āAn extraordinary piece of history...a fresh and lively readā (The Christian Science Monitor)āthe passionate, gripping, true story of one manās single-minded quest to reclaim his familyās art collection, stolen by the Nazis in World War II.
Simon Goodmanās grandparents came from German-Jewish banking dynasties and perished in concentration camps. And thatās almost all he knew about themāhis father rarely spoke of their family history or heritage. But when his father passed away, and Simon received his old papers, a story began to emerge.
The Gutmanns, as they were known then, rose from a small Bohemian hamlet to become one of Germanyās most powerful banking families. They also amassed a magnificent, world-class art collection that included works by Degas, Renoir, Botticelli, Guardi, and many, many more. But the Nazi regime snatched from them everything they had worked to build: their remarkable art, their immense wealth, their prominent social standing, and their very lives. Only after his fatherās death did Simon begin to piece together the clues about the Gutmannsā stolen legacy and the Nazi looting machine. With painstaking detective work across two continents, Simon has been able to prove that many works belonged to his family and successfully secure their return.
āFascinating...splendid and tragicā (The Wall Street Journal), āGoodmanās story is alternately wrenching and inspiring...An emotional tale of unspeakable horrors, family devotion, and art as a symbol of hopeā (Kirkus Reviews). It is not only the account of a twenty-year detective hunt for family treasure, but an unforgettable tale of redemption and restoration.