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Sep
16
BBAW Giveaway: The Man Who Loved Books Too Much
2009 at 10am Posted by Rebecca Joines Schinsky
Can you think of a more perfect title for a giveaway during BBAW?
I read this a few weeks ago but have been holding on to it for this occasion. Also, the book will be released tomorrow, so even if you don’t win, you can hurry to your local bookseller and snatch up a copy for yourself.
When journalist Allison Hoover Bartlett came across a rare book in a friends home—a rare book that she thought must have been acquired through less-than-honest means at some point down the line—she contacted rare book dealers to find out more. In the process, she learned about a famous book thief who seemed to steal not for monetary gain but just for the pleasure of owning valuable books, and the self-named “bibliodick” (a book dealer who doubles as an amateur detective) who devoted years to catching him.
The Man Who Loved Books Too Much has everything a booklover wants: interesting characters, a great story, and just the right amount of suspense (and it’s all true!), and it is chock full of delicious little nuggets of truth about what it really means to live a life that is surrounded and defined by books. You’ll learn all about rare books and book collecting and get an insider’s look into what drives obsessive collectors to do what they do, even if it means breaking the law.
And you thought your literary obsession was serious!
Thanks to the good folks at Penguin, I have an extra ARC to giveaway. To enter, leave a comment here telling me about the book that kick-started your literary obsession.
Giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada only. Entries accepted until 11:59pm Eastern this Friday, September 18th.
[...] BBAW Giveaway: The Man Who Loved Books Too Much [...]
Thanks for this great giveaway. This novel sounds intriguing. The book that started my interest was Rebecca. After that I was hooked forever.
Oh my goodness, I’m not sure. I’ve read almost as long as I can remember. I’ve always had my nose in a book. I’ve always been obsessed with them. I’m going to say The Princess Bride, simply because it’s my most favorite book, I’ve probably read it 100 times at least, and I still adore it.
capriciousreader [at] gmail [dot] com
Thanks for the Giveaway. Please enter me.
I think I really started this obsession with the Flowers in the Attic series.
I can’t tell you what book specifically started my literary obsession, as I grew up surrounded by books. Both of my parents are “readers”, so there were always books every where, in every room, always. And they never kept them from us. If it was in the house, we could read it.
I first got hooked on books when I was 9 or 10, and my dad took me to the bookstore as a reward for something I did, and I picked up a copy of the first book in the Trixie Beldon series. I went back every week until I had the whole series.
ang_vaughan[at]yahoo[dot]com
The first book that I was obsessed with was the Cat & the Hat when I was 5!
It is so hard to remember back more than 50 years to figure out what book started me obsessing about reading. I don’t think it was really a book. I remember creating books from magazines when I was three years old. Cutting out words I knew and pasting them onto a piece of paper to later read to my mom. This was the very beginning and from then on I read everything I could get my hands on.
I would love to read this book so enter me into the giveaway.
Thanks
I know my obsession started in elementary school but I think the deal was sealed in eleventh grade English class when I was blessed with an absolutely wonderful teacher who took our class to see Hamlet with Richard Burton (yes it was a LONG time ago) and assigned To Kill a Mockingbird. I was on my way.
hmm…I think that it would either by Frederick by Leo Lionni (I love that little mouse!) or The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis which my dad read to me before bed when I was 6 or so. I kept begging for one more chapter every night!!
Oh God. I was too young to remember. I read the complete Little House on the Prairie series in first grade. I’ve been a voracious reader since practically birth. The first book to completely enchant me though was Roald Dahl’s BFG in the 5th grade. I just re-read about half of it. It’s not holding up as well as Mathilda or The Witches or The Twits.
I would have to say it was the Little House on the Prairie books.
Hmmm…I would have to say Winnie-the-Pooh or Corduroy. I couldn’t get enough of the bears apparently!
I’ve always been a big reader, but I can remember checking The Secret Garden out over and over from my elementary school library. I must have read it 30 times while I was a student there!
I’m not sure, but I’m going to say Little Women. Great contest!
I don’t remember totally… I’ve been obsessed with books for forever. I can remember having, just HAVING to read all of the Little House on the Prairie books. And the Clan of the Cave Bear series (I was a frighteningly precocious child when it came to books); and at some point in elementary or early middle school reading all of the Anne of Green Gables books. Then moving on to Heinlein in high school. I’ve found that once I read a book I really enjoy, I then have to read all of the authors other titles before I grow bored and move on or finish them.
The Boxcar Children. I used to imagine them on the train every time a metra passed my parents’ neighborhood. I even had the scholastic book club set in the little boxcar shelf. Loved, loved, loved them.
Earlier than that, I had a cardboard book called “lily goes to the playground” when I was about 2-3. I must have memorized the book, because I can still recite it from memory
That kicked it off? The Nancy Drew books kicked it off for me. I read every single one that the library had and still read them from time to time.
After a brief reading dry spell during my tweens… Stephen King kicked me back into gear and I never stopped after that.
thereedfamilyATsbcglobalDOTnet
The Harry Potter series
My obsession started as a wee child, with my mother reading me from a big book of rather creepy fairy tales. I have no idea what the name of the book was, but I can remember the cover and hope to find it some day. lol
Caitemaire@hotmail.com
It was the horse books. Black Beauty, Black Stallion series, etc…I was a little horse-crazy as a girl…
Caite, I’ll give you a dollar if you’ll go to your local bookstore and tell them just that. “My mother used to read to me from a big book of scary stories. I don’t know what it’s called, but I remember the cover.” You’d give them an adventure in bookselling!
I LOVED Nancy Drew, too. But I think the book that moved me from someone who likes to read into someone who LOVES it was The Giver by Lois Lowry.
I was so thrilled when I discovered that The Princess Bride wasn’t just a movie. My roommate gave me the book as a gift in college. So wonderful!
My favorite book when I was a wee one was Dr. Seuss’ Oh Say Can You Say?, a book of tongue twisters. My parents HATED reading that one to me!! As I got older I loved the Boxcar Children and Baby Sitters Club series of books.
This giveaway book sounds very interesting. Thanks for the opportunity!
I have The Giver but have not read it. I must work it in.
Oh my gosh, I have no idea what kicked off my literary obsession! I have been obsessed with books my entire life, literally, even taught myself to read (according to my mother). The first book was Mickey Mouse and the Magic Peanut. I’ll also go with a childhood favorite, Princess Nevermore by Dian Curtis Regan. Looking back I realize this was my gateway drug into adult fantasy, so I hope that counts!
What a tough question!! I’ve been obsessed with reading my whole life. Before I knew how to read, I would drive my parents crazy by begging them to read certain picture books over and over again, such as Where the Wild Things Are and Paper Bag Princess. I remember being totally obsessed with The Saddle Club and Babysitters Club books in elementary school. So I guess those series really got me hooked on reading.
Oh my goodness. The one that kicked started my obsession? Maybe something as far back as ARE YOU MY MOTHER. But what really started my love of reading would be a draw between Beverly Cleary or The Boxcar Children. The literary part came in junior high when I read GONE WITH THE WIND. It kicked into high gear my frosh yr. in college when I read THE DIVINE COMEDY and it’s been going strong ever since.
A beautiful edition I bought of Jane Eyre.
stacybooks at yahoo
Okay this is really going to show my age. My first really book that I could not put down was Shanna by Kathleen Woodwiss. Please include me in your giveaway.
Thanks
Debbie
debdesk9(at)verizon.net
Pride and Prejudice when I was about 15. I’ve been an obsessed reader ever since. Thanks for sharing.
smickelson1993 at yahoo dot com
I’ve always loved Gone with the WInd and had at least 3 copies, so I guess that’s what started it all. I’m now at 850+ books and have run out of places to put them all.
missporkchop AT yahoo DOT com
For me, it began when I discovered To Kill A Mockingbird at age 15. What an eye opening story to this girl born and raised in the South. Then when I discovered John Grisham, my world went spinning! I discovered books that were fun to read but had a good message to them- for example, A Time to Kill. I realized that pleasure reading was much more enjoyable that being told to read certain books at school!
I’ve loved reading for a long time, but I think the one that kick-started the collection was A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. I got it for Christmas in the fifth grade, and it was the first big grown-up hardcover book that I owned.
akreese (at) hotmail (dot) com
The book I can remember setting off my literary obsession is Charlotte’s Web. I have always been an avid reader, but I began in kindergarten with that one!
Thanks for doing the giveaway!
What a great topic, Rebecca. Little Women, hands down. My parents gave me a beautiful set of Louisa May Alcott books for Christmas (fifth grade year, just like Alyce). I still have them and will never part with them. I read Little Women who knows how many times over and over again. I couldn’t get enough of it.
Thanks for the fun giveaway. I’m going to get my hands on that book one way or the other.
What a great question! I have loved to read for as long I can remember but the Anne of Green Gables series and Nancy Drew books are the books that really turned me into a life long reader. I still love reading Anne of Green Gables occasionally.
Thank you for offering this book in your giveaway!
Aimala127@gmail.com
I don’t know what started my obsession. I’ve just always loved to read and go to the library for new books. I read all sorts of things. However, some books that I really loved when I was younger were The Outsiders and Stuck in Neutral. Number the Stars was another good one too.
I don’t think I could name just one. Even if I tried. But I will say that the Nancy Drew Mysteries might be a good place to start. When I read the first one, I wanted to BE Nancy Drew. And then I read the entire series!
I too have been a lifelong reader; but the series that jump started the OCD in my little 9 yo heart was the Nancy Drew series (The first-in-series is The Secret of the Old Clock.) For a year and a half, I would get at least half a dozen titles for every gift-getting occasion. Somewhere I have a picture of me with a record stack of 15 titles for my birthday! I was competing with the new girl in the class as to how many I could get! I still have all 52 titles (that was all there were then.) In fact, when I moved West, I accidentally mixed up the crates that held my ND collection and my tax records. What a surprise my first tax season was when I opened up the box labeled “2006 Tax Stuff” and discovered the Carolyn Keene novels instead!
Please enter me in the give-away for THE MAN WHO LOVED BOOKS TOO MUCH.
That’s a GREAT question! I actually had to think about this one, but it was probably when I was just in elementry school and my mom intoduced me to the Nancy Drew books. Ever since I read those (yes, every single one) I have had a MAJOR book obsession. Read everything I can get my hands on! Spent all of recess in the library trying to decide what to read next!!
I would have to say Pride and Prejudice was the book that jump started my reading obsession in High School. What started out as a mandatory book became a loved book and ignited in me a love of reading and hoarding books.
Thanks for the entry!
You can’t get much better than To Kill A Mockingbird for jumpstarting a lifelong obsession. And A Time to Kill is an interesting contemporary companion for it. Very cool.
This IS a hard question! I remember falling in love with the movie “Grease” and its double-length soundtrack album, around second grade. I saw a novelization of the film in a book rack at the grocery store and HAD to have it — this was about third grade — and I don’t know how many times I read that over the years.
The other two I got and endlessly reread were “Charlotte’s Web” and “The Rescuers,” which I think we ordered from Scholastic through my elementary school. I still have the same copies of these books and “Grease.”
Thanks for the giveaway, and the interesting question!
You obviously had a fantastic roommate!!! The book is so much better and I genuinely love the movie!
Wow! What a great question. I suppose it would have to be The Cat in the Hat. When I was a kid I loved to read and so I ordered a subscription to receive a complete set of books without my parents knowing (well until they got the bill and the books started coming in the mail). It was something I saw on tv and I wanted it. Ever since then books have always been on the brain.
I too have been reading my entire life. I remember picking up my first chapter book – it was Charlotte’s Web, but it wasn’t until I found the Ramona books that I realized my love of books.
Nancy Drew started my love affair with mysteries. As an adult I went many years without reading (before Amazon and book clubs). The first book at a book club I joined was Mutant Message Down Under — Fabulous! So much to think about, even tho the veracity of the book has been challenged.
Please enter me in the giveaway for THE MAN WHO LOVED BOOKS TOO MUCH. .My obsession started as soon as I learn to read.Thanks for the Giveaway.
I have been reading all of my 16 years of life.
:D:D
I would LOVE to win this!!
Thankyou!!
-Lindsay
lindsay15photo@gmail.com
For me it was either the Wizard of Oz series or the Raggedy Ann and Andy books. Both included the regular world but also fantasy worlds that existed along side them and I think that’s what I look for in a book ever since.
Great giveaway idea!
I always enjoyed reading but the one book that really kept me coming back for more was Stephen King’s, Thiner. It helped fill a void in my life and from then on I’ve relied on books more and more for escape.
Gosh, that sounds depressing but it’s not. Blogging about books has opened the door to a wonderful community and new friends for me – I just love books – but not too much LOL
opps, I think I forgot my email – here it is:
merryweatherbookblog@gmail.com
thanks : D
I’ve loved books since before I can remember, but apparently the first book I read on my own (as opposed to books I’d memorized after having my parents read them to me over and over) was Blaze and Thunderbolt by C.W. Anderson. I was three. I don’t know if it started my literary obsession, but it took away the limit imposed by my parents’ limited time for reading to me.
Geez, you had to go with the hard question! I don’t even remember learning how to read, I just know I always loved it.
I do remember loving Little Women, and The Secret Garden and the Little House Books, and The Witch of Blackbird Pond. Oh, and Anne of Green Gables! Maybe that’s the one. Although I do remember daydreaming about continuing the story for The Witch of Blackbird Pond.
fizzybeverage at gmail dot com
Could be HARRIET THE SPY, THE SECRET GARDEN, WHAT THE WITCH LEFT … I remember reading these time and time again. Hmm, there’s a common thread in ‘secrets’ … interesting ?
Please enter my name in the giveaway!
dawn [at] sheIsTooFondOfBooks [dot] com
While I’ve always been a voracious reader (my dad and I read the complete, 12-book series of WIZARD OF OZ out loud by the time I was 7), I can tell you this book you’re giving away has changed my life! It is now impossible for me to walk past one of those street stands selling used books without searching for that elusive first edition… or walking past an antique store, and looking for that “secret” first collection published by an anonymous Poe.
I don’t need to be entered for the giveaway but I do want to wish you all luck – THE MAN WHO LOVED BOOKS TOO MUCH is a fascinating read for all of us who obviously relate to the title!
That’s an easy one for me to answer- it’s definitely Twilight!!
The Lord of the Rings trilogy by Tolkien. I would love to add The Man Who Loved Books Too much to my collection.
Thanks so much for the wonderful review. And I’m glad you mentioned that the story is true, because many people have been referring to it as a novel. I’m pleased to hear that it reads like fiction, but I do want to set the record straight: it’s all true!
[...] The Man Who Loved Books Too Much was so great that I just had to share it, so I ran a review and giveaway during BBAW. Allison is here today to share this guest post about reading criminals. Please give her [...]
Wonderful book, Allison. Your Canadian publisher is obviously not convinced it’s all true, though: there’s a note on the publishing details page of its edition saying it’s fiction! I am relieved to learn it’s a typo and that I haven’t been taken in by a hoax!
Thanks, Claire! I’m going to have to notify the Canadian publisher. So glad you caught it. -Allison