The Map Thief

Archival Summary & Scope

*The Map Thief* delves into the true story of E. Forbes Smiley, once a revered antiquarian map dealer who secretly became an infamous map thief, eventually arrested while pilfering rare maps from Yale University Library. Acclaimed reporter Michael Blanding, granted exclusive access to Smiley, uncovers the full, previously untold history of this high-stakes criminal and the obsessive, ruthless subculture of the map trade that consumed him. Interweaving Smiley's audacious escapades with the fascinating histories of the New World maps he coveted, Blanding reveals a complex tale of art, crime, destruction, and redemption, even as libraries dispute the true extent of Smiley's admitted thefts.