Caveat Emptor: The Secret Life of an American Art Forger Audiobook

" Caveat Emptor is a quirky tale about Ken Perenyi's experience as an art forger who passed off dozens? hundreds? of paintings as originals. The book begins with some over-telling about his youth that really doesn't connect with the meat of the story--his art forging experience. The first half of the book could be summed up as he was a disengaged youth, unsure of what to do with his life until he happened upon art forgery. The second half of the book reads more as arrogant boasting than truthful story telling. While I still found the story compelling, I wonder how much is truth and how much is an embellishment of the truth. "

" Could be a how to book to forge paintings. I am amazed at the speed he painted his detailed paintings! "

" I gave it a 3 star because i enjoy books on art, art forgery, history etc. but agree with Scott's review. It seems as if two people wrote this book. I also found the Roy Cohen part fascinating. Questions that are left unanswered: is there really this much art forgery in the world? Why didn't the feds prosecute him? Why drop the case? "

" fascinating, forging a form of flattery! "

" I couldn't even finish it because it felt like precious time was being wasted that could have been spent reading something better. The guy writes as if everything in his life happened to him, not by the choices he made, but by the choices of those around him and the circumstances he came into. He's so busy pointing out the flaws in others that he spends no time giving himself any sort of personality. He tries to come across as passive in the path he took towards who he became and I just don't buy it. It was a boring read, so unengaging and wooden that reading a high school history text would have been more fun and less pocked with obvious bias. I was so excited to read this and came away very disappointed. "

" I didn't like how he bragged about pulling off such a huge lie, but I must admit that his life is pretty interesting and it's worth the read. "

" Fascinating tale of a master art forger. Art History majors take note. "

" Really neat look into the life art forger. Enjoyed it very much. "

" I just could not finish this book. It is way too involved with the author's personal agenda, and his understanding of right and wrong leaves me cold. "

" Poorly-written but beautifully-told and about something with which I am endlessly fascinated: forgery. As told by the art-forger himself, Ken Perenyi. Told from the 1st person by an unreliable narrator, himself, but it transported me to NY and the UK in the 60s, 70s, and 80s -- as if I were there. "

" The book reads like a novel most of the time. A really good read. "

" Book is excellent, very compelling--but it occurs to me that as a master forger his story may be "embellished". Still an excellent read! "

" an easy read and interesting story about art stuff "

" I am embarrassed to admit that I have read this book and even more upset that I put money into the pocket of the author, who I found to be an amoral, unrepentant, self-deluding sleaze. Now, excuse me while I go shower. "

" Good inside info on the art world. "

" Fast paced. Easy read. Entertaining, true story about a man who falls into the world of art and art forging. "

" I learned more about art conservation from this book than some classes I've taken. "