Nada A. reviewed on 8/10/2010 + 1397 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 2

As an avid reader, I was intrigued by simply the title of the book. This book is a fascinating look at the business of rare books - the collectors, the sellers, and the intrigue. The overview is presented through the story of one book thief - John Gilkey - and one bookseller - Ken Sanders. I enjoyed this book on many levels. First of all, I enjoyed the story which is essentially the story of a criminal and the man who brought him to justice. Second, interspersed throughout the book are vignettes about other famous book collections and collectors. These were as interesting to me as the main story itself. Third, the author in telling the story becomes a part of it. I could relate to her descriptions of the fascination of book collecting. Finally, the author touches on the issue of the pleasure of working with and reading a physical book as opposed to the electronic book readers. I read both and think that something artistic and valuable will be lost if we completely lose the printed word.

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