The Hunt for History

December 1, 2019
A leading dealer in historical documents and artifacts delivers a delightful account of his business. Raab, who writes the "Historically Speaking" column for Forbes.com, begins with an account of his education under the guidance of a father whose fascination with antiquities persuaded him to give up a prosperous legal career. "I had found my way to the emotional yet intangible heart of this trade in history," he writes. "I came to understand what binds people to the physical traces of our history and its great men and women, why these artifacts and pieces of paper have such power. This isn't an easy lesson, and no one can teach it to you. You have to learn it yourself." The author emphasizes that it's not a career for the faint of heart, requiring a scholar's knowledge of history, a keen nose for fakes (a thriving industry), genuine-but-not-priceless items (many famous people's letters were signed and often written by a secretary), and a sense of what will sell to collectors. A Benjamin Franklin letter discussing the Constitution brings a king's ransom; another apologizing for arriving late for a meeting would attract far less interest. As skilled in satisfying readers as clients, Raab knows how to tell a story, chronicling how descendants of great historical figures invite him to their homes and reveal treasures. A survey report signed by the young George Washington looked like a bonanza until Raab's research turned up another, identical including the corrections--and then another. An undistinguished collection of John F. Kennedy memorabilia included a tape of lost recordings from the plane carrying Kennedy's body to Washington, D.C., after his assassination. In that case, the author's joy was cut short when a government lawyer called him to demand it. The book also contains plenty of sad tales about certain family heirlooms, preserved for generations, that turned out to be reproductions. Though the anecdotes are unconnected, they are unfailingly entertaining.

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January 6, 2020
Rare documents dealer Raab relates the stories behind his greatest finds in his brisk and entertaining debut. After working in politics and public relations, Raab followed his father into the antiquarian business; in one of his first transactions, he fetched a quarter-million dollars for a collection of Ronald Reagan’s letters. Other high-price articles include a section of the first underground electric cable laid between Thomas Edison’s house and laboratory in Menlo Park, N.J.; the original, unedited recording from Air Force One as JFK’s body was flown from Dallas to Andrews Air Force Base; and the fragments of an 1829 letter from Andrew Jackson to Native American tribal leaders. Raab sketches the historical context of these and other items, describes how they came to his attention, and details the painstaking authentication process. The anecdotes share a similar structure, and they all serve to burnish Raab’s reputation. His genuine love of history radiates from the page, however, and readers will root for people like Robert Johnson, who saved a piece of Amelia Earhart memorabilia from the trash pile. The result is a thoughtful tribute to the art and business of collecting history.

January 31, 2020

In this part detective story, part history lesson, Raab (The Hunt for History; "Historically Speaking" column, Forbes.com), with cowriter Barr (Ritz & Escoffier), describes how his parents ventured into the autograph and memorabilia business in the mid-1990s, encouraging him to join them. Raab shares his experiences tracking down documents, performing extensive research, and delivering news, both good and bad, to people uncertain if their items have significant historical value. Here, readers gain insight into the adventures of a real-life treasure hunter; Raab's exploits will remind readers of Indiana Jones or Benjamin Gates of the National Treasure film series. They'll be amazed by the artifacts Raab comes across, including many that have been passed down from generation to generation. VERDICT With several chill-inducing moments combined with engaging writing, this book will hold readers' interest until the last page. May be of particular interest to fans of Antiques Roadshow or American Pickers.--Rebecca Kluberdanz, Central New York Lib. Resources Council, Syracuse

Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 15, 2020
Rare documents dealer Raab shares stories of his career as a buyer, seller, and student of history. From a childhood of buying baseball cards and rare autographs, Raab grew to become a partner in his father's mom-and-pop shop for historical documents, which he transformed with his family into a curated, boutique-style business that regularly makes news for its extraordinary finds. He leads readers from dingy trinket shops and musty attics to the elegant New York offices of the famous Christie's auction house, describing how he goes about finding, authenticating, and purchasing things like William Henry Harrison's military medal of honor and the letter that conveyed news to England of Napoleon's death in exile. Though Raab is an avid history buff with a wide range of expertise, he sometimes oversimplifies American history for the reader, as his admiration for American presidents leads him to gloss over many of their well-known misdeeds. Nevertheless, his book is a fascinating glimpse at the day-to-day operations of an unusual profession, and Raab's exploits will delight lovers of history like himself.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)