The Elgin Affair

The romantic and even bizarre circumstances surrounding the appropriation of the Elgin Marbles, down to the unfortunate fates of the principal actors, are thoroughly and fascinatingly set forth by Theodore Vrettos in this melancholy saga of imperial connoisseurship, a tale that belies the end result: the beautiful room in the British Museum.John Updike The Elgin Affair is a vividly told story of greed, deceit, cunning, thievery, obsession, and astonishing cultural arrogance. Theodore Vrettos deserves great credit for this meticulous and dramatic historical reconstruction. It is a book we should all read.Tim OBrien, Author of The Things They Carried A New York Times Notable Book of 1998.