Brainstorm 183: Meet the Monuments Men

Do you enjoy artwork? How about old architecture? Then, you probably are grateful for the work of a small but instrumental branch of soldiers formed in WWII called the Monuments Men. While other soldiers were picking up guns and flying planes, these men (and one woman) were hunting down stolen artwork, trying to think of ways to save historic architecture in the middle of a war zone, and preserving artwork, music, and books that hadn’t yet been snatched by greedy people or blown up by bombs. It’s a more heartwarming part of WWII history, and incredibly fascinating. Learn more about the Monuments Men then and now in these 4 books.

The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves, and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History by Robert M. Edsel with Bret Witter
During WWII there was a very small group of men and women among the Allied troops given the task of keeping the art and monuments of Europe as safe as possible and with their rightful owners. The task was incredibly overwhelming, especially since at the time when the Allies were pushing the Germans out of France and Belgium back into Germany there were only about 9 men in all of Europe in charge of making sure that overzealous army leaders didn't bulldoze a historic building. They were also trying to find all the artwork the Nazis had "claimed" and stashed away in secret storage sites. Their work wasn't made any easier by the fact that many leaders had never heard of their division, and several doubted their authority. But these men, and others that joined as the years went on worked tirelessly to save buildings and monuments that could be saved, organize restoration of those that could be repaired, and hunt down and return all the stolen artwork they could. Without their efforts, many of the famous European art treasures would have arguably been lost forever. And they also had a huge impact in reinstating good will between people in the aftermath of the war. (It isn't a frequent practice that the conquering army returns the "spoils" to where they were before the war.) The scope of the topic is extremely broad, and Edsel even admits he had to cut out an entire area of Europe (Italy & N. Africa) to keep it from getting unwieldy. (Thus the Saving Italy book.) And though it is broad, Edsel does a good job of reorienting the reader to the place and people involved as he jumps around.

Target Readers:
Adult/YA Nonfiction Fans, Art Lovers, WWII History Buffs, Obscure Fact Sponges, Scavenger Hunt Fans, Unsolved Mystery Fans

The Greatest Treasure Hunt in History: the Story of the Monuments Men by Robert M. Edsel 
This is Edsel’s adaptation of The Monuments Men for middle grade/young adult readers. This is an especially great new book for those who love the fiction book below.

Target Readers: 
Middle Grade Nonfiction Fans, Art Lovers, WWII History Buffs, Obscure Fact Sponges, Scavenger Hunt Fans, Unsolved Mystery Fans

Saving Italy: the Race to Rescue a Nation’s Treasures from the Nazis by Robert M. Edsel
In The Monuments Men Edsel highlighted the action of the special Allied task force in charge of preserving and restoring the arts of Western Europe to their rightful owners during and after WWII, but he did not have space to cover the Monuments Men's work in Italy. This is their book, and in addition also looks at some of the Italians and even Germans instrumental in preserving the arts of Italy for Italians. The book focuses on a handful of the most instrumental men in that arena, the plights of arts and monuments in the region during the war, and how these men worked tirelessly to preserve, restore, and most importantly help the Italian people.

Target Readers:
Adult/YA Nonfiction Fans, Art Lovers, WWII History Buffs, Obscure Fact Sponges, Scavenger Hunt Fans, Unsolved Mystery Fans

Click Here to Start by Denis Markell
When Ted's great uncle Ted dies and leaves him anything in his apartment with a hint there's treasure in there, Ted is a teensy bit excited. However, when he, his best friend, and the new girl show up to start cleaning, they find a bunch of junk. Ted is rather disappointed...until he gets on his computer that night to play a new escape game and it looks just like Uncle Ted's apt. The next day, Ted decides to treat the room like the game, and sure enough, there are hidden surprises. Ted and his friends are off on one crazy scavenger hunt that starts to get dangerous. Someone else also wants Uncle Ted's treasure, badly.
Puzzles to solve, a scavenger hunt with someone else hot on the trail, action and adventure that are balanced out with interpersonal relationships between the three kids, and personal growth for all through the experience...what more do you want in a story? I also liked that the author worked in that Uncle Ted's was part of the Japanese American WWII division that accomplished amazing feats, giving readers a little historical info along with the fun. The Monuments Men show up at one point in the story, which is why I’m including this book here. Introduce middle grade readers to the Monuments Men with a fun read, and then have The Greatest Treasure Hunt in History on hand for curious readers who want to learn more.

Target Readers:
Scavenger Hunt Fans, Biracial Character Fans, Mystery Lovers, Middle Grade Contemporary Fiction Fans, and Middle Grade WWII History Buffs.