The Hermitage

About the Book

The Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia, has one of the greatest collections of art in the history of the world. However, the Russian economy is struggling. President Vladimir Putin is desperate to raise hard currency, and he lets his inner circle know that it’s time to sell off some of the hidden Russian treasures of the Hermitage Museum. General Serkin of the Russian army, a confidant of President Putin, doesn’t want the art sold off, but disobedience to Putin has many negative ramifications. Russia stages the 2014 Winter Olympics. Immediately after the Olympics, Russia invades Crimea in the Ukraine. The international community sanctions Russia. The Russian ruble collapses. The value of Russian exports and the value of Russian oil crumble. Russia has other active conflicts in Syria and Chechnya, and Russians are hungry. Putin tells General Serkin it was time to sell the art. This is the fictional story of how the art of the Hermitage was stolen and then recovered.

About the Author

About the Author The first time David Rosten traveled to Russia was in the early 1970s. The Cold War was in full swing. It was the first time he was at the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia. He has never forgotten the enormity of the collection. Mr. Rosten has degrees in political science and international and comparative law. He is a community director for the Center for Citizen Peacebuilding at the University of California and on the national board of directors for the Olive Tree Initiative at UC–Irvine. He is a former cochair of the dean’s council at UC–Irvine.