Caveat Emptor, Ken Perenyi
Caveat Emptor, Ken Perenyi
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Caveat Emptor
The Secret Life of an American Art Forger

Author: Ken Perenyi

Narrator: Dan Butler

Unabridged: 9 hr 55 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 08/01/2012

Synopsis

The true story of America's greatest art forger! Ten years ago, an FBI investigation was about to expose a scandal in the art world that would have been front-page news in New York and London. After a trail of fake paintings of astonishing quality led federal agents to art dealers, renowned experts, and the major auction houses, the investigation inexplicably ended, despite an abundance of evidence collected. The case was closed and the FBI file was marked "exempt from public disclosure." Now that the statute of limitations on these crimes has expired and the case appears hermetically sealed shut by the FBI, this audiobook, Caveat Emptor, is that artist Ken Perenyi's confession. It is the story, in detail, of how he pulled it all off. Unlike other forgers, Perenyi produced no paper trail, no fake provenance whatsoever; he let the paintings speak for themselves. And that they did, routinely mesmerizing the experts in mere seconds.

About Ken Perenyi

Ken Perenyi was one of the world’s greatest art forgers for more than thirty years, only barely eluding a heavy prison sentence at the end of his covert career. He currently runs an art gallery in St. Petersburg, Florida, where he still produces some of the most remarkable forgeries in the world.

About Dan Butler

Dan Butler, audiobook narrator, actor, writer, director, and producer, has had major roles on and off Broadway and has appeared in numerous television shows, including Frasier, House, and Monk. He cowrote and directed Karl Rove, I Love You and has appeared in such feature films as Crazy, Stupid, Love; Silence of the Lambs; Enemy of the State; and Fixing Frank, among others.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Lance on October 17, 2015

Ken Penenyi is what This American Life would call an "American original." A borderline juvenile delinquent from the wrong side of the Hudson, he stumbled across art and discovered he had a knack for dissecting and duplicating the styles of other artists. With the right sponsors, he managed to mix it......more

Goodreads review by Garth on September 13, 2012

I was a little skeptical of this book after the first few chapters. The writing style was a bit bland and direct and seemed to simply brag about the jubilant exploits of a teenager/20-something who was accidentally swept up in the world of fashion and art in New York City. However after this groundw......more

Goodreads review by Jennifer on September 21, 2012

As I was talking about this book to my husband, I said, "the writing is so bland, and direct, the story so matter of fact, there is no way this can be made up. It must be authentic." Then I said, "the irony of that statement is not lost on me." An authentic story by an art forger. Bland is the writin......more

Goodreads review by Rachel on October 15, 2012

In two weeks two different people recommended I read this. It was a very quick read and great. I'm sure I also appreciate it more than the average reader; as an artist, the technical info that was included here-and-there struck a chord. I've read several reviews stating that the story was unpleasant......more

Goodreads review by Nancy on December 11, 2012

This book by a wildly successful American art forger is compulsively readable. Ken Perenyi created a niche for himself by imitating artists whose work is well-known (Heade, Buttersworth, etc.) but not considered Old Master (Renoir, Vermeer, etc.). He found that these artists used the same elements i......more

Quotes

“By his own admission, Ken Perenyi is a liar, a cheat, and a thief—but to give him his due, he is also pretty brilliant…His astonishing memoir, Caveat Emptor, is by turns horrifying and hilarious…One hesitates to praise an unrepentant wrongdoer’s autobiography—innocent teenagers contemplating career options should not be allowed near this book—but anybody with the slightest interest in painting or deception will find Caveat Emptor an engrossing read.” Wall Street Journal

“Even if you know nothing about fine art, Dan Butler’s superb performance will bring this complex and sometimes shady world to life. His sensitive delivery of Ken Perenyi’s poignant memoir of life as a liar and thief makes it hard not to like this consummate scam artist in spite of it all…Butler’s easy reading style carries the narrative flawlessly, with occasional forays into excitement and danger where the going get tight for Perenyi. At those points he ratchets up the emotional wattage just enough to keep you on the edge. This is a thoroughly competent delivery using only Butler’s native voice—but what a voice.” AudioFile

“The most fascinating parts of his account are his meticulous descriptions of the forging process…A captivating story rich in illuminating details.” Booklist

“Perenyi channels Holden Caulfield with his forthright, unadorned prose style and straightforward accounts of his past exploits…The details of Perenyi’s forgeries are fascinating, as is the development of his artistic though duplicitous techniques.” Library Journal

“Readers will be captivated as they follow the development of this remarkable talent over a forty-year career.” Kirkus Reviews

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