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

Narrated by: Judith Brackley

John Charles 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. Journalist Allison Hoover Bartlett befriended both eccentric characters and found herself caught in the middle of efforts to recover hidden treasure.

With a mixture of suspense, insight, and humor, she not only reveals exactly how Gilkey pulled off his dirtiest crimes 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 listener 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.

©2009 Alison Bartlett (P)2010 Tantor

Critic reviews

"A captivating cat-and-mouse game and a fascinating exploration of why people are so passionate about books." (Julia Flynn Siler, author of the New York Times bestseller The House of Mondavi

Great Story, Great narration

A very compelling story about a little-known compulsion. Excellant narration and character development. Helped me to understand a little about my own love of books. Am looking forward to more writing by this author.

Disturbing

As a book lover, I found this book disturbing and depressing. It's definitely readable, but the thief's amorality, the disinterest of the police, and the rather diffident presentation of these bothered me.

Loved It

Wikipedia defines "bibliomania" as "an obsessive–compulsive disorder involving the collecting or hoarding of books to the point where social relations or health are damaged." Having "bibliomania" is probably bad, but being a "bibliophile" (someone who "who loves to read, admire and collect books, often amassing a large and specialized collection"), is more admirable.

Do we have a word the digital book (audio and e-book) enthusiasts among us? Maybe "digi-bibliophile" or "e-bibliophile"? Can I trademark these terms? (A quick google search, done after thinking of the name, shows that I did not get to this first - oh well).

The Man Who Loved Books Too Much is about bibliomaniacs, bibliophiles, and all the people in between. Bartlett structures her story around a John Gilkey, a mentally unbalanced thief who managed to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of rare books via credit card fraud in the 1990s. Gilkey's crimes give us a window into the rarified world of rare book dealing and collecting.

I had no idea that there exists an "Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America" (ABAA), or that antiquarian book shows were such a big deal. It came as a surprise to me that rare book collectors collect mostly not to read their acquisitions, that the value of the book is less in its content but in its scarcity and historical significance. The catchphrase in rare book circles is to "never judge a book by its contents". Only first edition, first run books - in mint condition with their dust jackets intact - are valuable.

Some people think that the ascension of e-books will only increase the value of paper books that are beautifully constructed and have historical significance. The thinking goes that the rise of e-books will make paper books even more rare, and that we will do the bulk of our reading digitally while cherishing those certain physical books that we have an emotional connection with. Maybe.

The Man Who Loved Books Too Much is a great read for the bibliophiles, e-bibliophiles, and e-bibliomaniacs among us. Highly recommended.

Interesting story

Narrator was a Mona toned but told a great story of a man’s love of books. Reminded me of the movie “Catch Me If You Can”, but with books.

A Good Listen!

I started this book right after buying it and didn't stop listening until it was finished. Living in Salt Lake and being familiar with Ken Sanders made it even more enjoyable for me. I have been telling everyone that this is a book they should buy.