Quotes
“Working in the security department for the Metropolitan Museum of Art for nearly forty years, John Barelli wrangled royalty, naked visitors, falling statues, and shrunken human heads. He recounts those adventures and more in Stealing the Show, his memoir.” Wall Street Journal
“With his deep, authoritative voice, Mack Sanderson is the perfect narrator for this memoir by the former chief security officer of New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. He is so believable that at times listeners may believe they’re hearing the author himself…Sanderson takes us into the world of the curators who are responsible for priceless collections such as the renowned King Tut exhibition. Listeners will learn much about the psychology of the art thief—whether art lover, opportunist, or professional.” AudioFile
“Forget Oceans 8, put The Thomas Crowne Affair on hold, tell the Pink Panther he’s got to wait. If you want a guided tour through the shadows and into the real world of art theft, Stealing the Show is your ticket.” John Miller, deputy commissioner for intelligence, New York Police Department
“John Barelli made us feel totally secure at the Met for more than a quarter of a century—and now he tells us exactly how he handled threats, thefts, and the challenges of keeping art and visitors safe in the post-9/11 world. Like the great treasures he protected, this is a masterpiece of a memoir.” Harold Holzer, author, winner of the National Humanities Medal, and former senior vice president for external affairs at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
“The theft and sometime recovery of a work of art holds a fascination for many that John Barelli fully satisfies in these absorbing pages, born of a long career studying the subject and putting it into practice at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.” Philippe de Montebello, director emeritus, Metropolitan Museum of Art
“This book is about much more than the untold stories of half a dozen major art thefts. It is about what it means to be a New Yorker, what it means to be a lover of art and the rule of law, and what it means to be a highly trained professional with an especially stressful job.” Ron Smith, poet laureate of Virginia, 2014 to 2016