THE CONCH THAT ROARED arrived at my place. The well researched (and well illustrated) book took me on a magical if not bizarre journey to the end of Highway 1 in an explanation of how Key West became the Conch Republic and proceeded to seceed from the Union. Obviously author Gregory King is not only well verse with the place but also a most erudite interpretor of its story. He has made me want to drive (at least once) to Key West and experience what makes these folks so special. A word of warning though: you might have to use the recipe in the back of the book for Key Lime Pie to munch while reading this story. Or maybe drinking the Cuba Libre would be more appropriate?

The Conch That Roared is a must-read book if you're traveling to the Florida Keys or are just an armchair reader! Why? This is the only book available which gives the visitor/reader a taste of the real flavor of Key West...and I'm not talking just key lime pie and conch fritters (both recipes and more are included in the back of the book).

Author Gregory King must have visited every bar up and down the the scenic area... from Key West, past Key Largo and to the Last Chance Saloon as well as the politico's to write with such flair and flavor. He captured the essence...the soul and spirits of those citizens who declared war on the United States.

This is a great gift to give to someone visiting the Key West. Include a bottle of Cuban rum (which presently is illegal), two cheap glasses, and Coke, as well as Nellie & Joe's Famous Key West Lime Juice. 1/2 pund of minced conch, or an equal amount of clams. This will make a great going-away gift as well as provide ingredients for wonderful Key West entertaining when your friends return.

Put on your favorite Jimmy Buffett album and read the book.The characters in King's book are delightful and colorful enough to make a movie. King did a wonderful writing job of introducing them all to the rest of us! Thanks for taking a bit of history and bringing it to life for the rest of us conch-heads!

Key West secedes from the Union, declares its independence -- and it's not fiction, it's history. King captures the quirky heart and spirit of Key West and reports from the insider's view the events that led to revolution. I was in Key West to celebrate the secession anniversary a few years ago. This book brings the story to life with a lot grins along the way. It is fun to learn the strategic thinking and ingenuity that went into the battle with the US government -- a credit to Key West islanders and a tribute to the American way! Pick it up, put on Jimmy Buffet and enjoy the ride.

Now in a newly published second edition, "A Concise Guide To The Artillery At Gettysburg" by American Civil War historian Gregory A. Coco is an information packed, 104-page account of all of the guns employed by both the Union and the Confederate armies who engaged in one of the bloodiest and most critically important battles in which the Army of the Potomac engaged the Army of Northern Virginia. The informed and informative narrative of the artillery battles is nicely enhanced with the inclusion of historic photos. Offering complete and comprehensive descriptions of the Union and Confederate artillery units throughout the battle, Coco goes on to provide total coverage of the type, quantity, and ammunition of the guns employed on both sides. Enhanced further with the inclusion of a three-page glossary, as well as additional notes, "A Concise Guide To The Artillery At Gettysburg" is a seminal and highly recommended contribution to academic library Civil War reference studies in general, and Civil War buff supplemental reading lists in particular.

A Concise Guide to the Arillery at Gettysburg, Coco, Gregory A., Thomas Publications, photgraphs, maps, charts, order of battle, notes, glossary, 96 pages, 1998.

In countless ways, Gregory Coco has advanced our knowledge of the battle of Gettysburg. With books focusing upon the primary sources of the battle, such as anecdotes of the wounded and dying, the accounts of the hospitals, the farmsteads, and the soldiers' diaries, Coco has opened the study of Gettysburg for both the casually curious and the energized enthusiast. This particular volume, clearly and concisely provides an overview of the artillery slugfest at Gettysburg, its soldiers, their guns and the amunition of the artillery units engaged.

The Narratives of the Artillery in the Battle of Gettysburg section of the text is at the core of the material. For the Union army, the effectiveness of: each corps' artillery, the reserve artillery, the July 2nd and July 3rd Plum Run Lines, the Emittsburg Road and East Cemetery Hill concentrations, and the Horse Artillery are reviewed. For the Confederate army, the effectives of: each corps' artillery, the concentration fo artillery for the Pickett-Pettigrew-Trimble Charge, the Horse Artillery and the artillery during the CSA retreat are presented. The contributions and failures of key officers, such as General Henry Hunt and General William Pendleton are reviewed. The successes of General Robert Tyler, Union Reserve Artillery Chief, Lt. Colonel Freeman McGilvery, organizer of the Plum Run Line, and Colonel Edward Alexander, organizer of the artillery of Confederate artillery for Longstreet's assualt and the July 3rd assault are briefly hightlighted.

Other strengths of Coco's work on the artillery is the order of battle, the list of the type and quality of the canons at Gettysburg, and the chart of canon tubes with calibers, powder charges, weight and range of projectiles. Also, brief and well done is the discussion of fuses and the glossary.

Though not a tour guide, this booklet is essential for those visitors driving or walking the battlefield park. Personal tours are enhanced by the maps in this brief volume; positions of the units on July 1 2:30-4:30p, July 2 7:15p, and July 3:15-5:00p are shown in a series of maps. This reader found these maps very helpful, but wished that a fourth and a fifth map showing artillery positions on July 2 4:00p and the East Cavalry Field had been included in the book. Also, the July 3 3:15-5:00p map does not include the artillery positions on South Cavalry Field. Unfortunately the booklet has not been indexed which limits ones quick and handy use of the material relating to commanders and units.

This booklet is recommended for those whose interest lies beyond the two hour driving tour of the battlefield. The best use of Coco's work on artillery will be made by those who have already a good knowlege of the infantry tactics used on the field.

This is a brief but very informative book on the role of artillery in the most famous battle in American history. The author discusses the different types of cannon used such as the 3-inch Ordnance Rifle, 12-pounder Napoleon, 10-pounder Parrott Rifle, James Rifles, & various field guns & howitzers. He also describes the artillery batteries of both armies & at the end there's a detailed list of all Union & Confederate batteries at Getttysburg, the type of cannon of each battery, & the number of men present in each battery at the time of battle, & the casualties suffered by the artillery of both sides. There are several modern photos showing how the artillery positions have changed over time, & there are 3 very helpful & clear maps. The experienced Gettysburg buff may learn nothing new from this book, but for beginners it is highly recommended.

This book is set right smack in the middle of Restoration England, a little written understood time in English history. The year of this book is 1662. This is the first in a brand new espionage series that Ms. Susanna Gregory has begun. I am a long-time reader of the Matthew Barholomew series, and have loved Ms. Gregory's writing for a long time, and was very excited to begin this new series of hers. Thomas Chaloner is a great character, and I look forward to reading more of him. The book is long and quite complex, and it's a bit difficult in places to keep straight, but it will keep you guessing right up to the end. You will find that as you read you will find yourself at times as confused as Thomas is as he tries to stay alive. He does not know who to trust as he he tries to unravel what he thinks are three unrelated mysteries. Ms. Gregory's depiction of of life in England when Bonny Prince Charley (Charles II) is welcomed back to England after the repressive era under Cromwell is spot-on. It is a compelling tale of mystery, intrigue, betrayal and a whole new "nest of vipers". No one does villains like Ms. Gregory. I look forward to reading more of this fascinating era.

A change of lead character, a change of century and a change from Cambridge to London. Will it work, is it too much too soon. The reader need have not fears Miss Gregory carries it all off with consummate ease. The book is still beautiful written, the character are strong and soon become like old friends and the author proves that she is as knowledgeable about restoration London as she is about 14th century Cambridge.

England at last has a monarch back on throne, Charles II is ensconced in his Whitehall Palace and the dreary, drab days of Oliver Cromwell are fast fading to a distant memory. The capital is starting to breathe again after the stifling days of the Protectorate. But those difficult days have left their mark on the Londoner's, many have lost their means of employment. One such man Thomas Chaloner has become a spy for John Thurloe, the feared Secretary of State.

Thomas has recently returned from the Low Countries and is in desperate need of employment Thurloe has many enemies at court and recommends Thomas for a post with Lord Clarendon. In return he expects to be kept informed of any plots against himself.

While there Thomas finds out that Thurloe has already sent one of his ex-employees to the court and the man is dead, supposedly by footpads.

Thomas begins to uncover the greed and corruption that is rife among the men of power and soon finds that his own life has little value in the court of Charles.

Pseudonymal Susanna Gregory finally takes the step of having a new character and a new setting. However, it is the familiar gripping plots, eloquent style and descriptive powers, taut narrative and fine characterisation that remain. Her Matthew Bartholomew Chronicles are a fine example of the medieval murder mystery and it is fair to say she ranks alongside Ellis Peters at the top of the genre.
So, Thomas Falconer, a.k.a Tom Heyden, disgraced clerk, recently returned from his career in Holland, desperately seeking a reference from the old Parliamentarian power, Thurloe, and finding himself immediately embroiled in a chase through the streets of Restoration London hunting the killers of a delivery boy, Storey and Snow, hired incompetent thugs of Kelyng, a fanatical royalist and hunter of regicides.
Very quickly, Chaloner finds himself serving three masters. The first is Thurloe, the ex-Parliamentarian, with his sister Sarah and brother-in-law Dalton, who asks Chaloner to discover who murdered John Clarke, a spy he had recommended to Chaloner's second master. This is the Lord Chancellor, Lord Clarendon, who also commissions him and his aide, the military man who fears the entire animal kingdom, Evett in another search for the hidden gold of the Tower of London that was placed there by the regicide Barkstead. This brings him into contact with Wade and Robinson who previously had assisted excavations in the Tower. His third master is to be Dalton, employed as a clerk.
Before long Chaloner is embroiled with the Brotherhood. A collective of the Leybourn brothers, his mendacious ex-master, Downing, Livesay (who was blown up), Ingoldsby, Barkstead (the executed regicide) and Hewson (who was murdered by Kelyng's men at the very beginning. Their plan to prevent the extremes of royalist and parliamentarian and the talk of the original seven men who tried to prevent the Restoration leads Chaloner into a murky plot of political intrigue where the phrases praising the son of God and number seven figure prominently.
Thrown into the mix is his personal life as his relationship with Metje, his Dutch lover, causes issues with his landlord, North, his wife Faith and Temperance, his daughter. To this home brew is added the fanatical Preacher Hill who's fire and brimstone faith is causing no end of vandalism to their local church.
In true Gregory style we are taken on a trail that twists and turns alarmingly at time as we are thrown red herring after red herring, ghostly clue after tantalising glimpse of fact until we are thoroughly confused. Only then is Chaloner allowed to locate the keystone to the mystery and a lot of questions resolved themselves rapidly as we uncover not a dastardly plot to kill a restored King, but a tale of terrible familial revenge and hidden treasure. With our shockingly fiery conclusion, Gregory wraps us to a neat end but opens us up to a series that will rival Bartholomew's fourteenth century Cambridge in plot, characterisation, sleuthing prowess and historical craftsmanship. It is no surprise to find in the author's note that all the characters bar our hero are based on real people and the society and politics described very close to the truth. What this isn't is a repeat of the hugely successful Bartholomew series and we can only eagerly look forward to a new sleuth from the pen of an author at the height of her genre.

DaddyBank: How to Teach Your Child to Handle Money & Avoid Its Pitfalls by Gregory K. Brough (father of three and experienced financial consultant) is an impressively "parental friendly" and highly recommended guide written especially to help fathers and mothers to educate their children about fiscal responsibility. In a world where credit card companies encourage excessive spending and hefty interest payments, where inflation goes ever up, and the stock market is as trustworthy as quicksand, young people need now more than ever to learn smart money tactics ranging from the simple process of spending less than one earns, to comprehending how compound interest and financial investment returns work.

DaddyBank was easy to read, outlining simple steps to take in sharing the world of finances with children. As an expectant mother, I found this book helpful in preparing me to teach my children the fundamentals of understanding budgeting and intelligently spending and investing money. Not only that, but it taught me ways to change my own budgeting as well. I wish my parents had this book when I was growing up!

I really enjoyed this book since it presented great ideas to teaching children about managing finances in a very simple and easy to follow way. Not only does the book provide ways to teach children, but it also taught me the importance of getting my financial condition in order. So as I implement the ideas of DaddyBank with my family, I'm also working to get out of debt and exercising the self discipline needed to ensure a better financial future for all of us.

Susanna Gregory writes a great mystery! She uses historical detail and real people in her books. Her books are long but she takes time to develop a plot. I read this book a few months ago, but it didn't appear in Amazon, so I couldn't review it then. This particular story delves into the in-fighting between two colleges situated in Cambridge. People get killed by poisoned wine. As with most of her stories, there is a lot of bloodshed, but that just makes it more fun.

Susanna Gregory is the pseudonym of a Cambridge academic who was previously a coroner's officer. Her series of mediaeval mysteries have gained a formidable following. This book is the second in the series and introduces the physician Matthew Bartholomew to the reader. There are now a number of books in the series and they are always eagerly awaited by the author's fans.

Besides practising medicine Matthew is also a teacher at a Cambridge University and his sometimes unorthodox treatment of his patients draws accusations of heresy from his more traditional, but less skilled colleagues.

A new, and very well endowed college has opened and Matthew Bartholomew is caught in the middle of some petty squabbling among the academics as they all vie for position as the new appointments are made. The town of Cambridge and its residents have still not recovered from the havoc wreaked by the plague and the winter and spring have not helped, being extremely wet. There is a fever outbreak amongst the poorer people of the town and the fact that the Cambridge colleges are gaining a reputation for their wealth is making the tension between the townsfolk and the students even more precarious.

On top of all this there is a death, a student, killed it is reported by poisoned wine. Then there is a second victim, Dittone, the deputy master of the new college. But the puzzling thing is that there seems to be little or no connection between the master and the student. Bartholomew must try to solve the mystery before the town and the universities are at one another's throat.

This is the fourth book in the series and Matthew Bartholomew now seems like an old friend to the reader. It was also inspirationally by the author to place the books in mediaeval Cambridge. It just seems to add some extra atmosphere to the books.

Susahna Gregory is my most favourite medieval mystery author. She's a master and her Matthew Bartholemew series is great. She uses historical detail and real people in her books. Her books are long but she takes time to develop a plot. I read this book a few months ago, but it didn't appear in Amazon, so I couldn't review it then. This particular story delves into the in-fighting between two colleges situated in Cambridge. People get killed by poisoned wine. As with most of her stories, there is a lot of bloodshed, but that just makes it more fun.

This book had me gripped - I finished it in 3 days. If you no little about the corporate world, industrial espionage, and the world of 'security consultants', this is a fantastic eye-opener.

I can vouch that at least one of the 'players' as Martyn calls them, was described down to a tee. A very accurate portrayal.

Thoroughly researched account of paranoia and dirty business practices used by BA against Richard Branson and Virgin Airlines from smear and innuendo through poaching passengers in the airports to impersonating Virgin staff. Extremely unsettling expose of the British Establishment uniting with vested interests to do down the underdog led this writer to vow never to travel with BA again: one of the main plotters is now running the company. Reads like a thriller, and additional material for the paperback version detailing a campaign of vilification and vandalism against a member of the public and an unholy alliance between BA and Heathrow police force almost beggars belief - and should cast a long shadow over the close relationship between American Airlines and BA. Essential reading for everyone in business and every airline passanger. First-rate investigative journalism

A horrendous expose of blatent efforts to quash the competition on the part of both British Airways and American Airlines, headed by several of Britain's establishment figures, several of who "retired" shortly after book publication. But, as one would think only happening in fiction, one of the main players rose to the top again, and is currently the major player. The most alarming aftermath is that this book was suddenly "out of print" very shortly after publication, not only in the US, but in the UK and Europe. I was loaned a copy by an aviation colleague (who received it as a gift from a Londoner), read it and immediately tried to purchase it three years ago. Am still trying. Could it only be a coincidence that during all the political machinations by both BA and AA to join forces, there were no copies of this book available to the public? One of the many horrifying aspects of this book is the way one company can get into the computer system of another in order to cause havoc.

There aren't many titles about the Venus de Milo, and far fewer in English yet.

Gregory Curtis has written an entertaining and informative book that tells more than the usual cut and dry history and dates for the Venus de Milo. He has written a book that introduces a whole range of characters that had a direct influence on the statue from the time of her discovery on Milos through her arrival at the Louvre and her subsequent history.

I've always fancied myself as an armchair student of the Venus, but learned some new and fascinating things.

The book is a breeze to read. I only wish there had been many more illustrations and preferably some color shots.

Mr. Curtis is convincing in his opinion that the somewhat rough and crude arms found with the statue were probably the originals, but unfortunately, there is no illustration to show how the statue would have looked when she was finished.

This will make an excellent addition to art history libraries and enthusiasts bookcases everywhere.

What a remarkable book, especially for a "first-time" author! There is so much fascinating information contained in the space of 200 pages, it's a tribute to Mr. Curtis (and his editor) that he was able to sandwich everything in - and to keep the sandwich neat and tidy. The book is a joy to read, from when the statue is uncovered by a farmer on the Aegean island of Melos right up until the final flourish, when Mr. Curtis presents his conclusions concerning who sculpted the Venus, when it was done, and what makes the statue a great piece of art. At first, there was a dispute about who was going to get possession of the Venus - the Turks or the French. Mr. Curtis explains why it was so important for the French to bring home this prize: Greek works were considered the epitome of art, if they were from the classical period (around the 4th century B.C.). It was thought that you could do no better than to imitate what the Greeks had done, and the best way to imitate the Greeks was to have their works where your own artists could study them, copy them, and gain inspiration from them. The British had the famous Elgin marbles and the Vatican had the Apollo Belvedere (which was removed from the Louvre and returned to Italy after Napoleon's final defeat), so it was very important to the French that they "bring home the bacon" and get the Venus to Paris. Mr. Curtis did extensive research and it really shows: in addition to the story of the Venus, we learn a lot about Greek society, including the role of women and female sexuality. Mr. Curtis also gives us a crash course in Greek mythology (we need this information in order to understand his conclusions about why the statue was located where it was, its purpose, and what position the missing arms would have been in and what they were doing). The author also gives us a blow-by-blow description of the "battles of the scholars." French scholars were desperate to prove that the sculpture came from the "right" (classical) period and was not carved at a later date. (This was due to the huge influence of a thinker named Johann Winckelmann, who stated that Greek art from after the classical period was inferior.) Battling against the "French School" was the highly respected Adolf Furtwangler, who concluded (based on physical evidence found at the same site where the Venus had been unearthed) that the statue was created during the Hellenistic period, sometime around 100 B.C. This argument seems silly to us - after all, if the Venus is a great work of art, what's the difference? But it points out the importance of historical context and frames of reference. At that time, it was important to the cognoscenti that the sculpture have the right pedigree. This all allows Mr. Curtis to have a lot of fun showing us the mental "loop-the-loops" the various scholars went through trying to prove they were right and their opponents were wrong. This included much wishful thinking and groundless speculation, in addition to selective use of the available data. (Does this sound surprisingly modern to anyone out there?) Another section of the book I really enjoyed was where Mr. Curtis explained how the Venus de Milo would have been displayed back at the time she was created. Based on standard practice of the time, she would have been adorned with bracelets, earrings and a necklace; her hair would have been painted blonde and her lips would have been painted red; likewise, her drapery would have been painted. Mr. Curtis explains that nowadays we would think all of this would ruin the statue, but to the Greeks it all would have made her more lifelike. Over the years many people were involved with the story of the Venus de Milo, and the author doesn't miss out on the chance to humanize the story by letting us in on their idiosyncrasies. For example, one of the Frenchmen who went to Melos to try and get possession of the statue after the discovery was the comte de Marcellus. He was very eager to sail to the island, but not because he was an art lover. He had happened to see a beautiful girl in a painting by a Viennese painter by the name of Johann Ender. Marcellus was obsessed with the girl in the painting, and found out from Ender that she lived on Melos. So, Marcellus was interested in beauty - but not of the inanimate kind! The aforementioned Furtwangler was also a rather interesting specimen - he proposed to his future wife, Adelheid Wendt, on the first night he met her. As with many brilliant men, Furtwangler had no use for brains that he perceived as operating at a lower wattage. Thus, he referred to a fellow scholar as a "complete ignoramus" and he was never happier than when he was able to pick out a museum's prize piece and label it a fake. The book is full of people such as Marcellus and Furtwangler - brilliant, odd, and entertaining. There is one last thing I should mention: the title of my review refers to the artist who sculpted the Venus, a Greek man named Alexandros of Antioch. He also wrote poetry, and composed and sang songs. Those works are all lost to us, but we still cherish his greatest creation.

The Venus de Milo has become a symbol of great art, as well as kitsch. It has been used in advertising throughout the world because of its ease of recognition. While everybody knows the identity of the statue almost immediately, few know the story of its discovery, transport from Melos in Greece to the Louvre, and the controversy that followed. Gregory Curtis has given "flesh" to the marble by his often masterful descriptions of the actions of a few all too human men who were associated in some way with the statue after its discovery. From Voutier, who actually recognized the stature as something of value after it had been discovered by a local farmer, through d'Urville who successfully took credit for the discovery, to Reinach and Furtwängler who argued over the history of the Venus, the story is one of intrigue and curiously eccentric people.

We now know the Venus was a Hellenistic rather than a classical Greek sculpture. French pride kept that truth from emerging for many years, but also it was burdened with the idea that Hellenistic art was inferior. Indeed, so set was this idea that anything of such notable merit as the Venus must have come from the studio of a great of the classic age of Greece. The inscription found with it on an associated piece that fit the base had to thus be unassociated! Wishful thinking is a hallmark of humanity!

This is a well-written piece and should find readership with those who like to not only appreciate art, but to understand its history as well.