The Elgin Affair

The True Story of the Greatest Theft in History

By: Theodore Vrettos

Narrated by: Gildart Jackson

This story of the Elgin marbles re-creates in full detail "the greatest art theft in history." Almost 200 years after they were "purchased" from Greece, the finest and most famous marbles of antiquity still remain a burning issue. This compelling, controversial story of the Elgin marbles re-creates in full and colorful detail "the greatest art theft in history", a steamy tale of obsession, intrigue, adultery, and ruin.

As the British ambassador to the Sublime Porte in Constantinople, Lord Elgin encountered in his endeavors some of the most famous names of 19th-century history: Napoleon, Sultan Selim III, Lord Nelson, Lord Byron, and Keats. Drawing on original source material—letters, diaries, official government reports, and memoranda, Vrettos brilliantly brings to life these fascinating stories.

©1977, 2011 Theodore Vrettos (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

An astonishing story,

This is a fascinating story, full of rich detail. I loved getting an up close look at these historical events. I wouldn’t say it reads like novel; in my opinion it’s much better because true.

Well done!!

The book shone a spotlight light on a very controversial theft,and the subsequent process that led to the display of said booty in the British museum. While the removal of the antiquities was an unconscionable crime,it may well have protected them from further dissolution and destruction. The current controversy regarding the marbles location,and potential return to Greece is another sticky situation. The book was very well written,and the performance made it well worth the listen.Bravo!!!

Fabulous but for one GLARING Mistake!!

Compelling in a completely ghastly way. A fascinatingly horrible story that has been replayed over and over throughout the millenniums and the subject matter brings past history and modern history together quite well. It has moments of being dry. One is "reading" from personal journals and other such mundane records. But these details are invaluable to creating a gestalt. I suggest one pays attention because the book does paint a COMPLETE if not appalling portrait (just ask Lord Byron!! if only we could) of what happened to "The Marbles" and the dry moments are necessary to make the picture WHOLE. I do however have one GLARING AND RATHER ANGRY RANT. WHY WOULD THE AUTHOR AND THE EDITOR AND THE PUBLISHER OF THIS BOOK USE EMMA, LADY HAMILTON'S PORTRAIT (probably by George Romney?!) TO GRACE THE COVER OF THIS BOOK WHEN THERE ARE TWO ABSOLUTELY USABLE PORTRAITS OF LADY MARY ELGIN??!!! HUH!!! ONE BY FRANCOIS GERARD OR ANOTHER SUITABLE PORTRAIT BY SIR GEORGE HAYTER. THIS GLARING OVERSIGHT IS BEYOND LAME IF YOU ASK ME. A BIT UNFORGIVABLE. WHY?!!! Just why?!! And it sort of throws shade on the accuracy of the book in terms of who actually put the cover/book jacket together. Seriously folks, hire me if you need to keep consistency. Cause this is a GLARING FAUX PAS!!! Other than that...eyeroll, this is a story that needs to be told and retold and shouted from the roof tops. Why? Because History is DOOMED to repeat itself if we don't act upon our Future. The story of The Elgin Marbles isn't a static story...it is a story alive and well and living at present. But hopefully not our Future.

Fascinating

This is an easy-to-read and very interesting account of how the Parthenon Marbles came to be in the British Museum. It also details the controversy which has surrounded their removal from the time it was happening until more recent times. If you don't know anything about Elgin other than his association with the Marbles, his tragic life makes the book worth reading too. Poor Lady Elgin's life which started out so well was also marred by much sadness. Gildart Jackson does a fine job of narration - he has a wonderful voice and he does a pretty good job with the many foreign words and names (although his mispronunciation of Elgin as Eljin a couple of times is a letdown).

Excellent

This book was very interesting. It was a thorough description of the theft and other drama of the time. I must confess that the narrator isn't my favorite. I think this is a personal bias and not because of any obvious fault of his. Definitely worth a listen.

Mind numbing tedium border ing on torture

Parts of this book feel more like a bill of lading is being read to you than a story. It starts out like it might be interesting but loses its focus by the second third. By the last third a little voice in my head was screaming “make it stop”!
I have been actively involved in the arts 38 years, have a great love of art history and museums, have traveled around the world and lived on three continents… this book should have been my cup of tea. I felt like a character in Hitchhikers Guide to The Galaxy being read Vogon love poetry as torture.

Interesting to have an idea on the life of Lord Elgin, the art collector

The book is very biased against the art preserving actions of Lord Elgin, overly tainted by Greek nationalism and disregarding the irreparable damage done to Greek art in general and the Partenon in particular during the Turk domination. Interesting to learn all the gossip surrounding the life of Lord Elgin though.

Give back the Elgin marbles to Greece!🇬🇷

After reading this book it made me mad because they should give the marbles back to Greece because Elgin just went everywhere he could in Greece and took what ever he wanted giving the excuse that the turks said it was OK when it didn’t belong to them either now that they have a new museum at the foot of the acropolis they should go in there , The Caryatids are waiting for their sisters
The British were known for being colonizers of so many places, Greece being part of what they stole our antiquities belong to us give them back.