Third true crime book of the year! This one was more gentle than the first two.

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 focuses on John Charles Gilkey, who stole hundreds of thousands of dollars in rare books and manuscripts.

Bartlett details Gilkey’s methods and means of stealing, using forged cheques and stolen credit card numbers to make the purchases from rare book dealers. Bartlett extensively spoke with Gilkey, who seemed to be unable to control himself when talking. He would only give her details after the statute of limitations expired on his crimes though. She extensively discusses his personality and some of his psychologic makeup. The fact that he couldn’t afford the books he wanted didn’t seem to faze him. He spoke of “doing business” with the merchants whose merchandise he stole. Gilkey didn’t steal for profit; he stole because he loved what he was stealing.

The book also features Ken Sanders, a rare and antique book dealer who helped set up a sting to catch Gilkey in 2003 (Gilkey has done several stints in prison for different instances of thieving), and the book examines the world of rare, antique, and desired books. According to Bartlett, the theft of rare books is even more common and lucrative than the theft of fine art. Collectors are passionate and also ruthless. Many are extremely wealthy and will stop at nothing to possess the item they want. In the case of Gilkey, he thought he deserved what he stole.

This book is described as suspenseful but I didn’t think of it as such. I enjoyed it – Gilkey’s mental makeup was fascinating and Bartlett both makes interesting characters out of Gilkey and Sanders while showing they’re flip sides of the same coin, at least in my view. They’re both passionate and obsessed, but while Sanders acquired his books legitimately, Gilkey resorted to thievery. Gilkey is completely unrepentant and seemingly delusional, which also makes him intriguing.

I’d recommend this book, but don’t expect a thriller. It’s an interesting look into the book world and what makes its members tick. It’s a good book, but I didn’t feel like it was a page turner.

Tagged: authors: allison hoover bartlett, books: the man who loved books too much, genre: non-fiction, genre: true crime