Florian's Gate: Bk. 1 (The Priceless Collection) Paperback – 1 Feb. 2013

Thought provoking book. Some very moving illustrations of life during the holocuast. Couldn't put the book down. Definitely a must read

This is a good book, well written and Davis Bunn has explained the antiques quite well I think, but unfortunately I could not visualise all the pieces. I am looking forward to reading the next two books in the series, The Amber Room and The Winter Palace.

BRILLIANT

Not used to so much detail in a book ,took a while for me to want to read more

Factually inaccurate. Incredibly slow -paced. I usually finish most books but even I couldn't finish this one. I would not reccomended this to anyone.

This is Bunn at his best. A well researched novel about antiques with the redeeming message of the Gospel.

Very pedantically written. Considering the subject matter (antiques among other things), it could've been less pedantic. Even though most of us don't know much, and Bunn attempts to inform us, the attempts are very heavy handed.But decent second hand copy. Packaging was very tight and do the edges folded up a little. Can be avoided in future.

Every time I read a book by T. Davis Bunn, I think it’s the best one I’ve read. This one is no exception. It had me hooked from the first page and fast turning pages ever after. This is the story of a young man named Jeffrey Sinclair, an American, who lands an ideal job with the antiques dealer and his uncle, Alexander Kantor.Jeffrey loves his work with the amazing antiques. The source of the antiques is a little bit fuzzy, though. Everything is shaded in secrecy, and everything in the business is based on trust. The pieces never have provenance yet they are always of the finest quality. Jeffrey begins to wonder exactly who he can trust.Jeffrey hires an assistant named Katya. She is a beautiful, intelligent young woman who quickly becomes an indispensable asset in the London office. When Alexander needs a special traveling job done, Katya accompanies Jeffrey as interpreter, since she speaks German and Polish as well as English.The adventure begins here, on their trip, and we are taken to some of the poorest, most needy places in Europe. People are willing to sell their treasures so that they can provide for their families, or in one case, travel to Paris before he dies.Jeffrey meets Alexander’s brother Gregor, a devout man with many gifts. His friendship with Katya grows, and he finds out some of the secrets of the business. There are some very exciting pieces to be moved around, some hidden in the most novel places.The author’s research is amazing. In many ways, the book is the story of his wife’s family and sticks close to their memories.I felt like I was traveling back with the characters over real hurts, suffering, and memories that were so horrible it was impossible even to think about them. I love the descriptions of Cracow—and everywhere else, for that matter. Davis Bunn really understands how to describe and provide historical background through dialogue.I loved this book, and I think you will, too. I look forward to reading more of Mr. Bunn’s books in the Priceless Collection series.

What an amazing and enjoyable book. The storyline is excellent and so accurate historically. To read about some of the experiences of those who lived in that region leaves one recognising just how blessed we are. Although I grew up in the UK and studied history there was so much we just did not know and this book brought history alive. I found reading the acknowledgements just as interesting as the rest of the book. This is not just a novel - it is history being brought into reality.

Florian's Gate is the first book in "The Priceless Collection" series by Davis Bunn; it has also been released before in 1992. The setting is London and Poland shortly after the Berlin Wall has fallen. The main characters are Jeffrey Sinclair, who is from America and his cousin Alexander Kantor, who is from Poland, but is very wealthy and has residences all over Europe. Alexander Kantor has a reputation for obtaining the most exquisite and rare antiques for his antique business. People wonder where he gets them because he rarely produces the provenance for his finds. Is he involved in something shady or even illegal? He is approaching 70 years of age and hires his cousin Jeffrey to work for him to learn the business and eventually take over. Jeffrey doesn't know this when he accepts the job. After about a year, Alexander takes Jeffrey on his first buying trip. What Jeffrey discovers on this trip is shocking and life changing. Alexander feels it is time to deal with his past, but can he wade through the myriad of emotions to find resolution and peace? Jeffrey Sinclair is approaching 30 and bored with his life in America. When his cousin travels from London to offer him a job, Jeffrey realizes this is the opportunity of a lifetime and readily accepts. Jeffrey must learn the ins-and-outs of the antique business. He also builds a reputation for honesty in the antique world. He is fascinated by his assistant Katya and believes she is the "one". She is very reserved and questions him about his faith or lack thereof. She is a strong believer and wonders why Jeffrey is not. Jeffrey wonders what Katya is keeping from him and why she won't completely trust him. This is a well-researched and well-written book with descriptions of antiques and places that give the reader a "you are there" feeling as if you are really seeing what is being described. I learned about the antique business and Polish culture, history and Communist Poland. There was also a gut-wrenching and heart-rending portion of the story that takes place at Auschwitz, one of the Nazi concentration camps during WWII. This is described in vivid detail and just made my heart ache for what these people endured. Readers also see Poland post-Communism and the intense struggles that take place just to live every day. The story takes a while to get moving, however. It is rather tedious at the beginning, but don't give up. Jeffrey and Alexander are very likeable characters. The question of why does God allow suffering is addressed, and the two men begin to seek Him.