Name: The Island of Lost Maps
Rating: 3.25 (2 reviews)
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

U.S.A. $24.95 Canada $35.95 "Every once in a blue moon you read a book that leaves you absolutely breathless, reminding you of the bright, hidden worlds within our world. This is that book, a glimmering, supersonic journey into terra incognita, where Miles Harvey, acting as writer and sleuth, pursues America's greatest map thief. This is a riveting, hilarious book of twists and turns, unexpected confessions and deep human truths. You will not rest until the last page." --Michael Paterniti, author of Driving Mr. Albert: A Trip Across America with Einstein's Brain The Island of Lost Maps is 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 the Al Capone of cartography, a man with the unlikely name of Gilbert Bland, Jr., an enigmatic antiques dealer from south Florida whose cross-country slash-and-dash operation went virtually undetected until he was caught in December 1995. This is also the spellbinding story of author Miles Harvey's quest to understand America's greatest map thief, a chameleon who changed careers and families without ever looking back. Gilbert Bland was a cipher, a blank slate--for Harvey, journalistic terra incognita. Filling in Bland's life was like filling in a map, and grew from an investigation into an intellectual adventure. Harvey listens to the fury of the librarians from whom Bland stole. He introduces us to America's foremost map mogul, a millionaire maverick who predicted the boom in map collecting. He retraces Bland's life, from his run-ins with the law to his troubled service in Vietnam. And finally, with the aid of an FBI agent, Harvey discovers the Island of Lost Maps. The deeper Miles Harvey investigates, the more we are drawn into this fascinating subculture of collectors, experts, and enthusiasts, all of them gripped by an obsession both surreal and sublime. Capturing that passion in perfect pitch, The Island of Lost Maps is an intriguing story of exploration, craftsmanship, villainy, and the lure of the unknown.

Kirsten Simkiss

I've decided that I'm not finishing this book. At 45 pages in, I was so bored that I literally went to bed an hour and a half earlier than normal. I know non-fiction isn't my usual thing, but the actual story that is the title of the book is lost in pages upon pages of thinly stretched comparisons where they only have one connection: maps. If I wanted to read a paper of the greed in Treasure Island, I would have read that instead. I was looking for the story of a map thief and I only got maybe five pages out of what I read of actual substance. This really is just not meant for me. 

However, I'm sure there are lots of interesting tid-bits to be learned from this book. I just don't feel like sifting through 400 pages for the occasional fact. For that reason, I've given the book two stars.

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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