Arch-villains and archeologists: the battle over the treasures of the ancient world? For the past three hundred years, the West has been plundering the ancient world to fill its great museums and houses. Now, these countries want their treasure back. Sharon Waxman leads the reader on a journey that spans continents and centuries and introduces us to the people, places, stories and artefacts that lie at the heart of an extraordinary battle. AUTHOR Sharon Waxman studied at Oxford but lives in the US. She is a former culture correspondent for the New York Times and the Washington Post. SELLING POINTS ?A fierce and public battle still rages over the stolen treasures of the ancient world ?Most recently China's furious response to the auction of two artefacts looted by the British and French over 150 years ago was all over the press ?Sharon Waxman brings history to life, from the birth of Egyptology to the foundation of the British Museum ?She captures fascinating personalities and balances diverse points of view ?An avalanche of publicity accompanied the US publication ?Waxman is an authority on this subject ?Will appeal to readers interested in history, politics, swashbuckling stories, museums, the ancient world and treasure REVIEWS ?Rigorous, scholarly reporting [combined] with a flair for intrigue and personality gives Loot the fast pace of a novel' TINA BROWN ?The most instructive as well as the most intelligent (and the most entertaining) guide through the labyrinth of antiquity' CHRISTOPHER HITCHENS ?Fast-paced and compelling . . . Waxman has an array of wondrous tales to tell . . . Considerable, admirable and totally absorbing' BOSTON GLOBE
