Edward Dolnick Bücher

Edward Dolnick beleuchtet die Geschichte des holländischen Kunstfälschers Han van Meegeren, der in den 1930er-Jahren mehrere Bilder schuf, die er als Werke Vermeers ausgab und teuer verkaufte. Zu den Kunden zählten auch das renommierte Museum Bojimans van Beuningen und der kunstversessene nationalsozialistische Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring. Geschickt verwebt der Autor die Betrugshandlungmit Exkursen zur Zeitgeschichte, detaillierten Schilderungen des Fälscherhandwerks und erhellenden Passagen über die Funktionsweisen des Kunstmarktes. Die Frage, die ihn dabei umtreibt und die er schlüssig beantwortet, lautet: Wie war es technisch und psychologisch möglich, dass ein mittelprächtiger Maler einige der bekanntesten Kunstkenner gleich mehrfach narren konnte. Der Fall van Meegeren zeichnet sich durch filmreife Dramatik aus, denn der Fälscher muss, nachdem ein Verkauf an Göring nach Kriegsende bekannt wird, die Falschheit des vermeintlichen Vermeers beweisen, um der Todesstrafe zu entgehen: Unter Aufsicht malt er als Beweis seiner Unschuld einen weiteren 'Vermeer'.

»Mit Witz und gutem Gespür für Vergleiche, mit lebendigen Beschreibungen, akribisch und detailverliebt, aber auch mit dem Blick für große historische Zeiträume – die 2000-jährige Geschichte des Alten Ägypten – beschreibt Dolnick den Wettlauf der beiden Gelehrten. Er berichtet von hoffnungsfrohen Ansätzen und klugen Vermutungen, von Irrtümern und Sackgassen und schweift immer wieder kenntnis- und lehrreich ab: Zur Entschlüsselung anderer Schriften und Codes wie der kretischen Linear B oder der sumerischen Keilschrift, zur Entstehung und Entwicklung unterschiedlicher Schriftsysteme, aber auch zu Forschungsexpeditionen und kolonial-räuberischen Grabungen in Ägypten. ... Meisterhaft.« Günther Wessel, Deutschlandfunk, 22.07.2022

Set against the backdrop of the 1950s and 1960s, this narrative explores the ambitious efforts of psychotherapists who aimed to tackle mental illness, viewing themselves as pioneers in understanding complex societal issues. Edward Dolnick, a seasoned science writer, chronicles the challenges and failures encountered in this quest, revealing the darker side of the era's therapeutic optimism. Through a compelling examination of the limitations of talk therapy, the book sheds light on the ongoing struggle with mental health.

"Carved in ancient Egypt, the Rosetta Stone carried the same message in different languages--in Greek using Greek letters, and in Egyptian using picture-writing called hieroglyphs. Until its discovery, no one in the world knew how to read the hieroglyphs that covered every temple and text and statue in Egypt. Dominating the world for thirty centuries, ancient Egypt was the mightiest empire the world had ever known, yet everything about it--the pyramids, mummies, the Sphinx--was shrouded in mystery. Whoever was able to decipher the Rosetta Stone, and learn how to read hieroglyphs, would solve that mystery and fling open a door that had been locked for two thousand years. Two brilliant rivals set out to win that prize"--

Utilizing previously overlooked diaries and journals, this book reveals the complete and gripping narrative of the Powell expedition. It delves into the challenges faced by the explorers as they navigated the uncharted waters of the Colorado River, highlighting their struggles, discoveries, and the profound impact of their journey on American exploration. Through vivid accounts, it captures the spirit of adventure and the historical significance of this monumental expedition.

Set against a backdrop of chaos and disease, a group of visionary geniuses from the Royal Society sought to create a universe governed by order and precision. Their innovative ideas and groundbreaking discoveries laid the foundation for the modern world, showcasing the power of intellect and collaboration in overcoming societal challenges. This exploration highlights their unique contributions and the transformative impact they had on science and society.

As riveting as a World War II thriller, The Forger's Spell is the true story of three men and an extraordinary deception: the revered artist Johannes Vermeer; the small-time Dutch painter who dared to impersonate him years later; and the con man's mark, Hermann Goering, the fanatical art collector and one of Nazi Germany's most reviled leaders.

In the predawn hours of a gloomy February day in 1994, two thieves entered the National Gallery in Oslo and made off with one of the world's most famous paintings, Edvard Munch's Scream . It was a brazen crime committed while the whole world was watching the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympics in Lillehammer. Baffled and humiliated, the Norwegian police turned to the one man they believed could a half English, half American undercover cop named Charley Hill, the world's greatest art detective. The Rescue Artist is a rollicking narrative that carries readers deep inside the art underworld -- and introduces them to a large and colorful cast of titled aristocrats, intrepid investigators, and thick-necked thugs. But most compelling of all is Charley Hill himself, a complicated mix of brilliance, foolhardiness, and charm whose hunt for a purloined treasure would either cap an illustrious career or be the fiasco that would haunt him forever.

A riveting portrait of the Gold Rush, by the award-winning author of Down the Great Unknown and The Forger's Spell. In the spring of 1848, rumors began to spread that gold had been discovered in a remote spot in the Sacramento Valley. A year later, newspaper headlines declared "Gold Fever!" as hundreds of thousands of men and women borrowed money, quit their jobs, and allowed themselves- for the first time ever-to imagine a future of ease and splendor. In The Rush, Edward Dolnick brilliantly recounts their treacherous westward journeys by wagon and on foot, and takes us to the frenzied gold fields and the rowdy cities that sprang from nothing to jam-packed chaos. With an enthralling cast of characters and scenes of unimaginable wealth and desperate ruin, The Rush is a fascinating-and rollicking-account of the greatest treasure hunt the world has ever seen.