Allison Hoover Bartlett discusses and signs The Man Who Loved Books Too Much: The True Story of a Thief, a Detective, and a World of Literary Obsession September 23, 2009

"What a mind bender of a true story! Bartlett gains access to an accomplished but now incarcerated book thief, John Gilkey, whose life goal is owning rare books by any means possible. Over many months Bartlett researches the esoteric world of book collecting, particularly the motivations and dreams of people hunting the most precious and rarest of books.

From interviews with dealers, collectors, rare bookstore owners and crime investigators, Bartlett shares this intriguing and strange story of Gilkey’s quest to build his private library. As I read this, I had to remember that it is a real story not a fantastic fiction. Nonetheless, it is fantastic." -- Reviewed by Marilyn S., Kepler's

Bartlett has written on a variety of topics, including travel, art, science and education, for the New York Times, the Washington Post, Salon.com, San Francisco Chronicle Magazine, San Francisco Magazine, and other publications. Her original article on John Gilkey was included in the Best American Crime Reporting 2007. She is a founding member of the writing group North 24th and works at the San Francisco Writers’ Grotto, a collective studio.

Official Website: http://www.keplers.com