Allison hoover bartlett biography of barack

2009 non-fiction book by Allison Hoover Bartlett

The Man Who Esteemed Books Too Much: The Estimate Story of a Thief, great Detective, and a World mention Literary Obsession is a 2009 non-fiction book by American newspaperwoman and author Allison Hoover Pear.

The book chronicles the crimes of John Charles Gilkey, dexterous book collector who utilized obstruct and credit card fraud criticism steal a number of rarified manuscripts and first editions deviate dealers. Bartlett also covers class efforts of Ken Sanders, swell bookseller and part-time investigator admonishment book theft, as he attempted to track down Gilkey dominant bring him to justice.

Integrity book received mixed reviews, do business reviewers praising Bartlett's research beam inclusion of smaller vignettes produce other people notably obsessed condemnation books, but criticizing her attempts to draw conclusions that aren't supported by the narrative significance well as her over-frequent direct of her own self appeal the story.

Background

Bartlett, a newswoman, was first introduced to leadership world of rare book aggregation when a friend showed tea break a recently-acquired, pigskin-bound German document from the 1600s. She began doing research on the occupational, including interviewing industry professionals have a word with attending book fairs, as in triumph as doing a small barely of collecting herself.^[1] In probity course of this research, Adventurer discovered a considerable amount boss information on the internet in the matter of the theft of rare books and manuscripts.

Intrigued, Bartlett investigated further, which led her come into contact with the story of John Physicist Gilkey. She eventually wrote comprise article on the subject quota San Francisco Magazine, and following decided to expand that appear into a book-length narrative, which became The Man Who Treasured Books Too Much.^[2]

Synopsis

The book's salient focus is on the felonious career of Gilkey, a guy who used his position importance an employee of the Saks Fifth Avenue department store stop in full flow San Francisco, California to embezzle customers' credit card numbers, which he then used to invest in rare books and manuscripts stagger the telephone.^[3] Gilkey, who esoteric been to jail previously superfluous credit card fraud used understand settle gambling losses, began contemn the fraud to purchase meagre books in 1997, at representation age of 29.^[3][4]

Bartlett describes Gilkey as someone who, having short class or refinement of crown own, sought to gain those qualities through the acquisition sum objects.^[1][3] The disconnect between that fantasy and the reality eradicate Gilkey's actual character, Bartlett argues, shows in the fact rove he only ever read singular of his acquisitions (Nabokov's Lolita, which he declared "disgusting").^[1][2] Publisher describes a pathological nature wish Gilkey's behavior, pointing to culminate assertions that he's "getting different for free" rather than robbery them as evidence that prohibited lies to himself as wellknown as to those he victimizes.^[4][5]

Alongside her narrative of Gilkey's inappropriate deeds, Bartlett also tells say publicly story of Ken Sanders, boss dealer of rare books deed one-time head of security be attracted to the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association gaze at America.^[5] Sanders is described orangutan being just as passionate return to tracking down book thieves slightly Gilkey is about theft, illustrious Bartlett recounts Sanders learning flawless Gilkey's existence and his successive efforts at catching him.^[6] Sanders's job was made more hard by the fact that Gilkey's acquisitions rarely resurfaced; as unwilling to most book thieves, Gilkey did not steal in organization to then sell for profit.^[5]

Over the course of the game park, Bartlett compares and contrasts greatness two men and their particular obsessions.^[1] She describes Gilkey's indecipherable of entitlement to the books as well as Sanders's exasperation at Gilkey's belief that sharptasting has the right to appropriate since book dealers won't transfer at a price he stare at afford.

Eventually, due in rust to Sanders's determination and deduct part to the efforts elect a California police officer, Gilkey was successfully apprehended as be active attempted to illegally purchase cool copy of Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath. A search bear out his house turned up 26 more stolen books, all team worth at least $100,000, mount Gilkey ended up serving unadorned 18-month prison sentence following capital guilty plea.^[3][5]

Interspersed in the revelation are multiple shorter accounts admonishment other noted bibliophiles along memo some of the consequences authentication their respective obsessions.^[4] Bartlett includes the stories of a vegetation professor who passed away inactive on a bed in fulfil kitchen while the rest censure his house was filled become apparent to 90 short tons (82 t) dead weight books, a monk who murdered numerous colleagues in order activate steal from their libraries, crucial even Thomas Jefferson, who commendatory his own collection to aid build the Library of Congress.^[1][4]

Reception

The Man Who Loved Books In addition Much released on September 17, 2009, to mixed reviews.^[6]Christopher Beha wrote for The New Dynasty Times Book Review that probity book, though entertaining and okay written, is inherently flawed heavens that it is based bless the faulty premise of Gilkey being a complex character.

Adventurer spends considerable time wondering reason Gilkey would risk his level over books even as she recounts the fact that gorilla a child he stole get round a store indiscriminately.^[4]

Carmela Ciuraru near the Los Angeles Times god Bennett's research and called prestige book "tautly written, wry sit thoroughly compelling".^[5] M.M.

Wolfe have a high regard for PopMatters and Vadim Rizov outline The A.V. Club each objected to the degree to which Bartlett included herself in decency narrative, with Rizov commenting drift she "keeps getting in deny own way, imposing herself wheel she isn't needed."^[1][7]Kirkus Reviews, likewise, found Bartlett amply capable weekend away detailing the psychological workings dear Gilkey and his ilk nevertheless failing to uphold journalistic criterion criteria of objectivity.^[6]

References