The
National World War II Museum in New Orleans will host a special lecture and
book signing for writer and historian Robert M. Edsel at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 30, in the
museum’s US Freedom Pavilion: The Boeing Center. A reception precedes the free
event at 5 p.m.
The
author will discuss the American effort at the end of World War II to save
treasures from the Nazis — the subject of an upcoming major motion picture titled
The Monuments Men,” starring George Clooney and Matt Damon.
Edsel’s
talk is called “Saving Italy: The Monuments Men, Nazis, and War” and is based
on his book “Saving Italy: The Race to Rescue a Nation’s Treasures from the
Nazis,” published by W.W. Norton on May 6. The book recounts the determined
American drive, before the shooting ceased, to save priceless art looted by the
Germans from great museums in Florence and Naples.
“Robert
Edsel weaves a suspenseful tale worthy of an Indiana Jones plot,” said Dr.
Gordon H. “Nick” Mueller, president and CEO of The National WWII Museum. “He
pulls you into a dangerous web of intrigue in which the Vatican, top German SS
generals, American OSS operatives and Italian officials are entwined in
top-secret negotiations to end the war. A must read for any WWII history
enthusiast.”
NBC
TV journalist and historian Tom Brokaw echoed Mueller’s praise. “’Saving Italy’
is an astonishing account of a little known American effort to save Italy’s
vast store of priceless monuments and art during World War II,” said the
network anchorman. “While American warriors were fighting the length of the
country, other Americans were courageously working alongside to preserve the
irreplaceable best of Italy’s culture. Read it and be proud of those who were
on their own front lines of a cruel war.”
Edsel
is the author of the non-fiction books “Rescuing Da Vinci” and “The
Monuments
Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in
History,” as well as the forthcoming “Saving Italy.” He is also co-producer of
the award-winning documentary film, “The Rape of Europa.” In addition, he is
the founder and president of the Monuments Men Foundation for the Preservation
of Art, a nonprofit entity that received the National Humanities Medal.
In
addition to Academy Award winner Clooney and Damon, the upcoming film based on
Edsel’s book stars Cate Blanchett, Jean Dujardin and Bill Murray. Clooney will
direct and star in the film, which is now in production and has a release date
of Dec. 18.
This
book lecture is free and open to the public, but registration is required.
Guests can register at the Museum’s website, www.nationalww2museum.org, or by
calling (877) 813-3229, Ext. 412, or by emailing conferences@nationalww2museum.org.
Lafayette Library Kickoff
The
summer reading program, with the theme “Dig Into Reading,” begins this month at
Louisiana libraries. The Summer Kickoff Celebration of the Lafayette Library
will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday at the South Regional Library.
The
day’s events includes schedule childrens author Johnette Downing presenting “Reading
Rocks from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.; Zoo-Zoom: The Little
Traveling Zoo on Wheels from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.; and The Northside High
Drill SQUAD performances from noon to 12:25 p.m..
This
year’s Teen Summer Reading theme is “Beneath the Surface” and the Adult Summer
Reading theme is “Groundbreaking Reads.” Adults and teens who register and log
books online will have opportunities to win prizes in drawings throughout the
summer.
Programs
for all ages will be held at the many branch libraries in June and July. For more
information on all the reading programs and updates on events, visit
LPLteen.net or LafayettePublicLibrary.org.
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| Donald S. Frazier |
Book events
“Swamp
Stop!, a family day with special guests Ouachita Parish Fire Department, Black
Bayou Wildlife Refuge, and Armstrong Crickets, will begin at 10 a.m. Thursday, May 30,
at the West Ouachita Library.
The
Civil War Sesquicentennial Commemoration Speaker Series presents Donald S. Frazier who will speak on "Fort Burton at
Butte la Rose: Confederate Key to the Atchafalaya" at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 30, at Capitol Park
Museum
in Baton Rouge. Frazier is professor of history at McMurry
University in Abilene, Texas, and the award-winning author of three books on the
Civil War, including "Blood and Treasure," "Cottonclads" and "Fire in the Cane
Field." His other work includes serving as co-author of Frontier Texas, Historic
Abilene and The Texas You Expect: The story of Buffalo Gap Historic Village, as
well as general editor of The United States and Mexico at War. For information, visit www.atchafalaya.org.
Cheré Coen is the author
of “Exploring Cajun Country: A Historic Guide to Acadiana” and co-author of
“Magic’s in the Bag: Creating Spellbinding Gris Gris Bags and Sachets.” She
teaches writing at UL-Lafayette’s Continuing Education. Write her at
chere@louisianabooknews.com.
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