Staff Pick: The Man Who Loved Books Too Much

The Man Who Loved Books Too Much: the true story of a thief, a detective, and a world of literary obsession
By: Allison Hoover Bartlett

As the new millennium got underway, John Gilkey began to steal thousands of dollars worth of irreplaceable rare and valuable books from libraries, museums, and dealers across the U.S. Brought up in a household that collected books as ardently as it committed petty crimes, Gilkey began his acquisitions by any means possible. As Bartlett discovers, book theft is a widespread crime that respects no borders. Moreover, the rare-book business has always had more than a whiff of impropriety, if not actual dishonesty, about it. Bartlett establishes links with Gilkey, whose crimes have landed him in prison and who is apparently eager to have his exploits immortalized in print. She also encounters Ken Sanders, a book dealer obsessed with apprehending Gilkey. This is a grand morality tale in which books as objects become perversely more important than the ideas contained within.
Copyright 2009 Booklist Reviews.