The Hunt for History: On the Trail of the World's Lost Treasures―from the Letters of Lincoln, Churchill, and Einstein to the Secret Recordings Onboard JFK's Air Force One - Hardcover

Raab, Nathan; Barr, Luke

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1501198904 ISBN 13: 9781501198908

Publisher: Scribner, 2020

Synopsis

Nathan Raab, America’s preeminent rare documents dealer, describes his years as the Sherlock Holmes of historical artifacts—questing after precious finds and determining their authenticity—and he shows us what the past can tell us about the present.

A box uncovered in a Maine attic with twenty letters written by Alexander Hamilton; a handheld address to Congress by President George Washington; a long-lost Gold Medal that belonged to an American President; a note that Winston Churchill wrote to his captor when he was a young POW in South Africa; paperwork signed and filled out by Amelia Earhart when she became the first woman to fly the Atlantic; an American flag carried to the moon and back by Neil Armstrong; an unpublished letter written by Albert Einstein, discussing his theory of relativity.

Each day, people from all over the world contact Nathan Raab for help understanding what they have, what it might be worth, and how to sell it. The Raab Collection’s president, Nathan is a modern-day treasure hunter and one of the world’s most prominent dealers of historical artifacts. Most weeks, he travels the country, scours auctions, or fields phone calls and emails from people who think they may have found something of note in a grandparent’s attic.

In The Hunt for History, Raab shares some fascinating stories about his professional exploits: spotting a letter from British officials that secured the Rosetta Stone; discovering a piece of the first electric cable laid by Edison; restoring a fragmented letter from Andrew Jackson that led to the infamous Trail of Tears; and locating copies of missing audio that had been recorded on Air Force One as the plane brought JFK’s body back to Washington. Whether it’s the first report of Napoleon’s death or a surreptitious letter penned by Martin Luther King, Jr., to his mistress, every document and artifact Raab uncovers comes with a spellbinding story—and often offers new insights into a life we thought we knew.

About this title

About the Author

Nathan Raab is one of the world’s most knowledgeable and respected experts in historical documents. His writing has appeared in The New York Times and The Philadelphia Inquirer, and he frequently writes a column, “Historically Speaking,” for Forbes.com. The author of The Hunt for History, he lives with his family in Pennsylvania.

Review

“A thrilling work of detection through the eyes of an expert, with false leads, forgeries and scoundrels—a fast and fascinating read.” 
—Jonathan Harr, New York Times bestselling author of A Civil Action and The Lost Painting

”Forget National Treasure—Nathan Raab’s historical adventures make him the Indiana Jones of rare document dealers. Beyond the thrill of the chase, he appreciates the emotional connection that transcends any mere piece of paper, a passion he comes to share. In a tale crowded with eureka moments, none surpasses his discovery of long hidden audio tapes made on Air Force One as it returned from Dallas to a stunned nation’s capital on November 22, 1963. Not content to preserve history, here Raab makes some of his own in a detective story that will fascinate every collector and remind us all why history is too important to leave to the historians.”
—Richard Norton Smith, author of the Pulitzer Prize finalist Thomas E. Dewey and His Times and other works of history

"The Hunt for History is worth reading for its tales of buried treasure and dogged detection. It‘s also keenly perceptive on the alchemy by which ink-and-paper relics become portals to the past, bringing history thrillingly alive. But what stuck with me was Nathan Raab‘s personal journey from hesitant apprentice to passionate expert: His enthusiasm became mine, so that by the time I finished reading I shared his appreciation for the hidden depths of the rare artifacts to which he has devoted himself.”
—Benjamin Wallace, New York Times bestselling author of The Billionaire’s Vinegar

"Nathan Raab's The Hunt for History fascinates with its stories of tracking down rare artifacts from America's past. Over the years, Raab’s discoveries of personal belongings and documents associated with Lincoln, Edison, JFK and Churchill have made international news. His track record as an antiquarian, restorer, curator and field-researcher is extraordinary. This book is highly recommended!"
—Douglas Brinkley, Katherine Tsanoff Brown Chair in Humanities and Professor of History at Rice University and author of American Moonshot: John F. Kennedy and the Great Space Race

“The Hunt for History is an absolutely riveting book that will have you experiencing moments of great significance as if they were occurring right in front of you. Nathan Raab is renowned for his extraordinary ability to find and bring to light historical treasures, such as the letters, documents, and personal items of giants ranging from Thomas Jefferson to Amelia Earhart to Albert Einstein. But his gifts extend far beyond uncovering hidden gems. Some of his most incredible stories show him exposing ingenious forgeries—and reading about his discoveries, real or fake, is like watching a master detective at work, with twists and turns that are never less than compelling. Perhaps Raab’s greatest talent is showing the importance of history—why it can teach us so much and fire us with inspiration. Anyone who enjoys stepping into the past will love this book. But even those who don’t consider themselves history buffs, once they read Raab’s amazing stories, will find themselves enthralled.”
—Andrew Carroll, New York Times bestselling author of War Letters and Letters of a Nation

“In The Hunt for History, Nathan Raab offers an absorbing narration of his adventures as a rare documents dealer. His account underscores the richness of our heritage, adding intriguing footnotes to the history we thought we knew.”
—Susan Eisenhower, President of The Eisenhower Group and author of Breaking Free and Mrs. Ike

Edition details

• Publisher: Scribner
• Publication date: 2020
• ISBN 10: 1501198904
• ISBN 13: 9781501198908
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 272