Name: The Island of Lost Maps
ISBN: 9780767908269

Miles Harvey

Explores the unusual odyssey of Gilbert Joseph Bland, Jr., an antiques dealer from South Florida, who stole dozens of centuries-old maps from some of the most important research libraries in Canada and the U.S.

A True Story of Cartographic Crime

The Island of Lost Maps

Kali Nichta

I absolutely loved this book... right up to the last couple of chapters. 

The book purports to be the story of a map thief named Gilbert Bland, but through most of the book, Bland is the least concentrated upon element. Which was fine by me as I found his story to be the least interesting thread in the book. What I loved were Harvey's copious forays into the history of exploration and cartography and book restoration. Those parts of the book were filled with lovely journeys and interesting facts that left me inspired.

But as the book winds down, Harvey concentrates more on Bland and his own pursuit of Bland, hoping to get an insight from the man himself about his motivations and, in turn, to allow Harvey insight into himself.

Yes, really. 

Still, I won't let those last, dying chapters taint what was a most enjoyable journey.

The Island of Lost Maps A True Story of Cartographic Crime

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