Chasing History, Quixotic Quests for Artifacts, Art, and Heritage

Based on a career as a historian as well as his work for cultural institutions, Thomas Chavez uses the organizational and literary model of Don Quixote to create a personal account and modern history that champions the value of the work done in museums and the arts. The message resonates to all people who work in support of the humanities and arts. Such stories are interesting, many times humorous, even unorthodox, but always important, influential, and timeless. Here are the nuances from happenstance to politics and fundraising. Here are the true stories of determination seeking to do the impossible. As Chavez writes, ''I worked with intelligent, creative, and sensitive people. My colleagues were dreamers and doers. We could have been neither but we came to our life's work intentionally with the realization that there was something inherently important in what we were doing.''