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The Monuments Men book is set in Nazi Europe and tells the tale of a little known US Army unit. This unit, known as the Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives section is given special orders delivered straight from President Roosevelt by way of General Eisenhower himself, to protect the cultural artifacts that were made vulnerable by the war coursing around them. The soldiers who formed this select group were known as, "The Monuments Men."

The unit was set up by President Roosevelt and General Eisenhower after concerns were raised by world powers and those with an interest in artistic and cultural patrimony were alarmed at the loss of priceless pieces of art and monuments. Hitler had been destroying irreplaceable works that his party deemed to be "degenerate". They were also pilfering works from museums, galleries and archives throughout Europe.

Almost everyone knows of the human rights atrocities of the Nazis, but this parallel destruction of cultural patrimony is an often neglected area. This story brings to life on the page the brave efforts of archivists, curators and educators, among others, who formed a part of the unit. It is thanks to their efforts that a lot of priceless art or monuments were saved.

The author of the book is Robert M Edsel, who gave up his profession in the United States to move to Europe and explore his passions. Along the way he began to investigate what happened to artworks and pieces of cultural importance during the World Wars. With his curiosity piqued, he began to unravel its fascinating history.

What he found is a fascinating group of men and women who came together to form the Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives Unit. Together this unit raced against the clock to seek out and save important cultural artwork, relics and artifacts in war torn Europe. They were drawn from various professions, but together they are responsible for much of the artworks we can still appreciate to this day. This well written and enthralling page turner takes you back decades into the action on a true treasure hunt of epic proportions.

The unit was created and active for the last 11 months of the war. During that time they went undercover all over Europe on a giant treasure hunt with the clock and the odds against them. The picked up on clues, followed leads and successfully saved a lot of artwork and other cultural artifacts from being lost.

The book has been made into a movie produced, written and starring George Clooney. Other cast members that bring the pages to life on the silver screen include some of Hollywood's hottest actors, such as: Matt Damon, Bill Murray and Cate Blanchett. The movie is scheduled for release in 2014 by Columbia Pictures and 20th Century Fox.

The Monuments Men book is a thrilling, twisting tale weaving itself in an out of some of the most dramatic events of World War II. A must read for any history buff or those who love a triumph over crippling odds.