Rogues and Scholars

James Stourton is an excellent art historian and brilliant storyteller; a heady combination that makes Rogues & Scholars the must-read art book of the year. * Will Gompertz *
A perceptive, authoritative and highly readable account of the golden age of the British art market. * Philip Hook *
With panache and characteristically elegant penmanship, James Stourton throws open the doors to a riveting chapter in the history of art in which glamorous eccentricities, serious scholarship and a good deal of swindling cohabit... Stourton brings us a gripping and thoroughly researched chronicle of the post-war art market, punctuated with the occasional ‘you couldn’t make this up’ moment. Rogues & Scholars is just as entertaining as it is educational. * Wolf Burchard *
James Stourton offers a roller-coaster ride through the post-war London art market, an almost breathless account of dizzying ascents and dramatic plunges told through a cast of characters at times barely credible - or perhaps all too credible? - and tales that may seem too fantastical to be true. Readers, however, should not be fooled. This pacy and entertaining narrative belies an insider’s deep understanding and astute analysis of his subject … [Stourton] has negotiated contentious and potentially tedious terrain with a lightness of touch, a genius for the telling anecdote or quote and an estimable ability to pare down facts to the essential -- Susan Moore * Apollo *
Erudite and amusing ... Stourton succeeds in capturing the enduring allure of a largely unregulated and mercurial market, one populated with go-betweens and fixers and peppered with beautiful things. A combination that is both its charm and its flaw. -- Christian House * Financial Times *
What a treat -- Huon Mallalieu * Country Life *
Accessible, wide-ranging and continually fascinating ... Stourton's story is a rollercoaster ride for the individuals and concerns described, and a more insightful work than most novels. Although Andras Kalman is described as Dickensian, only Vanity Fair might strike some as a worthy comparison to this excellent story. -- Jeremy Black * The Critic *
As an overview of the London art market, Stourton’s book cannot be bettered. -- Georgina Adam * Literary Review *

Praise for James Stourton's Heritage:

[A] huge, energetic and tightly written tome on the two-and-half-century history of conservation battles in our homeland... A masterful, dynamic and extremely readable survey of one the major issues of our times. Or all times

* Literary Review *
It not only covers the conservation and protection of our buildings and landscapes, but also the wider cultural aspects * This England *
Compelling and thought-provoking, this book not only explores how Britain's rich and diverse heritage has been conserved (and in some cases destroyed) in the past, but offers a ray of hope for its future * The Observer *