This chronicle recounts a little-known passage in the history of the 20th century. It's an extraordinary odyssey undertaken by a group of men and women who, in the middle of World War II and during the first years of the postwar period, were commissioned to locate and rescue important works of art, including paintings by Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Van Dyck, and Vermeer, which had been stolen by the Nazis. The author relied on extensive research during which documents were consulted firsthand. The book has resulted in a 2014 film produced by, directed by, and starring George Clooney.