Review: The Man Who Loved Books Too Much

The Man Who Loved Books Too Much
By: Allison Hoover Bartlett

Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: Riverhead Hardcover (September 17, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1594488916
ISBN-13: 978-1594488917


Courtesy of Amazon:

In the tradition of The Orchid Thief, a compelling narrative set within the strange and genteel world of rare-book collecting: the true story of an infamous book thief, his victims, and the man determined to catch him.

Rare-book theft is even more widespread than fine-art theft. Most thieves, of course, steal for profit. John Charles Gilkey steals purely for the love of books. In an attempt to understand him better, journalist Allison Hoover Bartlett plunged herself into the world of book lust and discovered just how dangerous it can be.

Gilkey is an obsessed, unrepentant book thief who has stolen hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of rare books from book fairs, stores, and libraries around the country. Ken Sanders is the self-appointed "bibliodick" (book dealer with a penchant for detective work) driven to catch him. Bartlett befriended both outlandish characters and found herself caught in the middle of efforts to recover hidden treasure. With a mixture of suspense, insight, and humor, she has woven this entertaining cat-and-mouse chase into a narrative that not only reveals exactly how Gilkey pulled off his dirtiest crimes, where he stashed the loot, and how Sanders ultimately caught him but also explores the romance of books, the lure to collect them, and the temptation to steal them. Immersing the reader in a rich, wide world of literary obsession, Bartlett looks at the history of book passion, collection, and theft through the ages, to examine the craving that makes some people willing to stop at nothing to possess the books they love.

My review of the book:
Welcome to the world of rare book collection, thief and trying to catch the stealer. This book was a struggle for me to read. Why you might ask, because I found myself trying to rationalize what Mr. Gilkey was doing... but I could not. Stealing is stealing. And his reasoning to steal was beyond me reasoning with him. Ms. Allison tried to uncover his thinking and for that I give her props for going to the length she did. The book does intrigue me by the rare book collections. I never knew there was market out there for such a thing. It makes me look at books in a whole new light now.
I do have to say that this book is my first true story (non-romance) book I have read in quiet a while. And I feel a little off.
If you love true stories, thievery, and a disillusion world of one man ~ this book is for you.


If you would like to go to Ms. Allison Hoover Bartlett's web site, please go --->>> here.
If you would like to purchase this book, you can go to either: Penguin --->>> here
Or you can go to Amazon --->>> here

These are a few reviews from Amazon.com:
"In this great read about the collector's obsession gone wrong, Ms. Bartlett gives us fascinating glimpses of the rare book world, the criminal mind and the limits of journalistic involvement. Anyone who has trouble passing a used bookstore without going in will love this book."
-Lynn H. Nicholas, author of The Rape of Europa

"Hats off to Allison Bartlett for a splendid contribution to the literature of bibliophilia/bibliomania, the John Gilkey-Ken 'bibliodick' Sanders story is one that cried out to be told, and she has accomplished it with style and substance. Very nicely done."
-Nicholas A. Basbanes, author of A Gentle Madness

"A fascinating journey into a strange, obsessive world where a love for books can sometimes become a fatal attraction."
-Simon Worrall, author of The Poet and the Murderer