I Was Vermeer [Paperback]

Frank Wynne (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 20, 2007

In 1945, a small-time Dutch art dealer was arrested for selling a forgery of a priceless national treasure - a painting by Vermeer - to Hitler's right-hand man. The charge was treason, the only possible sentence death. And yet Han van Meegeren languished in his dank prison cell, incapable of uttering the words that would set him free: 'I am a forger.' This riveting account of greed, hubris, excess, treason and fine art is the story of a failed artist and the greatest forger of all time, who executed a swindle which earned him the equivalent of fifty million dollars and the acclaim of the very critics who had mocked him.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'Van Meegeren's story is fascinating and deserves to remain in the public consciousness' Michel Faber, Guardian 'A gripping account of the life of van Meegeren, a tale of cunning and deceit that unfolds with all the tension of a thriller ... It is easy to forget that this is based on fact rather than fiction' Irish Independent 'Wynne retells the story with brio, producing the genuine article: a page-turning read to while away the days' Sunday Times 'A study in the psychology of forgery, enfolded in a fabulous life story ... a skilful book' Times Literary Supplement

About the Author

Frank Wynne is a journalist and translator and has written for, amongst other publications, the Irish Times, Melody Maker, Time Out and Attitude. Frank was born in Sligo and is now based in London.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Paperbacks (August 20, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 074756681X
• ISBN-13: 978-0747566816
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,431,890 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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