The Man Who Loved Books Too Much: The True Story Of A Thief, A Detective And A World Of Literary Obsession

People have been collecting—and stealing—books since even before Gutenberg invented the printing press. Internationally, according to Interpol, rare book theft is more widespread than fine art theft.

In The Man Who Loved Books Too Much, Allison Hoover Bartlett takes us deep inside the world of rare books and tells the cat-and-mouse story of two men caught in its allure. She introduces us to John Gilkey, an unrepentant, obsessive book thief, and Ken Sanders, the equally obsessive self-styled “bibliodick,” a book-dealer turned amateur detective. While their goals are at direct odds, both men share a deep passion for books and a fierce determination—Gilkey, to steal books; Sanders, to stop him.

As Bartlett tells the suspense-filled story of Sanders's hunt for Gilkey, she also delves into the underlying question of why books have such a lasting fascination for us, collector and lay reader alike.