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 | Nonfiction |
ISBN: 9781594488917 Global Overview for this book
Registered by bobbarama of Carlsbad, California USA on 10/26/2009
Buy from one of these Booksellers:
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6 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by bobbarama from Carlsbad, California USA on Monday, October 26, 2009
Why Is This Book On My Shelf? Because as a booklover, how could I pass up a true story about an unrepentant serial book thief who steals rare first-editions not for profit but for love ... and the 'bibliodick' driven to catch him? The book's getting really good reviews. And, well, me being honest ... bibliodick ... I love that word. :)

Journal Entry 2 by bobbarama from Carlsbad, California USA on Monday, October 26, 2009
The Man Who Loved Books Too Much (U.S. ray)

I've converted this into a bookray. I'm feeling generous as we head into the holidays. :) The last person on the list can keep it, wild release it or send it out again. Up to you.

Please log an entry when you get the book, after you've finished reading it and when you mail it forward.

Enjoy!

Mailing order:

Stacers1973 ... Oregon
Ring88 ... Kansas
wildflower37 ... New Jersey
cinnycat ... New York
K9stylist ... South Carolina

Completed

Journal Entry 3 by bobbarama at Gladstone, Oregon USA on Monday, November 2, 2009

Released 14 yrs ago (11/3/2009 UTC) at Gladstone, Oregon USA

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Mailed the book this morning to Stacers1973 in Oregon. We're under way.

Enjoy, everyone.

Journal Entry 4 by Stacers1973 from Gladstone, Oregon USA on Tuesday, November 10, 2009
At last I get a moment to sit at the computer and say this little gem has arrived :) It is next up, thanks for sharing - Love the postcard too!!
A funny aside: "Bibliodick" and the Nook E-Reader, all in one week, hah! I find both terms, amusing :)

Journal Entry 5 by Stacers1973 from Gladstone, Oregon USA on Tuesday, November 17, 2009
This was a fun book to read, learning about all the rare books, I could see my husband totally falling into that world. John Gilkey, oh what to say about this obsessive, unrepentant, narcissistic rare book thief. I was astounded by his attitude sometimes, and couldn't fathom his return to places he had stolen from. When I read the passage about him contemplating suing a bookseller for a civil rights violation the thought that crossed my mind was oh god this guy is unrelenting - I flipped the page and the next sentence read "In conceiving rationalizations, as with stealing books, Gilkey was unrelenting." That made me laugh because I had felt it so deeply. He is clever though and while I abhore the behavior I kind of have to admire the drive, and I found amusement in where he stored his stolen items (not saying so as to avoid a spoiler).

Best quote: "I can resist everything except temptation" - Oscar Wilde because it summed up Gilkey to the tee.

Thanks bobbarama for sharing this, I love rings and rays because I might have never noticed this little diamond among the rough :)

Journal Entry 6 by Stacers1973 at Gladstone, Oregon USA on Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Released 14 yrs ago (11/17/2009 UTC) at Gladstone, Oregon USA

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On it's way to Ring88.... safe travels!

Journal Entry 7 by Ring88 from Wichita, Kansas USA on Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Hello all
I have the book in Wichita Ks. I'm about 50 page's in and hope to get it done by next Thur. And will hopefully get it out to Wildflower37 sometime that weekend and of course I will write what I think of the book and I told Bobbarama i would do a you tube review also.
Good night all Today in Wichita 21 with a wind chill of 4 nasty cold...

Ok I have read this book I liked it. I do not like the Thief.. I cant even start to tell you how mad this guy was making me while reading this book..
But that is what good books are about the love and hate you have for the subjects of the story's. I think Gilkey has a problem with stealing not so much the books. Sure he like books but I think if he had fondness for crock pots he would have the worlds largest colection of stolen crock pots. I love the the things I have and keep but I never think I would got the crazy ways to get say post cards as I love to have lots of post cards around me.. If he steals any more books I hope they keep him lock up for a long time.
I'm a man who loves book to much but for what they are a great way to kill some time. I like to read them I dont want to keep books I dont want to read.
It just seems crazy to me. he has a sickness about him that what I think. I could be wrong i have been wrong before so its nothing new..
Great book and I hope you all will enjoy it..

Journal Entry 8 by bobbarama from Carlsbad, California USA on Thursday, December 10, 2009
Jan. 17 Update for those of you checking in: I've PMed Ring88 to ask him if he's mailed the book yet. I'll post the update here when he gets back to me.

Journal Entry 9 by wildflower37 from Montclair, New Jersey USA on Saturday, January 23, 2010
Just received as part of bookring. (Third ring book I received this week. Have a lot of reading to do! Aan all 3 have the word "book" in the title. I am sensing a theme here.) Thanks!

Journal Entry 10 by wildflower37 from Montclair, New Jersey USA on Sunday, January 31, 2010
I was hooked on this book the minute I started reading it. I know the passion of a collector, and fortunately, not the passion of a thief. As a budding collector myself, my first taste was at the NY Antiquarian Book Fair, and the author's experience of the fair so mirrored my own...except that I came home and started collecting modern first editions. I appreciate her appreciation of the way collectors create relationships within their collections that certainly help one interpret the collection and may eventually add value.

The story of this book, however, is maddening. The way that the book thief, John Gilkey, rationalized his actions was profoundly upsetting for a book lover like me. I was exultant when he was captured, frustrated each time he was released. I especially enjoyed reading about the role of Ken Sanders, bookseller and amateur investigator, and his role in catching Gilkey. I have bought several volumes from Sanders and will now make it a point to visit his store after reading the description of his actions and his location.

I highly recommend this book to any book lover - but beaware of your own emotions as you read it!

Confirming the next recipient's address and will send ASAP.

Journal Entry 11 by wildflower37 at Bookring/Bookray, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- Canada on Sunday, January 31, 2010

Released 14 yrs ago (2/1/2010 UTC) at Bookring/Bookray, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- Canada

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Sending on to the next reader (cinnycat). Enjoy!

Journal Entry 12 by BookBirds from Somewhere in the USA, -- Wild Released somewhere in USA -- USA on Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Got this! It may take me a while to get to this one however. I'm reading a really big book currently, but this one will be next. thanks for sharing!

Update 3/7::: I haven't forgotten this one. It has been staring me down on the 'read ASAP TBR pile'. I'm in sort of a reading rut. Okay, definitely a reading rut. I will be picking this up shortly. Just wanted to post to let you know it is still on my mind. Sorry for the wait.

Journal Entry 13 by BookBirds from Somewhere in the USA, -- Wild Released somewhere in USA -- USA on Friday, April 2, 2010
Gilkey, the thief, does not "love books too much". He loves the monetary value of the books. He loves thinking that people will see him as an intelligent person with these books in his collection, though he has never read them. He likes the attention. I don't think he cares for the words in the book. ie: Gilkey calls up a bookseller and asks for "a book in the $2,000-$3,000 range. Maybe Thackeray's Vanity Fair." The seller says "We don't have Vanity Fair but we do have another 19th century classic" as if it doesn't matter what book he buys as long as it is worth $2,000-$3,000. Gilkey was trying to buy first editions of all of the 'Modern Library 100 Best Novels'. I know it isn't the point, but what if he bought the actual new Modern Library editions? He could have bought all 100 books for around the same price as ONE first edition! Maybe antique book collecting is fun if you have the money to spare but to me, $25 for a new hardcover is a lot of money. I don't like the idea of antique book collecting being about money. I love books for the words, not because of their monetary value.

I started to realize how amazing Gilkey must think it is, that a book is being written because of HIM. A book thief with a book about him? How could Gilkey not love that? He started asking Bartlett how the ending would go, trying to craft his own life so it would be nice for the book. I could think of no other reason why Gilkey would be open to telling Bartlett how he stole so many books. He goes into detail with Bartlett despite not telling the details to anyone else. I think Gilkey just wanted to be a criminal and figured stealing books would get him into less trouble than a lot of other crimes.

I did like Ken Sanders' story. He spoke of Scholastic book sales at school, where the other kids would order one or two books but he would buy an entire box. That reminded me of my own school days: The teacher would give each kid a four page catalog of books. I would take mine home and circle all of the books I would possibly be interested in, just the idea of having the choice "would I read this one or not?" was fun for me. I never bought all of the books I circled, and I definitely didn't get a box full like Sanders, but I think I do remember buying more than most of the kids in the class... only because it seemed like they weren't interested in books. Just a funny little aside more for my own sake, Sanders saying that just made the memories come back!

Already have the next address. thanks so much for sharing!

Journal Entry 14 by BookBirds at Exchange/Trade, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases on Friday, April 23, 2010

Released 13 yrs ago (4/23/2010 UTC) at Exchange/Trade, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases

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Sent to 'k9stylist' today. I'm so so sorry everyone for the amount of time I've had this. Again, thank you for letting me participate. Happy travels little book!

Journal Entry 15 by K9stylist from Summerville, South Carolina USA on Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Thank-you so much for the book. If Bob thinks it is a good book, it must be. He recommended another book to me and I loved it. I will make sure it goes to another Bookcrosser when I am done.

Journal Entry 16 by K9stylist at Summerville, South Carolina USA on Friday, September 24, 2010
passed on to my daughter to read.

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