{"product_id":"the-man-who-loved-books-too-much-the-true-story-of-a-thief-a-detective-and-a-world-of-literary-obsession-paperback","title":"The Man Who Loved Books Too Much: The True Story of a Thief, a Detective, and a World of Literary Obsession - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eAllison Hoover Bartlett\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eIn the tradition of \u003ci\u003eThe Orchid Thief\u003c\/i\u003e, 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.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eRare-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. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eJohn 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.\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eAllison Hoover Bartlett's writing has appeared in the \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e, the \u003ci\u003eWashington Post\u003c\/i\u003e, the \u003ci\u003eSan Francisco Chronicle Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e, and other publications. Her original article on John Gilkey was included in \u003ci\u003eThe Best American Crime Reporting 2007\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 288\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.77 x 8.17 x 5.53 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e October 05, 2010\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Books by splitShops","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51770997342496,"sku":"9781594484810","price":16.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0974\/9764\/5344\/files\/812d9cc4175466ab6984c5e1c2e17430.webp?v=1780381645","url":"https:\/\/ebocreations.com\/products\/the-man-who-loved-books-too-much-the-true-story-of-a-thief-a-detective-and-a-world-of-literary-obsession-paperback","provider":"The E-Book Oasis LLC","version":"1.0","type":"link"}