This was a fantastic book. I was an avid library user as a kid and young adult. I took my kids to the library, but in the past few years I have stopped going to the library. This book has changed my mind. I'll admit I was put off by the large population of homeless people in and around the library and the condition of some of the books that I had taken home. This book has made me reevaluate the library.

This story is more than the fire in the LA library, it is basically the history of the LA library and the people who work behind the scenes. This was so interesting to me. I wish I could be a librarian!

Susan Orlean’s latest book is a warm, intelligent read you should curl up with in your favorite reading nook — possibly at the library — if you want to feel better about the world. Or anything at all.

A lot of people are going to call this book a love letter to libraries, and they’re not wrong. But this isn’t just a love letter. It’s a long-term correspondence, a story that covers decades, which leaves room for it to also be a pot-boiler mystery, a character study of a wannabe Hollywood star, a history of the west and women in the workplace, an examination of how the profession of librarian has transformed (they’re informational social workers now), and a personal essay about Orlean’s mother and their shared love of reading and libraries.

The Library Book takes bibliophiles on a journey through the doors of Los Angeles’ Central Library, which is housed in an unusual building and suffered a blaze in 1986. The great fire raged for seven hours and burned at temperatures exceeding 2,000 degrees. Firefighters on the scene described seeing flames so pure, so hot, that the fire temporarily burned clear. The concrete structures that held the Central Library’s stacks inadvertently acted as flues that channeled the increasing intensity as the perfect fuel, book after book, lit in the stacks. The library lost 1 million books to flames and water damage. Once the hoses were off, investigators had little to go on but posited some theories — and an arson suspect — anyway.

Orlean is a writer for The New Yorker, but she has lived in Los Angeles for years. She wasn’t in California when the fire happened but still wondered how she could’ve never heard of a fire that destroyed a million books. As she often does in her work, she digs in and finds regular people who have stunning stories to tell and a fascinating history hiding in plain sight.

As for the library itself, that history is one that matches America’s cultural and intellectual history and the legacy of the American West. The Los Angeles library started as more club than public institution. Members had to pay for access; the notion of libraries as essential pillars in the public structure of a community came later. Women competently ran the library until an all-male board elected to oust a female librarian for an outsized personality, a journalist who moved to California from the Midwest by walking there, writing his tales of the still-wild West as he went.

Much later, after the library expanded into many branches in a sprawling city, the building that housed the Central Library itself became a poignant tale in the library’s history. The Goodhue Building, designed by architect Bertram Goodhue, opened to much fanfare and skepticism in 1926. By the time of the fire, the building had only become a more controversial hotspot on the city’s landscape, and after the fire, firefighters blasted the Goodhue Building as a structure that couldn’t have had a better design for creating a difficult-to-put-out blaze.

A new story rises out of the ashes when arson investigators land on a suspect: Harry Peak, a sometimes-employed actor doing odd jobs around Los Angeles. His sister tells Orlean that Peak was incredibly charming but harmless, even though he was the “biggest bullshitter in the world”:

“He had a gift for drama and invention. He was a storyteller, a yarn-spinner, and an agile liar; he was good at fancying up facts to make his life seem less plain and mingy…so quick to fib and fabricate that even his own family didn’t believe a word he said.”

Orlean follows this thread and the meager “evidence” arson investigators had against Peak. Peak himself didn’t help the investigation; he was constantly reinventing his stories, both for friends and acquaintances and to the investigators themselves. Orlean confesses her own back and forth, her own uncertainty about Harry Peak. This is part of the fun of reading the work of someone so adept in the school of nonfiction known as New Journalism — we see her mulling what she has uncovered, wondering if the factual answer is out there. In these moments when she breaks down the fourth wall, Orlean either enlivens the story or takes great pulls on our heartstrings. In the closing chapter, during the last of many walks through Central Library, Orlean writes a reverie of her mother, echoing their frequent visits to the Bertram Woods branch of the Shaker Heights Public Library system in Cleveland, where she grew up:

“I thought about my mother, who died when I was halfway done with this book, and I knew how pleased she would have been to see me in the library, and I was able to use that thought to transport myself for a split second to a time when I was young and she was in the moment, and tender, with years ahead of her, and she was beaning at me as I toddled to the checkout counter with an armload of books. I knew that if we had come here together, she would have reminded me just about now that if she could have chosen any profession in the world, she would have been a librarian.”

If you’ve never cried over a book, perhaps this is your moment. Orlean’s skill is in full force in these moments and so many others in The Library Book. The sad moments are never sappy, just as the characters are never staid caricatures, just as the legal proceedings of the arson investigation are never dry. The Library Book is a compelling tale with a warm embrace that doesn’t let go, instead letting us pine long after the closing pages for Orlean’s next work of journalistic, literary art.

"One of the ways I differentiated myself from my parents was that I went wild for owning books.” I too was a youthful library reader, riding through hot Sacramento sunshine to the public library. For anyone who loves libraries and their contents, Susan Orlean’s “The Library Book” is a detail-filled delight. Centered around the Los Angeles Central Library fire of 1986, this book is much more than a true crime whodunit. Orleans researches the history of the Los Angeles Library, and brings up to date the story of the library She introduces us to a cast of librarians who are changing the role of libraries in their communities around the world. This is a fascinating and valuable tale.

Let's start with how much I loved Susan Orlean's writing, I felt like I was listening to her, it was like she was telling me to whole story herself. It just proves how much power words have even on paper, it truly is magical, right?
I love libraries, I have spent my whole entire life inside one library or another. I was born in S. Miguel Azores, this island in the middle of the ocean (which is beautiful by the way) and even there I remember visiting the library and now thinking about it, compared to the libraries here? It was small but to small little me it was magical, it was the place where I could go and where all the books existed and I could borrow them over and over again as many times I wanted. And then I came to US as a teen and OMG, first library I visited was Somerville Library in MA and I remember getting my own library card and I remember spending hours and hours there and let's fast forward to today and I'm married and I still go to my local library and you bet that I bring my kids there lol. So, when I read the sypnosis of this book I had to read it and once I started reading I was fascinating in all aspects.
The more I read the more I wanted to know about the fire that happened at the LA Public Library and what happened to all the books after the fire and what about the people and the reconstruction of it. It was non ending what I wanted to learn and you know what surprised me? It looked like all the questions that I had? Susan had all the answers for it...but she not only had the answers for my questions but she went even deeper than that.
She investigated what happened to the person who was blamed to the fire, even talking to his family. She spent so much time at the library, that we got to know how every single department works and oh man, there are sooo many of them lol.
She goes looks at some other library fires and she even goes as far as burning a book to see how quick a fire inside a library can spread. Fascinating reading for sure. I totally recommend it. 5 out of 5 stars!!!

I don't typically read nonfiction but I can't stay away from everything Susan Orlean writes. She is so lyrical that her nonfiction is like reading poetry. I absolutely loved her latest, which is about the Los Angeles central library. From its origins to a fire that nearly destroyed the entire thing to the present it is as much about the heart of Los Angeles as it about what goes into running a library. So many things that I never thought about! Plus, I loved her exploration into the fire - such a horrible and catastrophic event that never had a real resolution but still feels fresh and devastating even today. You will not be disappointed by reading this beautiful book!

The Library Book comes out next week on October 16, 2018, you can purchase HERE! I definitely recommend this one, even for those of us that don't typically read nonfiction.

Our visits to the library were never long enough for me. The place was so bountiful. I loved wandering around the bookshelves, scanning the spines until something happened to catch my eye. Those visits were dreamy, frictionless interludes that promised I would leave richer than I arrived. It wasn't like going to the store with my mom, which guaranteed a tug-of-war between what I wanted and what my mother was willing to buy me, because I could have anything I anted in the library.

An incredible love letter to libraries and the people who work in them as well as a fast paced account of a little-known event outside of LA and the library world. Susan Orlean is the master of the nonfiction account and this was a joy to read.

One of my favourite memories from when I was younger would be the smell of the library. While we never haunted it as frequently as the author of this book, going there was always a treat and now, I make it a point to visit the library regularly (although this is more for sanity and cost-saving reasons). And so, with a title like this, how could I resist requesting it from NetGalley? I barely needed to read that it was about the 1986 fire at the Los Angeles Public Library before I was hooked.

The Library Book has two stories: the first is the history of the Los Angeles Public Library - how it started and how it grew, and the second is, as mentioned before, on the 1986 fire at the Los Angeles Public Library.

Obviously, I found this fascinating. Of the two stories, I thought the story of the Los Angeles library to be more interesting. While I've never been to that particular library, I can definitely see the beauty of it and I love how all the people working there are so passionate about the library. The book definitely brings the library to life.

On the other hand, I thought the story about the 1986 fire was a bit of a let down. Perhaps its because I thought this was a solved mystery (the way the book opens definitely implies that Harry Peak is the culpirt) and so the sudden open end was a bit of a shock. Or maybe it's because the book alternates between the history and workings of the library and the 1986 fire, which means that the case never really has time to build up steam. In any case, I found that I would have much preferred to read about about the library with this case being just a small component of it, rather than half the book.

Overall, I thought that this was a beautiful tribute to libraries, and to the Los Angeles Public Library in particular. While I'm not sure if the libraries in Singapore work the same way, I found it very eye-opening to read about how libraries in America work, how they used to work, and how they are changing for the future.

Disclaimer: I got a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a free and honest review.

This a history of libraries in general and the Los Angeles Public Library in particular. The author starts her book with the pulling of the fire alarm in the library on April 29, 1986. When the fire was contained seven hours later more than 400,000 books were gone and 700,000 damaged by the water that was used to put out the flames. I was in Orange County at the time and I remember watching the news and feeling the loss of so many books and anger at who ever had set that fire.

When I picked up this book, I was hoping for answers to decades-old questions about the fire. What I got was so much more than a lineal history of that fire. Orlean’s signature deep research is very present in this book. Her behind-the-scenes look at the LAPL is fascinating.

The writing is outstanding, the stories are fascinating, and it is clear the author loves words, books, librarians, and libraries.

This book was gorgeous. The authors writing flowed and maybe want to run to the nearest library and just sit there and take it all in. The story centers around the LA library and the horrible fire that took place there and the mystery surrounding the fire and the suspected arsonist.

"Here is my story, please listen; here I am, please tell me your story," says the library. Susan Orlean weaves an amazing tale for us centered around the tragic library fire that devastated the Central LA Branch in 1986.

In this book, the story begins with a depiction of the fire itself then backtracks to tell the story of the LA library system and its many iconic leaders. In between we get updates on the investigation into the fire as well as chapters on the many ways a library is so much more than a storehouse for books.
All of us who love libraries will be uplifted by this love letter to libraries and the way they transcend the mere buildings and physical objects within. Highly recommended!

A big thank you to Simon Schuster and NetGalley for a digital ARC of this beautiful ode to libraries.

My initial reaction to this book after reading 3 chapters or so was “Ooo, fire! Ooo, books!” Orlean’s writing feels like fiction not dry facts. I really enjoyed her writing. The Library Book starts with the author's love of libraries as a child, which switched to her love of buying (instead of borrowing) books when she became an adult. She then rediscovers her love of libraries when she has her own child. This part made me nostalgic. She then she describes the LA Central Public Library, the collections, the art, the people, and the building. All of it sounded very cool and now I want to visit it. I think book lovers will really enjoy this book for many reasons.

After those beginning chapters, she describes the fire. On one the hand my heart hurts at the damage done by the fire and water. On the other hand the fire is so very cool,so very large, and so extraordinary. I also loved the description of how the city of LA came together to help the library: "They formed a human chain, passing the books hand over hand from one person to the next, through the smoky building and out the door. It was as if, in this urgent moment, the people of Los Angeles formed a living library. They created, for that short time, a system to protect and pass along shared knowledge, to save what we know for each other, which is what libraries do every day.”

Another aspect of the book I found delightful are book titles with their library info at the beginning of each chapter. You can guess what the chapter will be about from the books listed. I appreciated how Orlean goes back and forth with the time in each chapter. One chapter she is following librarians of the LA public library around in present day, the next chapter she is interviewing folks about the fire or describing the fire, and the next chapter she is giving us anecdotal library history. I found the history of library fires fascinating; although it did make me sad. She also tells stories about notable folks that were involved with the library. The past directors of the LA public library were some characters!

The question of whether or not Harry Peake started the fire, was there on the day of the fire, or was just lying for attention and was innocent is not answered. Read the book and tell me your conclusion. Personally, I think Harry was there but did not start the fire on purpose or accidentally.

Is this a true crime story of arson or a love letter to libraries? It's both. The 1986 fire in Los Angeles destroyed more than a building and paper. Orlean delves into the fire and the subsequent arson investigation but equally importantly, she looks at the history of libraries and the role they play in communities. One of the best parts of this is learning how the community reacted to the fire= how it helped out. As someone who grew up with the Enoch Pratt Free Library as a safe place and a place of joy, this book was a must read for me. I still visit my local library weekly and regularly donate to it as well. Thanks to publisher for the ARC. Orlean has written a wonderful book that deserves a wide audience.

Part history of libraries and part narrative of the fire which devastated Los Angeles Public Library in 1986 this is an episodic read for those of us who live books and reading.
If councils and governments need reasons to keep funding libraries then they should read this book.
In fact it reminded me about why I work as a librarian in a career which I love for over 25 years.

This was a very enjoyable read in part because it tells several interesting stories, but one drawback is that no one story gets quite enough attention. Just when you're really into one thread, another thread takes over. I think this is a book best read in small sections, so that you can focus on each thread as it appears. The details on how the fire progressed and what was lost at the LA Public Library are enough for me to encourage anyone who loves books and libraries to read this book.

On April 29, 1986 a fire raged in the Los Angeles Public Library for more than seven hours. By the time it was extinguished, it had consumed 400,000 books and damaged 700,000 more. And most of us never even knew about it! Why? There just happened to be a little nuclear disaster that was dominating the news at the time.

This book is part mystery, part history, and part love letter to libraries everywhere. I loved learning about the history of the Los Angeles Public Library, which in many ways reflects the history of libraries all over the country.

Susan Orlean packed so much good stuff into this book. I love the way she has with words and found myself highlighting things repeatedly and reading them over (and over) just to savor them.
This is why I wanted to write this book, to tell about a place I love that doesn’t belong to me but feels like it is mine, and how that feels like a marvelous and exceptional thing. All the things that are wrong in the world seem conquered by a library’s simple unspoken promise: Here is my story, please listen; here I am, please tell me your story.

I found myself falling in love with libraries all over again and regretting that I haven't spent as much time in the library as I used to. Time to remedy that...

Thanks to NetGalley for the copy. I loved it. One of my favorite books this year.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

Using the great fire in the LA Central Library in 1986 as a backdrop, Susan Orlean tells a wonderful story of the history of libraries. The reader learns that the library is more than just books. The physical plant and the people who work there are critical to its successful operation. Even with the growth of the internet and e-books, the library still plays an important role in its community. It is a meeting place, a work place, a place for research, and even a place to come in out of the heat or cold.

If you love books and reading, The Library Book is a must read.

This is a love story about libraries. The history of LA Central Library, the personalities behind the founding and development of the library, and of course the fire, made this a hard to put down read. Libraries are not just books, but are the cornerstone of communities. Since I am one who loves libraries, and have for 50+ years, this book brought me to my happy place. Outstanding!

This is a love letter to the institution we know as the public library. From the outset of this book where the author is describing her earliest memories of going to the library, I felt as if I could have written it identically. She was so adept at making me feel all the same feelings that it was uncanny. She continues to expound on the history of libraries, librarians and bibliophiles using the most horrific crime against libraries in the United States - the 1986 fire at the Los Angeles Central Public Library. Her research is impeccable and presents all types of interesting characters and stories within stories. It makes for a very enjoyable read.

Imagine there was a card file in your local library that contained only information about libraries. Everything there was to know about them: how they operate, who uses them, the people who work in them, how books move from one branch to another, and anything else you could possibly ask about them. Reading award-winning author, Susan Orlean's, newest nonfiction book, [book:The Library Book|39507318], is like shuffling through that file. All this centered around the infamous fire of the Los Angeles Central Public Library in 1986 and the on-again-off-again actor suspected at the time of the arson, Harry Peak. She writes about the broader meaning of libraries, who they serve and how, but she also writes about her own love of books, her mother's diminishing memory from dementia, and how important libraries are for our collective consciousness.

This was a very interesting book from a genre perspective. A blend between true crime, narrative non-fiction, and memoir, I was delighted to see that Orlean's writing is as lovely as I've always been told. That said, I just couldn't seem to fully get into this book's project. It was a book I ultimately admired more than enjoyed, but I would be interested in reading more from her in the futuer