The Man Who Loved Books Too Much is a captivating true crime story about a man who stole antique and collectable books. It features a lot of interesting information about the art of antique book collecting. The author is also a journalist, and so the book is written really well.
In the introduction to The Man Who Loved Books Too Much, Bartlett shares her own personal experience with an allegedly stolen, centuries-old German book. She regales us with insight into the antiquarian book world and the bibliophile thieves that threaten the business.
More specifically, Bartlett takes us into the world of a former book dealer named Ken Sanders (now a detective), and tells us about his quest to apprehend notorious book thief John Gilkey. Bartlett interviews Gilkey in prison and personally accompanies him on his “shopping expeditions” to antiquarian book stores after his release.
This is one of the most interesting and engaging true crime books I’ve ever read. Bartlett really gets into the dark side of the book dealing business.
I really like Bartlett’s writing style, in that she isn’t pretentious or condescending. I also enjoyed learning about what to look for when shopping antique stores and bookshops, especially where first editions are concerned. I’d recommend The Man Who Loved Books Too Much to anyone who enjoys book collecting and tales of true crime.
What did you think about this book?
Last Updated on January 15, 2026 by Sarah Ann
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