The story of Daniel Spiegelman is complicated and simple, simultaneously. The Book Thief by Travis McDade tells the tale of Spiegelman, which intersects at the fields of library science and law enforcement, with a tangent into conspiracy theories.
Who Is The Book Thief?
Spiegelman stole rare books, maps, and letters from Columbia University in New York City in 1994. The thief’s unusual method of stealing was that he used a dumb waiter in the library to get to the rare book and manuscript room and then removed a portion of a wall that was attached by screws. Over a three month period it is estimated that Spiegelman stole over $1.8 million worth of rarities from Columbia. An astute librarian notices an empty conservation box, a container that rare items are stored in, and this spurs the inventory that calls attention to the theft.
Spiegelman Captured
In the meantime, Spiegelman flees to Europe where he begins to try to sell the pilfered maps, books, and other rare manuscripts. Eventually Spiegelman is captured by Dutch police and he begins to plea bargain with the American authorities by giving up safe deposit locations where some of his stolen loot is hidden in bank vaults.
Conspiracy Theory Fodder
In searching Spiegelman’s New York apartment, the authorities discover weaponry that escalates the charges against Spiegelman. Spiegelman, in turn, leverages these weapons charges to claim that he was involved in the bombing of the Oklahoma Federal Building in 1995. What is insanely brilliant about this move is that it protects Spiegelman from being extradited back to the United States because he would face the death penalty. Many European countries refuse to extradite criminals who face the death penalty as they are morally opposed to the ultimate punishment.
If you are not interested in the finer points of the history of Federal sentencing guidelines, skip Chapter Four. While this chapter may be critical for providing legal back story, for the average person who wants to know what happens, this chapter is snooze inducing. (Sorry Dr. McDade, I'm a former librarian but not a lawyer.)
Court Battle Over Upward Departure
The real battle over bringing Daniel Spiegelman to justice goes on the courtroom of Judge Lewis Kaplan. Spiegelman's legal battle to protect him from a long federal sentence is lengthy, ridiculous, and expensive all 'round. The legal euphemism for when a judge wants to deviate from Federal Sentencing Guidelines and give a longer sentence is known as the Upward Departure. The irony is that in calling for the hearing that attempts to lessen a sentence, Spiegelman actually increases his sentence.
The heroes of The Book Thief are the librarians and rare book experts who are called upon to testify as to the indefinite yet scarring harm caused to scholars and students by the book theft and mutilation of Daniel Spiegelman. The book thief not only steals valuable and rare books and manuscripts; Spiegelman and all book thieves rob us of further scholarship, history, and culture.
Sadly, there are still people who think that Daniel Spiegelman was part of an international conspiracy to bomb the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. This yet another reason to dislike Spiegelman, who has excellently succeeded at creating further fallout from his deceptiveness and lies. The good news is that Daniel Spiegelman is currently behind bars in a federal prison serving time for identity theft.
There is more intrigue and surprises in The Book Thief by Travis McDade, but I'm not going to ruin the read. Buy a copy of The Book Thief for the librarian, bibliophile, law student, lawyer, or judge on your gift giving list.
Mary Rayme - Mary Rayme is a graphic designer and arts educator with a BFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore.
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