Enjoyed this book a lot! An interesting peek into the world of art crime. People who steal priceless art are silly!

A really interesting read about recovering some fabulous art & relics. This was an easy read & entertaining

Suffers inevitably from the blunted style typical of ghostwriting -- although Wittman has I think a better ghostwriter than most -- but manages to string together a series of reasonably gripping yarns and sustain a grumpy, slightly burnt-out case that maybe cultural treasures are worth the attention of law enforcement.

The most interesting elements of “Priceless” were the facts regarding art and art theft and the awe and respect with which the author describes the pieces he views and recovers.

“Americans, in particular, are said to be uncultured when it comes to high art, more likely to go to a ballpark than a museum. But as I tell my foreign colleagues, the statistics belie that stereotype. Americans visit museums on a scale eclipsing sports. In 2007, more people visited the Smithsonian Institution museums in Washington (24.2 million) than attended a game played by the Nations Basketball Association (21.8 million), the National Hockey League (21.2 million), or the National Football League (17 million).”

I was shocked by that fact. I was also surprised by the different priority level that the US places on art theft, compared to other countries. Despite the record prices being paid for historical and artistic pieces now, the penalties for their theft weren’t comparable. The trails that Wittman goes through trying to deal with and change the investigation procedures in these cases was very interesting.

But the points at which I was most interested in this story, in the memoirs of this FBI agent were when he described his reactions to the stolen treasures he tried to restore to their place in the world.

“This was my first antiquity case, but as I would learn, looters are especially insidious art thieves. They not only invade the sanctuaries of our ancestors, plundering burial grounds and lost cities in a reckless dash for buried treasure, they also destroy our ability to learn about our past in ways other art thieves do not. When a painting is stolen from a museum, we usually know its provenance. We know where it came from, who painted it, when and perhaps even why. But once an antiquity is looted, the archaeologist loses the chance to study a piece in context, the chance to document history.”

The order to the cases seemed a bit disjointed to me…it was hard to follow or remember where in Wittman’s career we were and if major events or cases had come before or after the case he is describing.

And the description of the events did seem a bit removed from Wittman’s emotions…except for a very personal event that happens near the beginning of the story.

In general, though, this book about his undercover life inside a world I know little about proved interesting and a change from most of the memoirs I’ve read.

I am not that interested in art. I have been to famous art museums all over the world, I've taken art history classes, but it is just not something that makes me too excited. In this book, Wittman made art very exciting and completely accessible. I didn't want to put it down. I also learned a lot about the dark side of the art world - things you don't learn by going into the big museums. My only complaint is that sometimes Wittman felt like he was bragging about all the cases he solved, awards he got. It came off a little harsh - but that is only a small, small complaint!

Such a great book I learned a ton and increased my list of places and things to see before I die

Two things about me will always, always be true - when I'm traveling, my suitcase will contain double the # of underwear as days I'm away. And I will read every single newspaper article about an art heist or the discovery of a long-lost piece of art.

I. Love. Art. Scams.

This book is candy for anyone curious about the dark side of the art world. I wish a former con would write a memoir from that perspective (which obviously won't happen, b/c, enemies.) b/c I really want to know how you find your buyers and sellers.

Interesting to learn that these thieves serve MINUSCULE jail sentences, at least in the US. Wittman goes out of his way to say how the US did not prioritize art crimes, both in legal pursuit and punishment. Absolutely wild.

I'm also dying to know which Hollywood actress occasionally serves as an FBI informant about illegal art buying and selling. What a buried nugget.

Subject matter is very interesting but I couldn't click with the writing/storytelling style for whatever reason.