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Thieves of Baghdad (Abridged): One Marine's Passion for Ancient Civilizations and the Journey to Recover the World's Greatest Stolen Treasures Audiobook
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(3.00) - 163 listener ratings
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One Marine's Passion for Ancient Civilizations and the Journey to Recover the World's Greatest Stolen Treasures. A blend of treasure hunt, police procedural, war-time thriller, and exposé of the international black-market in stolen art, told in the voice of a truly remarkable man: a soldier, a father, and a scholar. The New York tabloids call him ‘the pit bull' for his relentless prosecution of high-profile defendants. He's an assistant D.A., a spit-and-polish Marine, a trigger-puller on counter-terrorist missions to Afghanistan, a competitive boxer—and a dedicated classics scholar. So when Matthew Bogdanos discovered that the Iraq National Museum had been looted during the battle of Baghdad, he immediately embarked on a mission to recover the stolen antiquities. Accompanied by a select group of men, Bogdanos set off across the desert without official sanction, risking his career and his life in pursuit of this priceless international treasure. THIEVES OF BAGHDAD immerses the listener into the rich culture, the colorful characters, the double-dealing, and the derring-do, to sort out once and for all what actually happened during the chaos of the Baghdad invasion, exactly how the thefts took place, and how the most notable objects were retrieved. We hear Bogdanos and his team going on raids and negotiating recoveries, blowing open safes, and mingling in the marketplaces—often encountering an assortment of rogues and villains. He gradually earns the trust of Iraqis eager to preserve their cultural heritage—and then stuns the world by unearthing the most sensational treasure of all, The Gold of Nimrud over 1,000 pieces of gold jewelry, precious stones, and ornaments often called "Iraq's Crown Jewels."
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"Incredible read. Great story and what an intelligent man of action. This was a slow read for me because it was so full of information but held my attention the whole way through."
— Allison (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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Bogdanos is a remarkable blend of warrior, academic and communicator, and he cuts through politics and hyperbole to tell an engrossing story abundant with history, colored by stories of brave Iraqis and Americans, and shaded with hope for the future.
— Publishers Weekly
Thieves of Baghdad Listener Reviews
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" Although this book is by a pretty self-confident bordering on cocky marine who likes to toot his own horn often, it is a good story and interesting and relevant to know what happened to the treasures of the museum in Baghdad. "
— Alexandra, 12/25/2013 -
" Bogdanos is a hoo-yah renaissance man. Love that he's striving to save ancient treasures; wanted to read more about the treasures and less about him. "
— Michelle, 9/8/2012 -
" Good book. Not amazingly written, but interesting for an unusual look at the consequences of the war. "
— Zachary, 8/13/2012 -
" This was a stunning (true) tale of antiquities theft in the Museum of Baghdad. "
— Marilou, 5/31/2012 -
" good background on what actually went on in the "looting" of the museum. I read this as an audio book and the last disc is very preachy. "
— Patricrk, 4/29/2012 -
" This book follows the story of a Marine on a quest to save stolen antiquities in Iraq. I enjoyed the book but would have liked to see the author focus more on just how the antiquities were recovered rather then himself. Much of the book reads like a biography. "
— Meg, 4/19/2012 -
" Historically, this was a very interesting book. I value the bravery and courage of anyone who was serving in Iraq when this story took place. I wanted the authors to "stick with the story". Too many times, the bravado got in the way. "
— Graciela, 12/4/2011 -
" Not bad. I enjoyed the history in it. I know so little about those civilizations. "
— Motorcycle, 3/5/2011 -
" attended a lecture by the author - good read "
— Marty, 11/9/2010 -
" Not bad. I enjoyed the history in it. I know so little about those civilizations. "
— Motorcycle, 2/8/2010 -
" good background on what actually went on in the "looting" of the museum. I read this as an audio book and the last disc is very preachy. "
— Patricrk, 1/20/2010 -
" attended a lecture by the author - good read "
— Marty, 5/10/2009 -
" Although this book is by a pretty self-confident bordering on cocky marine who likes to toot his own horn often, it is a good story and interesting and relevant to know what happened to the treasures of the museum in Baghdad. "
— Alexandra, 1/5/2009 -
" Good book. Not amazingly written, but interesting for an unusual look at the consequences of the war. "
— Zachary, 9/19/2008 -
" This book follows the story of a Marine on a quest to save stolen antiquities in Iraq. I enjoyed the book but would have liked to see the author focus more on just how the antiquities were recovered rather then himself. Much of the book reads like a biography. "
— Meg, 6/2/2008 -
" Bogdanos is a hoo-yah renaissance man. Love that he's striving to save ancient treasures; wanted to read more about the treasures and less about him. "
— Michelle, 5/9/2008
About the Authors
Matthew Bogdanos has been an Assistant District Attorney in Manhattan since 1988. He holds both a law degree and a master’s in classics from Columbia University, as well as a master’s in strategic studies from the Army War College. Recalled to active duty in the US Marine Corps after September 11, 2001, he received a Bronze Star for counter-terrorist operations in Afghanistan and served several tours in Iraq. Upon his release from active duty, he will return to the DA’s office to head New York’s first antiquities task force.
William Patrick, a former editor for science and medicine at Harvard University Press, is the editor in chief of the Journal of Life Sciences. He lives in Ipswich, Massachusetts.