Michelle Young
banner
michelleyoung.bsky.social
Michelle Young
@michelleyoung.bsky.social
Author, journalist, entrepreneur. THE ART SPY from @HarperOneBooks & SECRET BROOKLYN. Founder @UntappedNY Professor @ColumbiaGSAPP https://michelleyoungwriter.com/theartspy
The Art Spy was named by the New York Public Library as one of the Best Books of 2025! I was at the inspiring celebration yesterday where the President of NYPL passionately reminded us all why books are important: to help us empathize with ideas and worlds that are not our own.
November 21, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Fun news! The Art Spy was #9 in Indigo's top 100 History Books of 2025 & one of CEO Heather Reisman's book picks earlier this year! Indigo is Canada's biggest book retailer.
November 10, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Long Island friends! I'm heading back to where I grew up for 3 great book tour events this weekend!
Sat 11-1pm Barnes & Noble Stony Brook book signing
4-6pm Northport Books w/ bookstore owner Jenn McAuliffe
Sun 2pm Emma S. Clark Library event "Scholars & Spies" w/ Elyse Graham (Book & Dagger)
November 6, 2025 at 1:47 PM
October 29, 2025 at 3:00 PM
The care to which the Louvre protected its crown jewels & works of art in 1939 as WWII broke out, from my book The Art Spy. There's a lot more detail about the crown jewels that I had to cut out how one curator secretly carried them to the Banque of France in the Loire Valley. buff.ly/WE1BNNh
October 20, 2025 at 5:24 PM
The care to which the Louvre protected its crown jewels & works of art in 1939 as WWII broke out, from my book The Art Spy. There's a lot more detail about the crown jewels that I had to cut out how one curator secretly carried them to the Banque of France in the Loire Valley. buff.ly/WE1BNNh
October 20, 2025 at 5:21 PM
Did you know there were champagne vaults in the Brooklyn Bridge? My latest podcast episode for @untappedny.bsky.social is live! buff.ly/dHCxKuc
October 2, 2025 at 1:59 PM
Join me at non for a book talk with The Preservation League of NYC! us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
September 30, 2025 at 3:49 PM
Fun little thing: My photography is on display at the New York Historical in an installation about the street artist Invader! My photos are frequently licensed for books, exhibitions, etc. because I often have photos of places and artwork that no longer exist in NYC and around the world.
September 26, 2025 at 12:44 PM
My book tour resumes! Here's where I'll be talking The Art Spy for the next couple of months—a lot of New England spots, as well Seattle, Detroit, Delaware, New Jersey, NYC, and Long Island. Comment/DM me if I'll see you on the road! More info here: buff.ly/gSzYXYX
August 15, 2025 at 1:00 PM
2. @airmail.news made my article "The Spy Who Came in from the Burning Picassos" its lead story last week in its book report newsletter! It's the story of my biggest scoop/discovery in The Art Spy airmail.news/issues/2025-...
August 13, 2025 at 1:31 PM
Returned from my annual digital/electricity detox to discover amazing news about The Art Spy! Here they are
1. It's # 5 on the bestseller list in the state of Mississippi! This in large part thanks to the enthusiasm of Lemuria Books which made The Art Spy a first edition book club read!
August 13, 2025 at 1:31 PM
A friend sent me this photo of The Art Spy, a summer reading pick from a Swiss magazine, published by the Barnes & Noble-like chain of Switzerland!

"An enticing spy saga filled with art, war battles and LGBTQ representation,
The Art Spy couldn't have come at a better time."
August 2, 2025 at 1:30 PM
The Observer named The Art Spy one of 12 must-read art books for summer 2025, writing "An engrossing narrative of courage and espionage in Nazi-occupied France...both a riveting history and a tribute to quiet heroism in the art world...an essential read." buff.ly/iSzFBYp
July 23, 2025 at 6:09 PM
A BIG congratulations to my dear friend @lauriestories.bsky.social on the release of her new book The Aviator and the Showman about Amelia Earhart’s marriage to publisher George Putnam. It’s got it all: sex, death & mystery. I watched her write this book and it’s going to be huge!! amzn.to/4lPD3gb
July 15, 2025 at 12:31 PM
Holding the print version of my NYTimes book review of The Art Spy this Sunday morning here in the Berkshires! Out today! Honored that Rose Valland’s brave and heroic story is known to more and more people as my cross country/ cross continents book tour continues through the end of the year!
July 6, 2025 at 3:43 PM
THE ART SPY is out in the UK! Thank you @listentotimesradio.bsky.social for having me on with @hugorifkind.bsky.social to launch the book in the UK! I had a blast talking about Rose Valland's spy years and her British partner Joyce Heer.
July 3, 2025 at 8:13 PM
BREAKING NEWS! The Art Spy has been longlisted for the American Library of Paris Book Award, along with 7 other incredible books!! Finalists to be announced in September. Paris is certainly on my mind, as I'm flying there on Monday.
June 26, 2025 at 3:07 PM
GASP it’s the coveted orange Amazon bestseller flag for The Art Spy!!!

Word of advice to authors: I religiously don’t look at customer reviews because they will make you crazy (experience from my @untappedny world) but I needed to grab my bio today off Amazon and found this!
June 24, 2025 at 5:49 PM
Just signed 150 copies of The Art Spy for a First Edition Book Club in Mississippi! I can’t wait to hear what the book club readers think about it. Always a pleasure to pop inside the @harpercollins.bsky.social @harperonebooks.bsky.social office too!
June 17, 2025 at 3:57 PM
I was on French TV (France 2) talking The Art Spy, followed by Sting 😍
June 16, 2025 at 1:45 PM
In print in @Newsday.bsky.social my hometown newspaper! The summer reads book list with The Art Spy on top. It’s hits different when it’s the paper you read at the bagel shop growing up!
June 13, 2025 at 3:08 PM
11 years ago I got married at The Mount, Edith Wharton’s home in the Berkshires Now I’m back for their gala as one of their summer artists. I’ll be giving kicking off their summer author series on July 7 and 8 talking The Art Spy and Rose Valland!
June 13, 2025 at 1:52 PM
Going back to Ohio for my book tour was a real homecoming! 155+ energetic attendees with Gramercy Books at Bexley Library. I lived in Columbus after college working for A&F. Old friends (and new!) came out in force. Everyone holding up a copy of the book was a special moment.
June 11, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Happy Pride Month! Especially to my favorite lesbian heroine Rose Valland from my book The Art Spy. Among the new discoveries I’m most proud of was my deep dive into the life of Rose’s life partner, Joyce Heer, whom I tracked down like a veritable ghost. buff.ly/NC7aeem
June 8, 2025 at 2:01 PM