News & Reviews

PRAISE:

12/4/09 The Library Journal named The Man Who Loved Books Too Much one of the "Best Books of 2009

9/7/09 Named one of The Big Books of Fall by The Daily Beast

9-6/09: Named a "Notable Book for Fall" by the San Francisco Chronicle

Fall/09: Chosen for the Barnes and Noble "Discover Great New Writers" program

Fall/09: Selected by independent booksellers nationwide for the October 2009 Indie Next List

NY Observer puts THE MAN WHO LOVED BOOKS TOO MUCH on its VERY SHORT LIST
High-end thievery usually involves items we don’t have in our own homes: million-dollar gems, Picassos, silver and gold. But what about books? In The Man Who Loved Books Too Much: The True Story of a Thief, a Detective, and a World Literary Obsession, journalist Allison Hoover Bartlett not only unravels the fascinating story of America’s most-wanted book stealer, she goes deep into the world of book collecting to show just how valuable beloved tomes can be. read more


Reviews Authors | Publications | Blogs

AUTHORS

"As a rule I approach unsolicited galleys with the same degree of delight that I reserve for root canals. This book surprised me. I read the first paragraph and was drawn in, not so much by the subject matter as by the author's cozy, quiet style, evocative for me of the work of Dava Sobel and Janet Malcolm. I found the narrative compelling, and I loved the inside stories about old books."
—Erik Larson, bestselling author of The Devil in the White City

"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

"John Gilkey wanted to own a rich-man's library in the worst way, and was soon acquiring expensive first editions in the very worst way of all: theft. Allison Hoover Bartlett's The Man Who Loved Books Too Much is the enthralling account of a gently mad con artist and his fraudulent credit-card scams, but it's also a meditation on the urge to collect and a terrific introduction to the close-knit, swashbuckling world of antiquarian book dealers."
—Michael Dirda, Pulitzer Prize-winning book critic and author of Classics for Pleasure and the memoir An Open Book

"Allison Hoover Bartlett has written a meticulous and fascinating book about a serial bookthief and the persistent sleuth who dogged him for years and finally caught him. It will be especially gripping for those of us who trade in antiquarian books, who owe much to Ken Sanders's persistence. A fine read."
—Larry McMurtry, bestselling author of Books: A Memoir and the Pulitzer Prize-winning Lonesome Dove

"With its brilliantly observed details, wry humor, and thrilling plot twists, Bartlett 's narrative drew me deep into the obsessive world of a book thief and the dealer determined to stop him. It's a captivating cat-and-mouse game and a fascinating exploration of why people are so passionate about books. If you liked The Orchid Thief, you're going to love The Man Who Loved Books Too Much."
—Julia Flynn Siler, author of The House of Mondavi

"Bartlett 's tale of literary intrigue makes you fall in love with books all over again. From her fascinating descriptions of prized manuscripts to her profile of a man who took an obsession too far, her story will leave you hankering to read more. "
—Julia Scheeres, author of Jesus Land


PUBLICATIONS

The Literate Burglar
The Boston Globe, Matthew Battles

Los Angeles Times, Carmela Ciuraru
"Tautly written, wry and thoroughly compelling, "The Man Who Loved Books Too Much" unfolds like a great mystery. It also offers a look at the history of book collecting, as well as insight into how book dealers assess value. Bartlett is an appealing storyteller who becomes more personally entangled in her narrative than she had wished, which adds to the drama."

Library Journal – Starred Review
-Joyce Sparrow, JWB Children's Svcs. Council, Clearwater, FL
Rare bookstore owner Ken Saunders relishes catching book thieves, and his favorite target is John Gilkey, a repeat offender who has spent multiple stints in jail for using stolen credit card numbers and bad checks to purchase books estimated to be worth together more than $100,000. In this intriguing account, journalist Bartlett takes readers behind the scenes at antiquarian book fairs and rare bookstores, where sellers are always on the lookout for thieves. Bartlett first meets Gilkey when he is serving time near San Francisco. Over several meetings, Gilkey explains that he feels he builds his image through books, proving himself a man of taste, knowledge, and affluence. VERDICT This excellent tale of people's intimate, complex, and sometimes dangerous relationships to books will be relished by readers, writers, and collectors who are passionate about books as well as fans of true crime stories.

Thief lives in thrall to books
National Post, Robert Fulford

The Associated Press, Jonathan Lopez
"With a keen eye for detail and a measured sense of pacing, Bartlett offers an insightful look at the psychology of the most eccentric of criminals in this swift, entertaining volume about what happens when a love of books takes a sinister turn. "

San Francisco Chronicle, Jory John
"Bartlett immerses herself in unfamiliar territory with a willingness to learn everything she can about rare books and those who deal in them. You see the behind-the-scenes tinkering, how the narrative is meticulously put together through two years of diligent research...a compelling read for anybody who loves a good story." Read more: www.sfgate.com

Snap Judgments
-San Francisco Magazine
San Francisco journalist Allison Hoover Bartlett’s new work of nonfiction reveals that in addition to being a haven for authors of all stripes, the Bay Area is home to a prolific rare-book thief. John Gilkey, whose exploits Bartlett first chronicled in San Francisco (February 2006), is an accomplished con artist who has made it his life’s goal to possess a first edition of every book on the Modern Library’s 100 Best Novels list. read more

Review: `Man Who Loved Books Too Much' Stole Them
-The Associated Press
Over a period of about 10 years, beginning in the late 1990s, book collector John Gilkey of Modesto, Calif., acquired an impressive array of rare first editions by authors including Mark Twain, Beatrix Potter and Vladimir Nabokov. Money was no object because Gilkey didn't buy his books. He stole them...read more

The Tome Collector
-The Washington Post
The term for John Gilkey's bad habit is bibliokleptomania: stealing books not for profit but because you love them, take pride in them, must have them. Freelance writer Allison Hoover Bartlett introduces the reader to two main characters in this strange true-crime tale...read more

Book thieves and their bounty
-Chicago Tribune, Julia Keller
The ways of criminals are mean and manifold, yet few acts of thievery are more confounding than book theft. For one thing, the objects themselves seem far removed from the grubby world of crime and punishment. Books aren't gems or guns or cash. They're not wallets or hubcaps. They're humble little rectangles that promise enlightenment and entertainment -- not a big jackpot...read more

What lengths would you go to for a book? Would you steal?
-San Francisco Chronicle
John Gilkey has an aspiration for his life: to own a first edition of every book on Modern Library's list of Top 100 novels. The trouble is that Gilkey has no intention of buying any of these books, which include writings by authors F. Scott Fitzgerald, James Joyce, Vladimir Nabokov, Virginia Woolf, and more.
Instead, he has tried to acquire them in another way: through theft...read more

BLOGS

The Man Who Loved Books Too Much: A Q and A with Allison Hoover Bartlett
-The Open Case Blog, by Ulrich Boser
Too often true crime writing is big and overhyped. It glorifies the criminal. It ignores the convoluted nature of crime and criminal justice. In her new book The Man Who Loved Books Too Much: The True Story of a Thief, a Detective, and a World of Literary Obsession, Allison Hoover Bartlett doesn’t fall into this trap...read more

Allison Hoover Bartlett: Whatever You Do, Find Interesting Character
-1st BOOKS: Stories of How Writers Get Started
While walking the dog the other day, I ran into an old friend, someone whose kids had gone to preschool with my own. When I told her that my book was about to be published, she said she remembers when I first started talking about wanting to write...read more

A selection of blog reviews:
Baileys and Books
blogcritics
Bookgasm
BookNAround
The Book Lady’s Blog
Books, Line, and Sinker
Book Tumbling
Chick with Books
Life Happens While Books Are Waiting
Pop Culture Beast
S. Krishna's Books