Now a major motion picture starring Guy Pearce, The Last Vermeer* is a revelatory biography of the world’s most famous forger—a talented Mr. Ripley armed with a paintbrush—and a deliciously detailed story of deceit in the art world.It’s a story that made Dutch painter Han van Meegeren famous worldwide when it broke at the end of World War II: A lifetime of disappointment drove him to forge Vermeers, one of which he sold to Hermann Goering in mockery of the...

A History of the Samurai tells the complete story of Japan's legendary warrior class from beginning to end—an epic tale of intrigue, bloodshed and bravery that is central to an understanding of the Japanese character and of Japanese history. It describes in detail the core Samurai philosophy of Bushido—"the way of the warrior"—a complex code of conduct embracing ideals of honor and loyalty that continues to govern the Japanese way of life today.Historian Jonathan L...

Adjust your crown and rise above the noise of life. In a world filled with distractions and chaos, it is crucial that you maintain your stand and remain levelheaded. Just like a crown sits gracefully on your head, it symbolizes your inner strength, resilience, and God’s calling; we were created with a purpose, we are called to be limitless, the only limitation is created by you. In the middle of the noise and chaos, it is easy to lose sight of your true worth and potential. The noise can b...

"A grand yarn of twisty deceit, involving prestigious dupes and scads of money, with a sensational trial at the finish." — The New YorkerIt's a story that made Dutch painter Han van Meegeren world-famous when it broke at the end of World War II: A lifetime of disappointment drove him to forge Vermeers, one of which he sold to Hermann Goering in mockery of the Nazis. And it's a story that's been believed ever since. Too bad it isn't true.Jonathan Lope...

The darkness can be described as a bad experience, a time where your dreams seem to crumble down, your goals seem too far from you, and everythingn you have accomplished in life is over. It is extremely important to understand that the dark feeling and the pain is temporary. During the first 3 chapters you will get to know and understand the story of Johan and Ella; it brings a reality that most of us have dealt with before represented in a fictional love story that did not ended well. In ...

In this book, I broke down the idea and myths about the concept of creating a habit in 21 days. What does it takes to become a successful person and improve yourself? Discipline is the most common trait in a successful person or leader. By presenting you with scientific and medical facts and personal experiences, I opened myself up to you in this book to provide you guidance in your journey to success. By being a part of the military and law enforcement, I have seen some common mistakes of...

A new game has turned the world into an augmented playground where Loren hopes to win first place and the attention of the girl she likes. Bored with daily chores, Loren grinds levels in Holo Heroes and local meet-ups serve as a jumping-off point to a new augmented world around her. But what started as casual fun turns into an accidental rivalry with a veteran champion of the game. Soon she's racing towards the national stage to see who will take the grand title.Can Loren survive t...

The heroic, #1 New York Times bestselling tale of the men who saved the world's greatest art from the Nazis, and the basis for the acclaimed motion picture starring George Clooney.At the same time Adolf Hitler was attempting to take over the western world, his armies were methodically seeking and hoarding the finest art treasures in Europe. The Fuhrer had begun cataloguing the art he planned to collect as well as the art h...

“From this century, in France, three names will remain: de Gaulle, Picasso, and Chanel.” –André MalrauxCoco Chanel created the look of the modern woman and was the high priestess of couture.She believed in simplicity, and elegance, and freed women from the tyranny of fashion. She inspired women to take off their bone corsets and cut their hair. She used ordinary jersey as couture fabric, elevated the waistline, and created bell-bottom trousers, trench coats...

The spellbinding story, part fairy tale, part suspense, of Gustav Klimt’s Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer, one of the most emblematic portraits of its time; of the beautiful, seductive Viennese Jewish salon hostess who sat for it; the notorious artist who painted it; the now vanished turn-of-the-century Vienna that shaped it; and the strange twisted fate that befell it.The Lady in Gold, considered an unforgettable masterpiece, one of the twentieth century’s most rec...

A captivating history of Paris's famous Hôtel Ritz, set against the backdrop of the Nazi occupation of WWII, from the New York Times –bestselling author.When France fell to the Germans in June 1940, the legendary Hôtel Ritz on the Place Vendôme—an icon of Paris frequented by film stars and celebrity writers, American heiresses and risqué flappers, playboys, and princes—was the only luxury hotel of its kind allowed in the ...

During the Nazi occupation of Holland, 19401945, the Jewish community there suffered devastation on a scale as great as in any other nation in Europe. Only a small percentage of Dutch Jews survived the systematic annihilation. The land was flat and easy to patrol, peoples backgrounds and religions were well documented, and the physical appearance of a Jew was often obvious and very distinctive. In this environment, love was difficultbut not impossible.This memoir tells a love story...