Who would steal an old book? I don't read many true crime books, but the subject matter of this one caught my interest. I love books and I was quite interested to see what could make someone steal so many rare volumes. The author, Allison Hoover...
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Who would steal an old book? I don't read many true crime books, but the subject matter of this one caught my interest. I love books and I was quite interested to see what could make someone steal so many rare volumes. The author, Allison Hoover Bartlett, a journalist, paints a picture of a man who is obsessed with having the trappings of “the good life.” He sees a library of expensive, rare volumes as something to show off, something that will give the appearance of wealth and culture and make people admire him.
The book thief, John Charles Gilkey, allowed Bartlett to interview him about his crimes multiple times, over a period of years, in prison and out. He has served time for passing bad checks and for credit card fraud. He told Bartlett of his system for purchasing the books from book dealers with worthless checks or stolen credit card numbers.
Ken Sanders is the book dealer that served as the security chair for the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America (ABAA). The position involved collecting information on book thefts and disseminating it to ABAA members. He believed that several rare books thefts were related and dubbed the thief the “Northern California Credit Card Thief.”
Bartlett details the thefts by Gilkey and the chase by Sanders that took place over years. The perseverance of Sanders was evidently key to linking Gilkey to many thefts. The author also includes information on rare book collecting and the prices some books command at auction. I particularly liked the bit about the fore-edge painting.
I found this book a thoroughly enjoyable read and an intriguing look at rare book theft. It is clearly written and well organized. I appreciated that Bartlett gave enough background for an understanding of the people and events involved but doesn't go overboard with it. She skillfully portrays Gilkey's obsession with rare books and Sanders' quest to stop the thief. The historical details about other rare book collectors and thieves helped fit the story into the wider domain of rare book collecting. Bartlett's engaging style of writing made this a fast read. Once I got into the story, the pages flew by and I quickly reached the end of the book. I would recommend this book for anyone that enjoys reading about true crime or book collecting.
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