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The Island of Lost Maps: A True Story of Cartographic Crime

by Miles Harvey

ISBN13: 9780767908269
ISBN10: 0767908260
Condition: Standard
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Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

The Island of Lost Maps tells the story of a curious crime spree: the theft of scores of valuable centuries-old maps from some of the most prominent research libraries in the United States and Canada. The perpetrator was Gilbert Joseph Bland, Jr., an enigmatic antiques dealer from South Florida, whose cross-country slash-and-dash operation had gone virtually undetected until he was caught in 1995-and was unmasked as the most prolific American map thief in history. As Miles Harvey unravels the mystery of Blands life, he maps out the world of cartography and cartographic crime, weaving together a fascinating story of exploration, craftsmanship, villainy, and the lure of the unknown.

About the Author

Miles Harvey began reporting on Gilbert Bland in 1996 for Outside magazine. He has worked for UPI and In These Times, and he was the book-review columnist for Outside. A graduate of the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana and the University of Michigan, he has had a lifelong fascination with maps. He can be reached via the Internet at www.milesharvey.com.

From the Hardcover edition.

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: Gold Gato, February 26, 2012 (view all comments by Gold Gato)
This was certainly an interesting take on a cartographic criminal, namely one who steals maps from libraries. I have to admit I became a bit riled upon reading that rare books were destroyed in the guilty one's greed, so I didn't have much sympathy for him. But the author kept my attention by taking paths into the days of Columbus and Magellan and the great explorers, thus illuminating the constant crimes in search of rare maps.

Librarians do not come off well here. They allowed their books to be torn apart and then either didn't know about it or were too embarrassed to admit it. The author is mildly kind to them, but his frustration shows, and I like his emotion coming through the pages.

"We rarely reach our destinations, at least not the ones we set out to find."

Book Season = Year Round
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Product Details

ISBN:: 9780767908269
Subtitle:: A True Story of Cartographic Crime
Author:: Harvey, Miles
Publisher:: Broadway
Location:: New York
Subject:: General
Subject:: Collectors and collecting
Subject:: History
Subject:: Criminology
Subject:: Libraries
Subject:: Map thefts
Subject:: General Current Events
Subject:: General True Crime
Edition Description:: Trade paper
Series Volume:: 102
Publication Date:: 20010904
Binding:: Paperback
Grade Level:: General/trade
Language:: English
Illustrations:: Yes
Pages:: 432
Dimensions:: 9.12x5.30x1.18 in. .76 lbs.

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Related Subjects

History and Social Science » Crime » True Crime
History and Social Science » Geography » General
History and Social Science » Geography » Mapping and Cartography
History and Social Science » Politics » General
Travel » Travel Writing » General

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