The Map Thief

by Michael Blanding

Draws on interviews with confessed rare-map thief E. Forbes Smiley to document his experiences with mercenary explorers and mapmakers, offering insight into the cutthroat map trade while investigating allegations of hundreds of additional thefts.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, True Crime, Crime, Biography, Audiobook, Maps

575 pages, Hardcover

First published May 29, 2014

About the author

Michael Blanding is a Boston-based investigative journalist, whose work has appeared in The New York Times, WIRED, Slate, The Boston Globe Magazine, Boston magazine, and other publications. His newest book, North by Shakespeare: A Rogue Scholar's Search for the Truth Behind the Bard's Work is due out from Hachette Books in March 2021. It tells the true story of a computer-assisted hunt to solve the mystery behind the source of Shakespeare's plays--leading to the enigmatic Elizabethan courtier Thomas North.

Blanding is also of The Map Thief: The Gripping Story of an Esteemed Rare-Map Dealer Who Made Millions Stealing Priceless Maps (2014), which was a New York Times bestseller and an NPR Book of the Year; and The Coke Machine: The Dirty Truth Behind the World's Favorite Soft Drink (2010). A former journalism fellow at Brandeis University and Harvard Law School, he has taught feature writing at Tufts University, Emerson College, and GrubStreet Writers.

Reviews

[Jessica Woodbury · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do not read much nonfiction because I like a story that really pulls me along, one full of strange characters and intriguing plot twists. But that's exactly why I enjoyed THE MAP THIEF so much. The story of Forbes Smiley, who went from prestigious dealer of rare maps to thief and convict, is a classic example of truth being stranger than fiction.

You don't need to be a map aficionado, Blanding guides you through the world of rare maps which is often reminiscent of fine art, with collectors and dealers scheming to get the best pieces. I admit, I was usually anxious to get back to the action of the present-day during some of the sections on the history of maps and mapmaking, but the book moves you quickly along and does a good job of keeping you informed as you go.

Smiley is indeed a character unlike any other. From the beginning he's an unusual and eclectic type. And the last third of the book where the issue of theft of rare maps is covered in detail was particularly fascinating to me.

If you like the kind of nonfiction that moves quickly and teaches you about something you never knew, this is a great pick.

(Full disclosure: the author is a friend of mine. But if I didn't like his book I would absolutely say so.)

[Mom2nine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I believe that nonfiction is rated somewhat different than fiction. This book earns five stars for a few reasons: The author has researched extensively, there is no question about facts, which I really appreciate in a nonfiction book. Blanding also explains how historical maps were made and by whom, promoting an understanding on what would make a map valuable. Library and museum collections and how they are viewed and stored are also explained. The book is about Smiley's map theft and Blanding tells of his lifestyle. Somehow he is able to consolidate all of this knowledge in a readable and understandable story. His insights on the historical value (of maps) shed a light on white-collar crime and why it can affect the general public, although it is often not prosecuted severely. Book should be interesting to history buffs, map enthusiasts, and people who wonder why someone would "hurt the institutions we care about the most". Smiley's lawyer p. 184 book was sent through goodreads.com for unbiased/fair review

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well written blend of history and crime that will strike terror into the hearts of most rare book librarians, including me.

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a librarian at an institution with a collection of maps that is almost completely uncataloged, this book kind of scared the bejeezus out of me. But more importantly for the reader, Blanding does a good job of weaving the story of Forbes Smiley (the titular map thief) together with the history of cartography and map collecting—a niche community with less than a hundred serious dealers in the entire world. Smiley is an interesting, infuriating, and sad character who turned a respectable career as a specialist in American and British maps into a life of tweed-coat-collar crime and an unsupportable fantasy world in central Maine. Overall, Blanding humanizes Smiley but doesn’t write as an apologist—it’s too bad that Smiley himself dropped out of the project early on.

[Carol Jones-Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

WOW What an amazing book. There is some excitement, and there is some very sad times when items are identified as lost or stolen, and the legal ramifications are phenomenal. Smiley is quite the guy. Very charming and quick witted, he is able to do amazing things. Then when it comes back to bite him, he pays dearly for the mistakes he made. Like another reader said, the details are a lot overwhelming. Had troubles keeping up with all the good guys and bad guys and who had what and so forth. Awesome pick of book to our book club picker. Very fascinating. I really enjoyed the photos included of the massive maps that crossed their hands. If you like high detailed bThe strange, mysterious world of rare maps—and the even stranger mystery of the man who stole them for years without getting caught.

Journalist Blanding (The Coke Machine: The Dirty Truth Behind the World’s Favorite Soft Drink, 2010) presents a detailed account of the case of E. Forbes Smiley III, the high-living Gatsby-esque map dealer who scored millions fencing rare maps. Although deeply knowledgeable and well-respected in his field, Smiley also wanted the good life, and he racked up a mountain of debt trying to bankroll fancy homes and ill-advised property schemes. A charmer who won the trust of librarians and was deeply aware of their haphazard filing systems, Smiley easily developed a second career in thievery. He got away with it for at least four years, until the fateful day in 2005 when a Yale security guard noticed he dropped a razor blade on the floor of the rare book and manuscript library. Blanding delves deep into both Smiley’s world and the history of mapmaking, focusing in particular on what makes a map valuable. Some are simply meticulous works of art; others helped forge the destinies of countries or document lands that no longer exist (such as the short-lived Roanoke Colony). There are also uniquely primitive maps that are wildly off the mark about undiscovered lands, harkening back to an age when North America was still known as “Terra Incognita.” As an attorney involved in Smiley’s case put it, these maps “drew the lines between where knowledge ended and imagination began. They represented man’s timeless drive to explore the unknown and bring definition to the void.” In the modern world, they have also become an affordable means of conspicuous consumption for people who can’t quite swing a Picasso or Monet.

SECOND READING: A fascinating story of ambitions high and low, the ancient yearning to chart a new world and the eternal lure of a quick buck.

Considered by many to be a reputable antique map dealer, E. Forbes Smiley III was also a thief who stole hundreds of valuable maps (some estimates put his haul at over 200) from libraries and other institutions and then sold them. Here, reporter Blanding (The Coke Machine: The Dirty Truth Behind the World’s Favorite Soft Drink) examines and contextualizes the curious case. What began as the occasional pilferage in order to keep his business afloat ballooned as Smiley’s debt increased exponentially, due in no small part to a grand lifestyle—the most glaring example of which was Smiley’s renovation of a rustic farmhouse, including a $105,000 kitchen from Italy. He also spent enormous sums in an effort to revive the struggling town by opening a restaurant and other businesses. In this well-researched account, Blanding profiles Smiley as well as dealers, clients, librarians, and mapmakers, including Gerard Mercator and Sir Robert Dudley (creator of the first atlas of the world’s coastlines). While Smiley’s actions are shocking, perhaps the most outrageous fact in the book is the revelation of his prison sentence: a mere three and a half years. This is a highly readable profile of a narcissist who got in over his head and lost it all.

I recommend this book if this is the type of book you enjoy reading. It's not easy, but it does hold one's interest. Happy reading.

[Kay · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I found the parts about mapmaking and map history interesting, I feel a little conflicted about the way the actuality of the crime was handled. Blanding dances around the way the criminal justice system privileges white-collar criminals like Smiley as compared to other kinds of non-violent crime. This issue is mentioned in the text once, but it is otherwise glossed over, leaving me with a lot of questions about the impetus behind this book, nearly a quarter of which is devoted to singing Smiley's praises.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Map Thief has so many compelling things to offer: the history of cartography, insight into the world of rare and antique map dealing, and a true crime story. My favorite aspect was the detailed chronicle of how early navigators discovered new coastlines and continents, developing mapmaking to aide in exploration. During the time of cartographical renaissance, America was a blank space on a map that would eventually be filled in as travelers ventured further inland. As more sophisticated techniques were developed, the maps created were more detailed and varied.

Then there is the contemporary trade of these maps, and at the forefront of this is E. Forbes Smiley III. An reputable map dealer, he educated himself on the history of his ware in various libraries. Alas, these institutions would eventually become his victims. The book follows him from his early days establishing relationships with collectors, to the time when he became so financially desperate, he resorted to stealing rare and highly valuable maps from library collections. Smiley is the kind of guy you want to like, but end up despising, and the one aspect of the book that I didn’t particularly care for detailed his disputes with the townspeople in the village where he kept a summer home.

Otherwise, I feel like I learned a great deal about the history of maps, their provenance, and their value. I found it very interesting how the institutions that Smiley stole from had to prove whether the maps Smiley stole were from their collections and the various techniques use to prosecute him. Overall, this is a fascinating combination history and scandal.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book in a goodreads firstreads drawing.

This is really a two part book. Part of it deals with maps, map-making, and the history of cartography and map stealing. The other part is a biography of a famous map thief, E. Forbes Smiley III.

The part that dealt with the history of cartography, and the influence of maps and mapmakers on history I found fascinating. I also enjoyed the parts about the business and hobby of map collecting. The biography, was vague, creating a narrative that even the author seemed to doubt was authentic.

I found the pictures of maps very interesting. The list of maps stolen from libraries around the world and still missing was infuriating.

All in all, I liked it better than most true crime books I've read.

[AdiTurbo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent research and fluent style make this non-fiction book the perfect doorway into the world of cartography and the love of maps. I've always loved maps, but now I feel that I know a lot more about them and how they are appraised. This is also a thriller-like story of a master-thief who has managed to steal many cultural treasures before he was finally caught (not a spoiler - it's in the first pages of the book). Blanding does a good job (I think) of trying to understand the mind of the man behind the thefts, and how he has come to do what he did. I couldn't put it down.

[Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in 36 hours-- which is not something I ever thought I'd say about a book that deals with the antiquarian map trade. But Blanding has written this such that I couldn't put it down-- the end of his chapters, in particular, propelled me right forward to the next. A book that's fun to read and also teaches you something? (I haven't thought of maps the same way since.) Brilliant.

[Itasca Community Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jeff says:
E. Forbes Smiley III seemed to be a man passionate about maps and making a living from researching, buying and selling these items used to navigate but which are beautiful works or art which also can show the history of a specific place. That was until he couldn’t keep up with the way of life he wished to lead, started bouncing checks and went downhill from there. It's not my favorite "thief" book, but I enjoyed learning a little history of maps as well as another story of greed taking over a person's life. I'll put it 4th in my list which includes The Orchid Thief, The Feather Thief, and The Falcon Thief which all tell similar tales.

[Wren · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I read the blurb on PW about Blanding's book, it took me a while to determine if the book was fiction or nonfiction. Either way, I knew that I wanted to read it.

Blanding has done so much research surrounding the case of E. Forbes Smiley III, dealer-of-rare-maps-turned thief. This is not just a true crime novel. It's more extensive than that. It's also an introduction into the profession of map dealers with a sneak peak into the dynamics among various related professions. Maps are created and circulated by surveyors, engravers, printers, publishers, merchants, military leaders, politicians, and regent. Then when they become cultural artifacts they enter a dynamic where dealers, collectors, curators, restorers, and librarians handle them.

Then throw in plagiarism, vandalism, theft with a smattering of shady business deals, and this book becomes a thriller. The suspense was so palpable, that I had to put the book down at times so that I could catch my breath.

Even though this book touches on an array of those who use, care for and/or admire maps, it also scrutinizes Smiley's life. I was interested in trying to figure out what character traits and what actions led him to steal such rare items and in such great quantities. And even though I have my hypothesis, Blanding makes it clear that it's no easy task to judge another person. Reading the book makes me want to take a self-inventory that asks me to correct personality excesses before I end up damaging my finances, my health, my colleagues, my friendships and my family. Forbes was exceptional even at a young age, but he can still stand as Every Man and offer us all a cautionary tale.

That being said, I don't want to "use" Smiley entirely for my own ends. I wish Smiley a measure of peace. There but the grace of God go I. But the book wasn't primarily a zen meditation. Boy, was I upset while I read the unfolding of his crimes. God bless librarians and curators. May they get budget increases to help them improve security!

[Ayse_ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of E. Forbes Smiley III, a cartography enthusiast and map dealer who turns into a thief. As one reads the story, one is struck by defenselessness of the library system against such felony. There are several character analysis points explaining his transformation and we watch as this character reaches a grandiose, almost delirium like state through a bad career with a terrible spending habit. We see destruction of many priceless irreplaceable books. We also get a notion about how the first maps were made and how they changed the perception of the world and helped rise of colonialism.. Very interesting read.

[Tessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short, interesting audiobook. I appreciated the background information on historical map collecting, as that is not something I know much about.

As a librarian, the idea of cutting historical maps out of old books HORRIFIES ME. But it was still interesting to learn about. And I'm glad that Forbes Smiley has managed to straighten his life out since then

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good balance of studying both the map thief, the map trade, and the history and influence of maps. The writing style just didn’t have as much pizazz as I prefer.

[Lori L (She Treads Softly) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Map Thief by Michael Blanding is a very highly recommended nonfiction account of a map dealer who stole hundreds of antique maps from collections, as well as a history lesson about some of the maps he stole.

You don't have to love old maps to fully appreciate The Map Thief: The Gripping Story of an Esteemed Rare-Map Dealer Who Made Millions Stealing Priceless Maps by Michael Blanding, but it helps if you at least appreciate them and enjoy reading about the history behind the creation of some of the maps.

E. Forbes Smiley III was an antiquarian map dealer who was also a thief. He stole an unknown quantity of maps, perhaps over 200, from libraries and collections, and then sold these public treasures in order to finance his lifestyle. Since the number of actual rare maps Smiley stole is unknown (although a list of known stolen maps from around the world is included), it is difficult to put a total price on what he stole but it was certainly in the millions.

Blanding interviewed Smiley at the beginning of the book, but later Smiley tried to distance himself from the publishing of this book. At that point Blanding had already been talking to "a wider circle of people, investigating a paper trail of court documents, and spending hours sifting through library archives and volumes of old maps." With or without Smiley's further cooperation, Blandings began to piece together "an answer to my biggest question: Why did a respected map dealer at the height of his profession betray those closest to him—and deface the artifacts he spent his life preserving? The more I researched his story, however, the more questions I uncovered—to the point where I began to suspect that his reasons for cutting off our correspondence had less to do with the advice of his advisor or the impact on his family, and more to do with his own fears of exposing secrets he has never revealed."

Since Blanding also has a love of old and rare maps he is a good author to tell this story which involves the history of the maps themselves and the intrigue of Smiley's prolonged theft of so many maps over several years. Blanding writes, "I read about him in The New Yorker in October 2005 with fascination—first, for the maps themselves, these historical documents that were at once beautiful and flawed, and second, for this strange character at the center of the crime, so mysterious in his decision to despoil the world he loved."

After the news of Smiley's arrest for stealing maps broke and the word was out to curators, "One by one, they began to call with panicked reports of maps missing from books in their collections as well. As they did, more questions began to reverberate through the insular world of map libraries, collectors, and dealers: Why had a respected and successful antiquarian dealer turned against those who trusted him and stolen the things he loved most? And how long had he been getting away with it?"

This fascinating book not only covers the deeply flawed and contradictory personality of Smiley and his lifestyle, it also does an excellent job explaining the history, provenance, and importance of various maps and precisely why they are so valuable. He talks to other map dealers, clients, and curators. The book includes an 8 page color insert and black and white photos throughout, chapter notes, and an index. As mentioned, there is a list of all the maps that are known to be missing from libraries and public collections worldwide.

Disclosure: My Kindle edition was courtesy of Gotham Books for review purposes.

[Richard Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

My father was a book collector who generally never paid for his books, and I sometimes wondered whether everything in his collection was acquired by honest means. I remember reading an essay he wrote on bibliokleptomania and wondering whether he was writing from the perspective of a fellow sufferer from the addiction. He also worked as a librarian for many years which gave him opportunity to steal and knowledge about the best techniques, but also the perspective of the ones who are usually the victims of book theft.

So I felt a connection to the story of a dealer in rare maps who could not resist the temptation to purloin a few and then was pulled down into a cycle of repetitive behavior to steal more and more until he was finally caught. As Mr. Blanding explains, rare maps are easy to steal because they are often bound into volumes from which they can be easily removed and then secreted in another book or folder, and because they are not unique and often poorly cataloged, it's hard to trace stolen maps once they have been spirited away from the reading room at the rare book library. It's an open invitation to bad behavior.

I recently read a novel about scholars of rare maps, "The Cartographers," which takes place in same world as this book. Because the world of rare maps is small one, the novel necessarily had a lot of crossover with the places and perspectives of this book, but there were so many points of connection that it made me wonder whether this book might have been a partial inspriation for the novel.

[Gregory Flemming · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best history books are more than history -- in the best, you also learn something new and, often, there is mystery and intrigue. The Map Thief by Michael Blanding has all of that. A fast-paced book (read the first chapter and see), The Map Thief tells the story of E. Forbes Smiley, a rare map dealer who turns crooked, secretly stealing centuries-old maps from some of the most famous libraries in America and then selling them for profit. Unlike classic paintings and other rare art, often there are half a dozen or more copies of rare maps in existence -- which fuels an expensive but active community of dealers and collectors. This well-written, compelling story provides a fascinating new look into the history of maps and map-making, the world of rare map collectors and dealers, and the crime-solving techniques used by the police and FBI to track down Smiley's thefts (there really are such things as “bookworms” and they prove more important than you’d ever guess).

[CatBookMom · Rating 1 out of 5]

I could not manage to stay interested in this. I gave up early in Ch 6. I think I expected the book to focus more on the thefts and how he was caught. As of Ch 6, we had just gotten to 1989, when his gallery was - supposedly - cleaned out by thieves, though the building superintendent, still around when the author was researching, knew nothing about any such theft. In skimming forward, I saw a lot about some community that the thief built, spending fortunes he may not have had.

There were some interesting bits, for instance: the development and publication of detailed maps of the American colonies was instrumental in the French and Indian Wars and the Revolutionary War.

[JMM · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Map Thief is the account of a dealer in antique maps who betrays his calling and the scholarly community by stealing rare and irreplaceable maps from libraries and universities for his own profit. The account of this terrible series of crimes is a page-turning story. Blanding’s knowledge of the history of map-making and the map trade makes it a fascinating book on many levels.

[Stephanie McMillan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book flipped back and forth between cartography history and Forbes Smiley III's story & eventual thefts. I (mostly) enjoyed the cartography history lesson. There were so many things I hadn't considered, but, at times, the names of the maps, the creator of the map & the details of the map, without always having the picture to reference, became a bit tedious for the casually interested reader. The parts about the theft and Forbes Smiley were interesting (if a bit sympathetic to a man who admitted to stealing over 100 maps) though never conclusively satisfying--likely due to the lingering unanswered questions that still surround the case.

Ultimately I'm glad I read this and it is a fairly short niche-topic true crime book. I also have this book to thank for spurring the takeaway point for me--at various points in history (including today) maps range in accuracy & motive. I had never before considered maps as propaganda, a collection of maps for telling the history of a place or even maps used to deceive. The idea of a world pre-google maps is fascinating. That idea, of the variability of maps & their purpose will persist long after I've inevitably forgotten the details of this book.

Recommend for fans of the Feather Thief and other strange true-crime stories. Or if you really love maps and want to learn more about them.

[Martha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was fascinating. All the history of maps and cartographers was a delight, and although on the one hand, as a librarian I was horrified by the actions of Smiley, the map thief, and thought he should spend the rest of his life in jail--on the other hand, he was an interesting psychological study. I was also quite shocked that the libraries I consider the top of the top seem to have some of the same problems as much less famous libraries (such as mine). All in all, a very thought-provoking read.

[Victoria Hawco · Rating 3 out of 5]

Don’t worry they found the maps again.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly cautionary tale for any person responsible for library, museum, historical, or cultural materials and for collectors and buyers to ask good questions about where your materials were sourced. Excellent read!

[Lucie · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting non violent true crime story of how one man stole large numbers of historic maps from libraries and museums and resold them to other dealers or collectors.

[Lyn (Readinghearts) · Rating 4 out of 5]

In his introduction to the book The Map Thief author Michael Blanding writes, "Maps have long exerted a special fascination on viewers-both as beautiful works of art and as practical tools to navigate the world." What he forgets to mention is that they can also be snapshots in history. For me, they are all of the above, so a book centered around historical maps seemed a natural. Add to that my fascination with true crime accounts, and it is no wonder that I jumped at the chance to read and review this book.

The Map Thief is Blandings account of the E. Forbes Smiley case, Smiley was a respected dealer in antiquarian maps who ended up in over his head and began stealing rare and famous maps from Universities and selling them on the market as new finds until he was caught red-handed cutting a map from a book in the Yale University antique map room. I found the idea that a trusted, well respected member of the exclusive trade in antiquarian maps could take so much advantage of the other players in the industry fascinating. After all, for years E. Forbes Smiley was able to pull the wool over the eyes of top-notch dealers in antique maps and savvy collectors, not to mention the major Universities and Museums that he was able to steal from. I really enjoyed reading about Smiley and his crimes.

For me, though, the best part of the book was the amount of time that Blanding spent explaining the maps that were stolen and their significance. As you might expect from an investigative journalist of his caliber, the discussion of each map was well researched and well written. His ability to highlight the importance of these maps as both historical documents and works of art really drew me in. I learned so much about maps, their uses, the history of map making, and the historical figures behind the maps. I would have loved for this part of the book to never end. Blanding did such a great job with this part of the book that I found myself researching antique maps and the history of map making on my own.

The only place were the book fell short for me was at the end. Throughout the book, there was a lot of discussion of the fact that hundreds more maps were missing that Smiley ever admitted to stealing. I felt it was presented in such a way that a revelation would be forthcoming, but perhaps it was just my reader's wish that there would be a big reveal. At any rate, not only was there no real new information about these missing maps, I felt that Blanding really glassed over this portion of the story. It was almost like he just threw the information into the book at the end and as a result, I thought it detracted from the rest of the book, which was really great. In addition, I found the information that was presented confusing. For me, it would have been better if Blanding had mentioned that many more maps were missing, and the theories by all parties about what might have happened to them, in a short concluding chapter.

All in all, though, this book was really worth the read. The information regarding maps, map making, and map collecting was enough to keep me interested to the very end. Throw in E. Forbes Smiley, his personality, and what he was able to accomplish, and you have a very engaging read. I would highly recommend it to any one with a love of history and a love of true crime stories. Bravo Mr. Blanding!

A heartfelt thanks to both Gotham Publishing and Edelweiss for making this title available to me in exchange for my review.

[Cindy Leighton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating. Blanding takes us back and forth through the history of map making and why we make maps (in large part at least in the Western world to lay claim to territory, to mark ownership), and then through the world of map collectors - who buys and sells maps and why. As a map lover myself it was fascinating to read about so many artistic renderings of space, and sent me to the internet more than once to look up a beautifully drawn map.

The book focuses on E Forbes Smiley III who starts out as a map enthusiast but quickly discovers how easy it is to steal maps from books in libraries. I am horrified both by how easy it was for him to just walk into libraries and cut 400 year old maps worth tens of thousands of dollars out of books and slip them in his jacket pocket and walk out - and by how many millions of dollars we have since spent as a nation installing cameras and security measures in libraries to try to keep this from happening again. Smiley stole hundreds of maps only a portion of which have been recovered. Unlike paintings, it is often impossible to trace maps to their origins, and often unknown how many copies of a map are in existence. Individual owners often believe they are good stewards of maps hanging in their homes instead of in libraries and knowingly buy stolen maps. Blanding also forces us to think about the value of ancient maps to our culture as a whole. I was pleased to read about the changed laws that added sentencing time if items stolen were culturally valuable.

I'm not doing a good job of making this sound like a readable, enjoyable book - but it really is! Blanding does such a good job of flippig in and out of Smiley's personal life story and experience, and kind of a history of map making and map dealing - it's all just really intriguing. Well researched and documented but not intrusively so in the reading. Great map pictures in the book. Just a unique, fascinating read.

[Tony Parsons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Naomi Sato (f, librarian) had spotted Edward Forbes Smiley III in the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library (Yale University) & told her supervisor Ellen Cordes about his strange behavior while he was looking at books of old maps. She also found an X-acto knife blade on the floor by where he had been seated.

The case began to unfold. Ralph Mannarino (Yale head of security) was called & he in turn called Detective Martin Buonfiglio (New Haven P/D) who began his investigation after notifying his superior Lieutenant Bill Holohan (supervisor, New Haven P/D).

The plot thickens & Edward Forbes Smiley III is found in possession of a map of John Smith historic voyage & the founding of New England (Jamestown). His attaché case contained many more incriminating map artifacts. Try as he might his lies got him nowhere & he was arrested on 6/8/2005.

The big $2.3 million question is; will the maps Edward Forbes Smiley III stole be sold, destroyed, found/never found (recovered)? How will life his turn out?

My undergrad is history. I never realized how maps fit in to the big picture. This was a fascinating book to read, given time I plan on exploring my unknown world of maps.

Awesome book cover, great pictures, illustrations, font & writing style. A very well written mysterious crime filled thriller book jammed packed full of historical facts of an obsessed antique map thief. It was very easy to read/follow & never a dull moment from start/finish. No grammar errors, repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of frightening & unique scenarios & a great set of characters to keep track of. This would make a great crime spoof drama type movie or mini TV series. A book you won’t want to put down. No doubt in my mind a very easy rating of 5 stars for this book.

Thank you for the free book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)

[Judi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maps, to me, are simply a navigation tool to get a person from point a to point b. The idea that you would collect, steal or even write a book about maps is completely foreign to me. All that to say, if you are going to get me to read a book about maps, it better be a really good book.

The Map Thief is the true story of E. Forbes Smiley III, a map dealer turned map thief. Smiley's story is interspersed with a history of maps, his New England upbringing, rise in the ranks of his profession and ultimately his turn to a life of theft. His drive to be successful in his professional is about as relatable as it gets. And yet, when contrasted with his extravagant life style and self-centered thinking, you aren't surprised that Smiley's life spun out of control.

The Map Thief was well researched, well written and makes an emotional connection with readers. At times you sympathize deeply with Smiley and other times you want to slap him silly.

Reviewers comment: the above review is deliberately vague so it is "spoiler free." I received an advance copy of The Map Thief from Penguin Publishing; the above review reflects my own opinion of the story.

[Amerynth · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the interest of full disclosure, I received a free copy of Michael Blanding's "The Map Thief: The Gripping Story of an Esteemed Rare-Map Dealer Who Made Millions Stealing Priceless Maps" from the LT Early Reviewers program.

As a hiker, I've always had an affinity for maps. Since I don't have spare thousands of dollars around, I'll never be a map collector myself, but it certainly seems an interesting pursuit.

Blanding's book tells the story of Forbes Smiley III, a map dealer who made a fortune by ripping maps out of library books and selling them to his clients. He was pretty brazen in his thefts (and libraries weren't cataloging their maps very well, making it easy for him.)

A book largely about maps could have been dry, but Blanding does a great job making the topic really interesting. Considering Smiley decided not to participate in the book partway through, Blanding does a pretty good job piecing together Smiley's story. I enjoyed this book a lot and found that it pretty interesting.