The Art Spy: A Story of art rescue, spies and heroism

One of the best nonfiction books this year is The Art Spy by Michelle Young, and the year is not yet done! The Art Spy tells the story of Rose Valland art historian turned resistance spy rescuing art that the nazi’s wanted to loot. Rose came face to face with Goering and risked her life several times reporting to the resistance and documenting everything that was happening. Rose provided information to stop the last train of artworks leaving Paris which included works by Picasso, Monet, Cezanne, Gauguin, Braque, Degas, Modigliani, & Toulouse-Lautrec.

Writing, Photos & Research

Michelle is an excellent writer; researcher and I love the photos she puts in the book. While The Art Spy is a nonfiction book, I appreciate that while Michelle’s research is there and she sticks to the facts, the writing itself is engaging and fast paced. Sometimes nonfiction books have a bad habit of reading like a dry textbook & for those who aren’t nonfiction readers it’s going to turn them off from the genre, heck it can annoy people who do enjoy nonfiction. Thank goodness The Art Spy is not a textbook of events. I loved reading the parts about Rose & the Rosenberg family. It was also interesting learning things I didn’t know before. The Art Spy is also a reminder of bravery & doing what’s right no matter what the cost & Rose demonstrated that. The Art Spy launched today on May 13^th wherever books were sold. If I were you, I’d buy it. Thank you, Michelle Young, for bringing Rose’s story to the world!