The Map Thief
by Blanding, Michael
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 viewersboth 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 fulland 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 moreand 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.
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![Map Thief, The: The Gripping Story of an Esteemed Rare-Map Dealer Who Made Millions Stealing Priceless Maps](https://d3525k1ryd2155.cloudfront.net/h/525/810/1571810525.0.b.jpg)
Map Thief, The: The Gripping Story of an Esteemed Rare-Map Dealer Who Made Millions Stealing Priceless Maps
by Blanding, Michael
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New York: GOTHAM BOOKS, 2014. Book. Fine. Hardcover. 1st Edition. 8vo - over 7¾ - 9¾" tall. gilt spine, dust jacket, xvi, 300 pages : illustrations, maps, 1st edit.CONTENTS: Selected mapmakers, 1470-1860,The explorer and the thief,Small hope,A new world,Who knows the most wins,Catalog number one,Playing hardball,Upward departure,The battle of Sebec Missing maps, missing cards,Caught!,The plea,Map quest,Terra incognita,Maps Smiley admitted stealing,Additional… Read more about this item Item Price
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The Map Thief : The Gripping Story of an Esteemed Rare-Map Dealer Who Made Millions Stealing Priceless Maps
by Michael Blanding
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- 2014
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Penguin Publishing Group, 2014. Hardcover. Good. Former library book; Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed. Item Price
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The Map Thief: The Gripping Story of an Esteemed Rare-Map Dealer Who Made Millions Stealing Priceless Maps
by Blanding, Michael
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- 2014
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- Hardcover
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- 9781592408177
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Avery Publishing Group, 2014. Hardcover. Good. Missing dust jacket; Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed. Item Price
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The Map Thief: The Gripping Story of an Esteemed Rare-Map Dealer Who Made Millions Stealing Priceless Maps
by Michael Blanding
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- 2014
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- 9781592408177
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Signed and inscribed by the author, first edition, and first printing hardcover. Seller will bubble wrap book prior to shipping it.
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… Read more about this item Item Price
£32.02
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The map thief : the gripping story of an esteemed rare-map dealer who made millions stealing priceless maps
by Blanding, Michael
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- 2014
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New York : Gotham Books, 2014. First Edition. Hardcover. Fine cloth copy in an equally fine dust-wrapper. Particularly well-preserved overall; tight, bright, clean and especially sharp-cornered. Physical description: xvi, 300 pages, 8 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations (some colour), maps (some colour) ; 24 cm. Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index. Subjects: Smiley, E. Forbes. Map dealers… Read more about this item Item Price
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The Map Thief: The Gripping Story of an Esteemed Rare-Map Dealer Who Made Millions Stealing Priceless Maps
by Michael Blanding
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The Map Thief: The Gripping Story of an Esteemed Rare-Map Dealer Who Made Millions Stealing Priceless Maps
by Michael Blanding
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- 2014-05-29
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Avery, 2014-05-29. First Edition. hardcover. Like New/Like New. 6x1x9. Signed by Author. 2014; New York; tan and brown paper covered boards with gold titles; dust jacket; mild shelf wear; signed and inscribed by author; Interior is clean and unmarked; 8vo, 7 3/4"-9 3/4" tall; 300 pages Item Price
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The Map Thief : The Gripping Story of an Esteemed Rare-Map Dealer Who Made Millions Stealing Priceless Maps
by Blanding, Michael
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New York: Gotham Books / Penguin. Very Good in Very Good dust jacket. (2014). First Edition. Hardcover. 1592408176 . No signatures. Dust-jacket protected in archival mylar cover.; xxxiii, [1], 432, [2 (blank)] pages. Red cloth boards with gilt lettering on spine. Page dimensions: 233 x 155mm. "In 'The Map Thief,' investigative journalist Michael Blanding takes us into… Read more about this item Item Price
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The Map Thief : The Gripping Story of an Esteemed Rare-Map Dealer Who Made Millions Stealing Priceless Maps
by Blanding, Michael
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The Map Thief: The Gripping Story Of An Esteemed Rare-map Dealer Who Made Millions Stealing Priceless Maps
by Blanding, Michael
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New York: Gotham Books. Hardcover. 2014. 1st Edition. 8vo 300pp . Fine in Fine DJ. Color Photographs. 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… Read more about this item Item Price
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Map Thief, The: The Gripping Story of an Esteemed Rare-Map Dealer Who Made Millions Stealing Priceless Maps
by Blanding, Michael
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The Map Thief; The Gripping Story of an Esteemed Rare-Map Dealer Who Made Millions Stealing Priceless Maps
by Blanding, Michael
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Regina, Saskatchewan, CAN
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New York: Gotham Books 978-1-592-40817-7 [978-1-592-40817-7] 2014. (hardcover) xvi, [4], 300pp. Very good in fine dust jacket. 8vo. The story of E. Forbes Smiley III, an antiquarian map dealer who, after he was arrested, would confess to the theft of 97 maps valued at more than 3 million dollars. He would serve 3 years for… Read more about this item Item Price
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The Map Thief: The Gripping Story of an Esteemed Rare-Map Dealer Who Made Millions Stealing Priceless Maps
by Blanding, Michael
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New York: Gotham Books. Fine copy in fine dust jacket. 2014. 1st. hardcover. 8vo, 300 pp., Signed by the author on the title page. . Item Price
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The Map Thief : The Gripping Story of an Esteemed Rare-Map Dealer Who Made Millions Stealing Priceless Maps
by Michael Blanding
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- 2014
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Seattle, Washington, USA
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Penguin Publishing Group, 2014. Hardcover. Acceptable. Former library book; Readable copy. Pages may have considerable notes/highlighting. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed. Item Price
£4.80
![The Map Thief: The Gripping Story of an Esteemed Rare-Map Dealer Who Made Millions Stealing Priceless Maps](https://d3525k1ryd2155.cloudfront.net/h/413/553/1374553413.0.m.jpg)
The Map Thief: The Gripping Story of an Esteemed Rare-Map Dealer Who Made Millions Stealing Priceless Maps
by Blanding, Michael
- Condition
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- 2014
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Seattle, Washington, USA
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Thorndike Press, 2014. Hardcover. Acceptable. Former library book; Readable copy. Pages may have considerable notes/highlighting. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed. Item Price
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The Map Thief
by Michael Blanding
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- Used - Very Good
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- 2014-05-29
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- 9781592408177
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Missoula, Montana, USA
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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.… Read more about this item Item Price
£6.40
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The Map Thief: The Gripping Story of an Esteemed Rare-Map Dealer Who Made Millions Stealing Priceless Maps
by Blanding, Michael
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The Map Thief : The Gripping Story of an Esteemed Rare-Map Dealer Who Made Millions Stealing Priceless Maps
by Michael Blanding
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- 2015
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Seattle, Washington, USA
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Penguin Publishing Group, 2015. Paperback. Very Good. Disclaimer:May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed. Item Price
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The Map Thief: The Gripping Story of an Esteemed Rare-Map Dealer Who Made Millions Stealing Priceless Maps
by Blanding, Michael
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- 2014
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Kent, Ohio, USA
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Gotham Books, New York, 2014. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Fine Condition/Fine. Dust Jacket is in fine condition without tears or chips or other damage. Dust Jack in mylar guard. Quantity Available: 1. Category: True Crime; ISBN/EAN: 9781592408177. Pictures of this item not already displayed here available upon request. Inventory No: 23576. . 9781592408177 … Read more about this item Item Price
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The Map Thief: The Gripping Story of an Esteemed Rare-Map Dealer Who Made Millions Stealing Priceless Maps.
by Blanding, Michael.
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Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
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New York (Gotham Books), 2014.. xvi, (3), 300pp., 8 plates. 4to. Boards, 1/4 cloth. D.j. Annotations in red ink. Item Price
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