Valfierno
Valfierno

Author: Martín Caparrós

Publisher: Beyond Words/Atria Books

Published: 2008

Total Pages: 358

ISBN-13:

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On August 22, 1911, the world was shocked by an audacious crime: Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa was stolen from the Louvre. Although some people suspected subversive artists like Picasso or Apollinaire of perpetrating the theft, no arrests were made. Two years later, an Italian named Vincenzo Perugia was detained after attempting to sell the Mona Lisa to an antiques dealer in Florence -- but the mystery of the theft itself was never satisfactorily resolved.In his spellbinding novelValfierno, Martin Caparros tackles this enigma, presenting us with a fascinating criminal unable to go to his grave without divulging the details of his outrageous heist. In tantalizing conversations with an American journalist, the Marques de Valfierno sheds light on his past secrets, including his sordid origins as Bollino, son of a Buenos Aires servant woman, a man ultimately transformed into the most notorious con artist in the world. A sly and consummate entertainer, Valfierno reveals the shifting identities of the anonymous Argentine boy who has gone on to become a veritable artist, creating for himself the perfect role of wealthy aristocrat in Belle Epoque Paris as he prepares for his crime.Featuring an engaging cat-and-mouse drama and unforgettable characters, Valfierno is a brilliant fictional-ization of the greatest theft of the twentieth century, as well as a compelling psychological portrait of a true mastermind.Valfierno, Caparros's eighth novel, won the prestigious Premio Planeta award in 2004.

Now I Know
Now I Know

Author: Dan Lewis

Publisher: Adams Media

Published: 2013-10-18

Total Pages: 256

ISBN-13: 1440563624

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Praise for the Webby Award-winning newsletter: "I eagerly read 'Now I Know' every day. It's always fresh, always a surprise, and always interesting!" --Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia and Wikia Did you know that there are actually 27 letters in the alphabet, or that the U.S. had a plan to invade Canada? And what actually happened to the flags left on the moon? Even if you think you have a handle on all things trivia, you're guaranteed a big surprise with Now I Know. From uncovering what happens to lost luggage to New York City's plan to crack down on crime by banning pinball, this book will challenge your knowledge of the fascinating stories behind the world's greatest facts. Covering 100 outrageous topics, Now I Know is the ultimate challenge for any know-it-all who thinks they have nothing left to learn.

The Man Who Stole the Mona Lisa
The Man Who Stole the Mona Lisa

Author: Robert Noah

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Published: 2014-08-05

Total Pages: 299

ISBN-13: 1466877537

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The Marquis de Valfierno spent his life preparing to become the man who stole the Mona Lisa. We are introduced to him in Buenos Aires, where the criminal mastermind with exquisite taste in art and women has built a highly profitable business selling fake religious masterpieces to grieving widows. A botched love affair forces him to head for Mexico City, where he discovers new ventures and greater profits for his art. In Mexico, he begins to assemble the team that will move with him to Paris. He enlists such talents as those of Yves Chaudron, a master painter without a touch of creative instinct; young Miguel, a crippled street urchin; and Mme Renard, a savvy woman of many faces. Valfierno will move his team to the scene of the crime, Paris. There he is tempted by nothing more than the imminent theft of the world's most celebrated painting. He could not have anticipated that this theft would be but the beginning. The Man Who Stole the Mona Lisa is a beautifully written blend of mystery and history. Robert Noah artfully guides his readers through the turns of an intrigue-filled and delicious story.

The Vanishing of the Mona Lisa
The Vanishing of the Mona Lisa

Author: Martin Caparros

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2008-07-15

Total Pages: 355

ISBN-13: 1416579435

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On August 22, 1911, the world was shocked by an audacious crime: Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa was stolen from the Louvre. Although some people suspected subversive artists like Picasso or Apollinaire of perpetrating the theft, no arrests were made. Two years later, an Italian named Vincenzo Perugia was detained after attempting to sell the Mona Lisa to an antiques dealer in Florence -- but the mystery of the theft itself was never satisfactorily resolved. In his spellbinding novel Valfierno, Martín Caparrós tackles this enigma, presenting us with a fascinating criminal unable to go to his grave without divulging the details of his outrageous heist. In tantalizing conversations with an American journalist, the Marqués de Valfierno sheds light on his past secrets, including his sordid origins as Bollino, son of a Buenos Aires servant woman, a man ultimately transformed into the most notorious con artist in the world. A sly and consummate entertainer, Valfierno reveals the shifting identities of the anonymous Argentine boy who has gone on to become a veritable artist, creating for himself the perfect role of wealthy aristocrat in Belle Époque Paris as he prepares for his crime. Featuring an engaging cat-and-mouse drama and unforgettable characters, Valfierno is a brilliant fictional-ization of the greatest theft of the twentieth century, as well as a compelling psychological portrait of a true mastermind. Valfierno, Caparrós's eighth novel, won the prestigious Premio Planeta award in 2004.

Stealing Mona Lisa
Stealing Mona Lisa

Author: Carson Morton

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Published: 2011-08-02

Total Pages: 351

ISBN-13: 1429972033

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What happens when you mix a Parisian street orphan, a hot-tempered Spanish forger, a beautiful American pickpocket, an unloved wife, and one priceless painting? Charming Eduardo de Valfierno leads a comfortable life in Argentina, skillfully duping the nouveau riche with his unique brand of fraud. He offers them theft of priceless art, delivering instead impeccable forgeries. When an unexpected encounter with the enchanting Mrs. Hart pushes him into unfamiliar territory, he returns to the city he once loved but had to abandon–Paris. There, he must assemble his team for their greatest and most audacious heist yet: the Mona Lisa. This riveting narrative takes you deep into the heart of early 20th century Paris, its art world, and the legendary Louvre Museum. As the plot thickens with a team member disappearing and Mr. Hart's shadow looming in Paris, the crew must navigate unforeseen challenges and their own vulnerabilities to stay ahead. Inspired by the real-life theft of the Mona Lisa in 1911, Stealing Mona Lisa captures the imagination with a blend of historical truth, mystery, and heart-stopping suspense that will leave you guessing till the very end.

The Crimes of Paris
The Crimes of Paris

Author: Thomas Hoobler

Publisher: Little, Brown

Published: 2009-04-27

Total Pages: 301

ISBN-13: 0316052531

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Turn-of-the-century Paris was the beating heart of a rapidly changing world. Painters, scientists, revolutionaries, poets -- all were there. But so, too, were the shadows: Paris was a violent, criminal place, its sinister alleyways the haunts of Apache gangsters and its cafes the gathering places of murderous anarchists. In 1911, it fell victim to perhaps the greatest theft of all time -- the taking of the Mona Lisa from the Louvre. Immediately, Alphonse Bertillon, a detective world-renowned for pioneering crime-scene investigation techniques, was called upon to solve the crime. And quickly the Paris police had a suspect: a young Spanish artist named Pablo Picasso....

ArtCurious
ArtCurious

Author: Jennifer Dasal

Publisher: Penguin

Published: 2020-09-15

Total Pages: 289

ISBN-13: 0525506403

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A wildly entertaining and surprisingly educational dive into art history as you've never seen it before, from the host of the beloved ArtCurious podcast We're all familiar with the works of Claude Monet, thanks in no small part to the ubiquitous reproductions of his water lilies on umbrellas, handbags, scarves, and dorm-room posters. But did you also know that Monet and his cohort were trailblazing rebels whose works were originally deemed unbelievably ugly and vulgar? And while you probably know the tale of Vincent van Gogh's suicide, you may not be aware that there's pretty compelling evidence that the artist didn't die by his own hand but was accidentally killed--or even murdered. Or how about the fact that one of Andy Warhol's most enduring legacies involves Caroline Kennedy's moldy birthday cake and a collection of toenail clippings? ArtCurious is a colorful look at the world of art history, revealing some of the strangest, funniest, and most fascinating stories behind the world's great artists and masterpieces. Through these and other incredible, weird, and wonderful tales, ArtCurious presents an engaging look at why art history is, and continues to be, a riveting and relevant world to explore.

Scandals, Vandals, and da Vincis
Scandals, Vandals, and da Vincis

Author: Harvey Rachlin

Publisher: Penguin

Published: 2007-03-27

Total Pages: 370

ISBN-13: 9780143038351

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The secret histories of the world’s most famous masterpieces Caravaggios, Rembrandts, Monets—the works of immortal artists such as these are indelibly imprinted in the public mind; they are priceless masterpieces whose beauty, artistry, and emotional impact have inspired admiration, awe, and envy through the centuries. Yet behind many of these brilliant paintings and sculptures are fascinating, unique histories. In Scandals, Vandals, and da Vincis, award-winning writer Harvey Rachlin relates in exciting detail how nearly thirty of these works came to be created and how they survived burglary, forgery, revolutions, ransoms, vandals, scandals, religious sects, and shipwrecks to eventually come to their current resting places

Thieves!
Thieves!

Author: Andreas Schroeder

Publisher: Annick Press

Published: 2005-09-03

Total Pages: 138

ISBN-13: 1554514711

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Willie Sutton was casing a bank when he noticed that the manager looked a lot like Sutton himself, so he walked into the vault, loaded up with banknotes, and calmly walked out. D.B. Cooper hijacked a plane, demanded $200,000 in payment, and parachuted from the aircraft. He was never captured. Other criminals in this book were no less brazen: - Arthur Barry, the greatest jewel thief in American criminal history - Vincente Perugia, who boldly stole one of the world’s greatest art treasures - Amil Dinsio, one of the most accomplished bank vault robbers in the U.S. - Victor Desmarais and Leo Martial, a hapless duo who bungled their getaway - James Landis, who stole two bricks of freshly printed banknotes from his employer—the U.S. Treasury - Adam Worth, the Napoleon of Crime - the Great Train Robbers, who planned one of the largest heists of all time - the five heisters of the Great Purolator Caper, whose ineptitude ensured capture Be prepared for some high-stakes action in THIEVES! While many ended their careers broke and disillusioned, these impresarios of crime make for great reading.

Corporate Risks and Leadership
Corporate Risks and Leadership

Author: Eduardo Esteban Mariscotti

Publisher: CRC Press

Published: 2020-05-13

Total Pages: 445

ISBN-13: 1000068870

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The context of business has been changing for companies in recent years, and following numerous corporate and accounting scandals, many countries have increased the number of national and international regulations designed to ensure transparency and compliance with the law. Because of the existence of these new regulations, the level of control, the severity of sanctions by governments, and the amount of the fines for noncompliance have increased dramatically. In parallel, with the technological revolution in communications, business management has become more transparent, and any negative event is uploaded to social networks and shared with an indeterminate number of people. This change in the regulatory, sanctioning and technological context has forced large companies to rethink risks, investments and budgets to deal in this more complex environment. To transition to this change, some companies have included ethics and compliance programs in their corporate agenda, along with marketing and sales plans, strategies, growth targets, investment plans and/or talent acquisition. While each industry has its particular risks, in this book, the author describes the essential elements that any effective ethics and compliance program should contain. This book is a source of information that connects yesterday with today. The author shares observations and lessons of the past to suggest corporate leaders implement effective ethics and compliance programs to protect their organizations and themselves. The book covers theories of ethics but with an eye focused on practical application. Risks, ethics, and compliance are analyzed with an overall vision, connected to the reality of business life, without getting bogged down in abstract thinking or in technical and regulatory details. Ethics and compliance are disciplines that have increasingly achieved greater recognition in organizations. Thus, due to the importance of risk management in the business world and the necessary involvement of the CEO and the board of directors, it seems appropriate that executives get access to a book about risks, ethics, compliance and human resources directed not only to compliance experts but also to any organizational leader. This book is a wake-up call that allows business leaders to understand the benefits of implementing an effective ethics and compliance program that will help members of organizations to make the right decisions and act within the law. If they do, they can better prevent and react to the difficult obstacle course of risks, dangers and threats that organizations face and that may jeopardize the sustainability, resilience, and survival of companies.