The author of the book that formed the basis of the movie “The Monuments Men” will speak at Saint Leo University on Oct. 21.
The 7 p.m. talk by Robert Edsel kicks off the 2014-15 University Speaker Series for the school.
The presentation will take place at the Greenfelder-Denlinger boardrooms of the student community center. It is free, and the public is welcome.
Edsel’s nonfiction account of a World War II military unit that saved European art treasures from Nazi looting became the basis of the film directed by George Clooney.
The motion picture, released last December, stars Clooney, Matt Damon, Cate Blanchett, Bill Murray, John Goodman, Jean Dujardin, Hugh Bonneville and Bob Balaban.
In addition to “The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves, and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History,” Edsel also authored “Rescuing Da Vinci and Saving Italy: The Race to Rescue a Nation’s Treasures from the Nazis.”
He also co-produced the documentary film, “The Rape of Europa.”
Edsel is the founder and president of the Monuments Men Foundation for the Preservation of Art. Besides his literary and film work, Edsel also was a nationally ranked tennis player and an entrepreneur in the gasoline and oil exploration industry.
After his successful career, Edsel and his family moved to Europe during the 1990s, first living in Paris, and later in Florence. While in Florence, he developed a passion for art and architecture, according to the “Monuments Men” film website. He was curious about how so many monuments and great works of art survived the thefts and devastation of World War II.
Edsel spent 12 years researching the story of the Monuments Men, which resulted in the publication of “Rescuing Da Vinci.” His second book, which actually used the term “Monuments Men,” was published in 2009.
In January 2012, Clooney announced he would write, direct and star in the film adaptation of the book.
Saint Leo University is at 33701 State Road 52, in east Pasco County, about four miles east of Interstate 75. Free parking is available in surface lots and the campus garage.
For more information about the historical Monuments Men, visit MonumentsMen.com.
Published October 15, 2014
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