Download or read book The Map Thief written by Michael Blanding and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2015-06-02 with total page 321 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The story of an infamous crime, a revered map dealer with an unsavory secret, and the ruthless subculture that consumed him Maps have long exerted a special fascination on viewers—both as beautiful works of art and as practical tools to navigate the world. But to those who collect them, the map trade can be a cutthroat business, inhabited by quirky and sometimes disreputable characters in search of a finite number of extremely rare objects. Once considered a respectable antiquarian map dealer, E. Forbes Smiley spent years doubling as a map thief —until he was finally arrested slipping maps out of books in the Yale University library. The Map Thief delves into the untold history of this fascinating high-stakes criminal and the inside story of the industry that consumed him. Acclaimed reporter Michael Blanding has interviewed all the key players in this stranger-than-fiction story, and shares the fascinating histories of maps that charted the New World, and how they went from being practical instruments to quirky heirlooms to highly coveted objects. Though pieces of the map theft story have been written before, Blanding is the first reporter to explore the story in full—and had the rare privilege of having access to Smiley himself after he’d gone silent in the wake of his crimes. Moreover, although Smiley swears he has admitted to all of the maps he stole, libraries claim he stole hundreds more—and offer intriguing clues to prove it. Now, through a series of exclusive interviews with Smiley and other key individuals, Blanding teases out an astonishing tale of destruction and redemption. The Map Thief interweaves Smiley’s escapades with the stories of the explorers and mapmakers he knew better than anyone. Tracking a series of thefts as brazen as the art heists in Provenance and a subculture as obsessive as the oenophiles in The Billionaire’s Vinegar, Blanding has pieced together an unforgettable story of high-stakes crime.

Download or read book Le Mariage written by Diane Johnson and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2001-04-01 with total page 337 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Like Jane Austen, Johnson delights in the worldly rituals surrounding courtship and marriage... she is a philosopher as much as a novelist."—The New Yorker From the author of the acclaimed bestseller and National Book Award finalist Le Divorce, a sparkling comedy of manners once again set in the world of Americans in Paris Anne-Sophie is a young Frenchwoman engaged to Tim Nolinger, an American journalist hot on the trail of a breaking story: The theft of a valuable illuminated manuscript from a private collection in New York, which may now be in the possession of a reclusive film director living on the outskirts of Paris. As Tim, Anne-Sophie, a pair of American antique dealers, and one amorous member of the local gentry converge on the director's chateau, the director's wife—a former actress—is accused of desecrating a national monument. Add to that a disappearing American; a hunting contretemps; a wrongful arrest; and murder, and you have this sexy, stylish, delight of a novel that celebrates the paradoxes of marriage and morality as they are perceived on both sides of the Atlantic. Filled with the author's pithy insights and hilarious asides, Le Mariage is Diane Johnson at her very best.

Download or read book Thieves of Book Row written by Travis McDade and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 2015-08-06 with total page 229 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Thieves of Book Row, Travis McDade tells the gripping tale of the worst book-theft ring in American history, and the intrepid detective who brought it down. Both a fast-paced, true-life thriller, Thieves of Book Row provides a fascinating look at the history of crime and literary culture.

Download or read book Disappearing Ink written by Travis McDade and published by Diversion Books. This book was released on 2015-09-07 with total page 158 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The remarkable true story of the document heist that shocked the world. Like many aspiring writers, David Breithaupt had money problems. But what he also had was unsupervised access to one of the finest special collections libraries in the country. In October 1990, Kenyon College hired Breithaupt as its library’s part-time evening supervisor. In April 2000, he was fired after a Georgia librarian discovered him selling a letter by Flannery O’Connor on eBay, but that was only the tip of the iceberg: for the past ten years, Breithaupt had been browsing the collection, taking from it whatever rare books, manuscripts, and documents caught his eye—W. H. Auden annotated typescripts, a Thomas Pynchon manuscript, and much, much more. It was a large-scale, long-term pillaging of Kenyon College’s most precious works. After he was caught, the American justice system looked like it was about to disappoint the college the way it had countless rare book crime victims before—but Kenyon, refused to let this happen . . .

Download or read book The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections written by Eva Jurczyk and published by Sourcebooks, Inc.. This book was released on 2022-01-25 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: International Bestseller "With its countless revelations about the dusty realms of rare books, a likable librarian sleuth who has just the right balance of compassion and wit, and a library setting that is teeming with secrets, The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections is a rare treat for readers. I loved this book!"—Matthew Sullivan, author of Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore Anxious People meets the delights of bookish fiction in a stunning debut following a librarian whose quiet life is turned upside down when a priceless manuscript goes missing. Soon she has to ask: what holds more secrets in the library—the ancient books shelved in the stacks, or the people who preserve them? Liesl Weiss long ago learned to be content working behind the scenes in the distinguished rare books department of a large university, managing details and working behind the scenes to make the head of the department look good. But when her boss has a stroke and she's left to run things, she discovers that the library's most prized manuscript is missing. Liesl tries to sound the alarm and inform the police about the missing priceless book, but is told repeatedly to keep quiet, to keep the doors open and the donors happy. But then a librarian unexpectedly stops showing up to work. Liesl must investigate both disappearances, unspooling her colleagues' pasts like the threads of a rare book binding as it becomes clear that someone in the department must be responsible for the theft. What Liesl discovers about the dusty manuscripts she has worked among for so long—and about the people who care for and revere them—shakes the very foundation on which she has built her life. The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections is a sparkling book-club read about a woman struggling to step out from behind the shadows of powerful and unreliable men, and reveals the dark edge of obsession running through the most devoted bookworms. February 2022 INDIE NEXT Selection January 2022 LIBRARY READS Selection January 2022 Loan Star Selection Pop Sugar 35 Must-Read Thrillers and Mystery Books

Download or read book Guide to Security Considerations and Practices for Rare Book Manuscript and Special Collection Libraries written by Everett C. Wilkie and published by Assoc of Cllge & Rsrch Libr. This book was released on 2011 with total page 381 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Guide to Security Considerations and Practices for Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collection Libraries is the first such book intended specifically to address security in special collection libraries. Containing nineteen chapters, the book covers such topics as background checks, reading room and general building design, technical processing, characteristics and methods of thieves, materials recovery after a theft, and security systems. While other topics are touched upon, the key focus of this volume is on the prevention of theft of rare materials. The work is supplemented by several appendices, one of which gives brief biographies of recent thieves and another of which publishes Allen s important Blumberg Survey, which she undertook after that thief s conviction. The text is supported by illustrations, a detailed index, and an extensive bibliography. The work, compiled and edited by Everett C. Wilkie, Jr., contains contributions from Anne Marie Lane, Jeffrey Marshall, Alvan Bregman, Margaret Tenney, Elaine Shiner, Richard W. Oram, Ann Hartley, Susan M. Allen, and Daniel J. Slive, all members of the ACRL Rare Books & Manuscripts Section (RBMS) and experts in rare materials and the security of these materials within special collections. This work is essential reading for all those concerned with special collection security, from general library administrators to rare book librarians. -- ‡c From Amazon.com.

Download or read book The Book Thief written by Travis McDade and published by Praeger. This book was released on 2006 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the spring of 1994, Daniel Spiegelman shinnied up an abandoned book lift in Columbia University's Butler Library to get to the rare books floor where he then proceeded to dismantle a wall, steal books, reassemble the wall, and sneak back down the shaft. Over a three-month period he did this more than a dozen times. He eventually escaped with the loot - roughly $1.8 million in books, letters and manuscripts - to Europe to sell to collectors. When he was caught in the Netherlands, he tried to avoid extradition to the U.S. by telling the Dutch authorities that he was a financier of the Oklahoma City bombing knowing they wouldn't extradite someone who was facing the death penalty. Eventually the FBI, through some wrangling, got him back to New York, where he finally stood trial for his crimes. In vivid detail, including a retelling of the crimes, dialogue from the court transcripts, and explanations of the legal consequences and intricacies, McDade recounts all the sordid elements of this true crime caper.

Download or read book A Burglar s Guide to the City written by Geoff Manaugh and published by Macmillan + ORM. This book was released on 2016-04-05 with total page 199 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A “deeply researched and brilliantly written” blueprint to the criminal possibilities in the world all around us (Warren Ellis, author of Gun Machine). At the core of A Burglar’s Guide to the City is an unexpected and thrilling insight: how any building transforms when seen through the eyes of someone hoping to break into it. Studying architecture the way a burglar would, Geoff Manaugh takes readers through walls, down elevator shafts, into panic rooms, and out across the rooftops of an unsuspecting city. Encompassing nearly two thousand years of heists and break-ins, the book draws on the expertise of reformed bank robbers, FBI special agents, private security consultants, the LAPD Air Support Division, and architects past and present. Whether discussing how to pick padlocks, climb the walls of high-rise apartments, find gaps in a museum’s surveillance routine, or discuss home invasions in ancient Rome, A Burglar’s Guide to the City ensures readers will never enter a bank again without imagining how to loot the vault, or walk down the street without planning the perfect getaway. Praise for A Burglar’s Guide to the City “This burglar’s guide isn’t for ordinary smash-and-grab burglars, it’s for the rest of us—who steal in, steal out, and get away with glorious dreams. A spectacularly fun read.” —Robert Krulwich, cohost of Radiolab “Who knew that urban studies could be so riveting? Geoff Manaugh excels at finding new, illicit, and fresh angles on a subject as loved as it is overexposed—the city. In his new book, elegant, perverse, sinuous supervillains maneuver and master the city like parkour champions. I see the TV series already.” —Paola Antonelli, design curator, MoMA

Download or read book Rare Books and Manuscript Thefts written by John Holmes Jenkins and published by New York : Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America. This book was released on 1982 with total page 32 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Library Security written by Steve Albrecht and published by American Library Association. This book was released on 2015-05-27 with total page 231 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Library work is really all about people. And the inclusive, welcoming nature of the library means that all kinds of people pass through its doors. Not all difficult patrons are dangerous, but some frighten staff and other library users, which can lead to situations that are distracting, troubling, and fraught with liability. For more than a decade, Albrecht, a 15-year police veteran, has presented workshops for libraries on dealing with challenging patrons. His no-nonsense advice will empower library staff in their personal security and give them the tools to confidently communicate with their colleagues, patrons, and members of law enforcement regarding inappropriate behavior. In this book he addresses security issues important to all libraries, including Specific guidance for common situations, such as unruly teens, unwanted sexual advances, chronically homeless substance abusers, and moreThe elements of an effective Code of Conduct and how to enforce itTips on how to manage internet usage to minimize potential problemsHow to align with patrons and use language that defuses the conflictForming partnerships with service organizations, homeless shelters, mental health advocacy groups, and other community resourcesHow to know when it’s time to call the police, plus ideas for increasing law enforcement supportWays to make the library more secure through changes to facilitiesThrough the methods outlined in this book, Albrecht demonstrates that effective communication not only makes library users feel more comfortable but also increases staff morale, ensuring the library is place where everyone feels welcome.

Download or read book The Godwulf Manuscript written by Robert B. Parker and published by Dell. This book was released on 2009-09-30 with total page 210 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: New York Times bestselling author of the Spenser series of crime thrillers—Book 1 in the series “The toughest, funniest, wisest, private eye in the field these days.”—Houston Chronicle Spenser earned his degree in the school of hard knocks, so he is ready when a Boston university hires him to recover a rare, stolen manuscript. He is hardly surpised that his only clue is a radical student with four bullets in his chest. The cops are ready to throw the book at the pretty blond coed whose prints are all over the murder weapon but Spenser knows there are no easy answers. He tackles some very heavy homework and knows that if he doesn't finish his assignment soon, he could end up marked “D”—for dead.

Download or read book The Birds of America written by John James Audubon and published by . This book was released on 1842 with total page 476 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This edition has 65 new images, making a total of 500. The original configurations were altered so that there is only one species per plate. The text is a revision of the Ornithological Biography, rearranged according to Audubon's Synopsis of the Birds of North America (1839).

Download or read book Information Hunters written by Kathy Lee Peiss and published by . This book was released on 2020 with total page 297 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The country of the mind must also attack -- Librarians and collectors go to war -- The wild scramble for documents -- Acquisitions on a Grand Scale -- Fugitive Records of War -- Book Burning-American Style -- Not a Library, but a Large Depot of Loot.

Download or read book The Life and Times of Guglielmo Libri 1802 1869 written by P. Alessandra Maccioni Ruju and published by . This book was released on 1995 with total page 456 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book American Animals written by Eric Borsuk and published by Turner Publishing Company. This book was released on 2020-03-31 with total page 105 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: AS SEEN IN THE MAJOR MOTION PICTURE “One of the most esoteric and far-fetched crimes in 21st-century annals.” —The Hollywood Reporter “A rare book heist that Danny Ocean may have applauded—except for one mistake.” —Vanity Fair “A tragicomedy of errors.” —Salon “They are the young people, the people with the idealism, the passion, the courage to do something interesting with their lives: an act of daring almost artistic in its originality. They are almost right.” —The Guardian “One of the biggest art heists in FBI history.” —The Times of London American Animals is a coming-of-age crime memoir centered around three childhood friends: Warren, Spencer, and Eric. Disillusioned with freshman year of college and determined to escape from their mundane Middle-American existences, the three hatch a plan to steal millions of dollars’ worth of artwork and rare manuscripts from a university museum. The story that unfolds is a gripping adventure of teenage rebellion, from page-turning meetings with black-market art dealers in Amsterdam to the opulent galleries of Christie’s auction house in Rockefeller Center. American Animals ushers the reader along a gut-wrenching ride of adolescent self-destruction. Providing a front-row seat to the inception, planning, and execution of the heist while offering a rare glimpse into the evolution of a crime—all narrated by one of the perpetrators in a darkly comic, action-packed, true-crime caper.

Download or read book The Man Who Loved Books Too Much written by Allison Hoover Bartlett and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2009-09-17 with total page 179 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the tradition of The Orchid Thief, a compelling narrative set within the strange and genteel world of rare-book collecting: the true story of an infamous book thief, his victims, and the man determined to catch him. Rare-book theft is even more widespread than fine-art theft. Most thieves, of course, steal for profit. John Charles Gilkey steals purely for the love of books. In an attempt to understand him better, journalist Allison Hoover Bartlett plunged herself into the world of book lust and discovered just how dangerous it can be. John Gilkey is an obsessed, unrepentant book thief who has stolen hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of rare books from book fairs, stores, and libraries around the country. Ken Sanders is the self-appointed "bibliodick" (book dealer with a penchant for detective work) driven to catch him. Bartlett befriended both outlandish characters and found herself caught in the middle of efforts to recover hidden treasure. With a mixture of suspense, insight, and humor, she has woven this entertaining cat-and-mouse chase into a narrative that not only reveals exactly how Gilkey pulled off his dirtiest crimes, where he stashed the loot, and how Sanders ultimately caught him but also explores the romance of books, the lure to collect them, and the temptation to steal them. Immersing the reader in a rich, wide world of literary obsession, Bartlett looks at the history of book passion, collection, and theft through the ages, to examine the craving that makes some people willing to stop at nothing to possess the books they love.

Download or read book Camino Island written by John Grisham and published by Vintage. This book was released on 2017-06-06 with total page 238 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Soak up the sun—and the intrigue—with the first novel in John Grisham’s beloved Camino series. “A happy lark [that] provides the pleasure of a leisurely jaunt periodically jolted into high gear, just for the fun and speed of it.”—The New York Times Book Review A gang of thieves stage a daring heist from a secure vault deep below Princeton University’s Firestone Library. Their loot is priceless, but Princeton has insured it for twenty-five million dollars. Bruce Cable owns a popular bookstore in the sleepy resort town of Santa Rosa on Camino Island in Florida. He makes his real money, though, as a prominent dealer in rare books. Very few people know that he occasionally dabbles in the black market of stolen books and manuscripts. Mercer Mann is a young novelist with a severe case of writer’s block who has recently been laid off from her teaching position. She is approached by an elegant, mysterious woman working for an even more mysterious company. A generous offer of money convinces Mercer to go undercover and infiltrate Bruce Cable’s circle of literary friends, ideally getting close enough to him to learn his secrets. But eventually Mercer learns far too much, and there’s trouble in paradise as only John Grisham can deliver it. Look for all of John Grisham’s rollicking Camino novels: Camino Island Camino Winds Camino Ghosts