Loved it. As a librarian I certainly appreciated all the library, and librarians had to go through to reopen the library after a fire

“ 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 marvelous and exceptional. All the things that are wrong in the world seem conquered by a library’s simple unspoken promise: here I am, please tell me your story; here is my story, please listen.” The Library Book by Susan Orlean. If you love libraries or books or the smell of books or the way libraries are run, you will love this book. It is easily already a favorite.

I am a librarian so this love story to libraries touched me greatly. Not only was I fascinated with the mystery of the LA library fire, but what moved me the most was the author’s recognition of a library’s value to a community and the country at large. Thank you, Susan Orlean for sharing this story with others.

I did not know much about the LA Public Library fire. I really liked how she discussed librarians and libraries as a whole, while detailing the interesting facts of that event.

The Library by Susan Orlean

Brief Summary: this book tells the story of the fire at the Los Angeles library on April 29, 1986, its aftermath, and the people affected by it. But it is also a moving tribute to libraries and the role they play in our lives.

Highlights: Susan Orlean really re-created the magic of libraries and I reflected back to my own childhood days when going to the library was such a treat. I love the history aspect about how many books were destroyed during the war. I felt so much better about my own embarrassing history of library fines when I heard about how many people try to steal books. I liked learning about the ins and outs of libraries and the various librarians highlighted; they really do “know everything.” Parts of the book drag on and were hard to stay engaged with but I also found surprising part interesting like the care for and preservation of the books after the fire. The cultural issues among librarians were also interesting. Of course I love the Cleveland reference, since the author grew up in Cleveland and the Bertram Wood branch of the Shaker Heights library system was her home library.

What makes this book unique?: The tribute to in history of the library system

Explanation of Rating: 4/5 I learned so much and really enjoyed this.

Favorite Quotes: “I expected central library to look like the main libraries I knew best; The New York public Library and the Cleveland Public Library are serious buildings with grant entrances and the stern aura of religious institutions.”

This was a really enjoyable read. Don’t miss this.

Thank you to Net Galley and Simon and Schuster for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review

This book has a little something for EVERYONE . . . a person could pick up the book and turn to any chapter to learn something new and interesting from fire facts to quirky real-life characters. The Library Book will be highlighted soon as a Marvelous Nonfiction Book of the Month. (Review will be updated at that time.)

I grew up with a library at the top of my street and this book brought me back to my childhood browsing in the stacks. I really enjoyed learning about libraries, their evolving roles and how they are helping communities. I found the book uneven. Parts I couldn’t put down and other parts I skimmed over but overall I recommend.

This is truly a love letter to books, to reading, and to the idea that books are a special kind of magic that you can hold in your hands. It's also a love letter to the Los Angeles community and its librarians who've supported the city from its humble beginnings as a backwater town no one was interested in. Orleans' prose is breathtaking yet stark. Her ability to pin down the essence of whoever she's interviewing is astonishing. I've rarely read such concise, honest interpretations of other people in any book, nonfiction or otherwise.

Despite its short length, this book is chock full of history from the large-scale story of libraries in general and to local anecdotes by librarians present and past. It jumps between the story of the Los Angeles Central Library Fire of 1986, the history of the library, stories of the librarians, and questions of what books and libraries truly mean to us as a society. Reading this book was such a pleasure as both a reader and a writer and I would certainly recommend it to any book lover out there.

Note: I received a free Kindle edition of this book via NetGalley in exchange for the honest review above. I would like to thank Netgalley, the publisher Atlantic Books, and the author Susan Orleans for the opportunity to do so.

The Library Book by Susan Orlean is a 2018 Simon & Schuster publication.

I couldn’t have been happier when this book finally reached the top of my TBR pile. I’ve been looking forward to reading it for a long time. Naturally, I was drawn to the ‘books about books’ aspect, but was also mortified by the true crime elements. Who on earth would deliberately set fire to a public library?

Susan Orlean attempts to answer that very question, while detailing the rich history of the Los Angeles public library. What a fascinating journey it was –

The author, who is not originally from LA, had not heard about the fire that ravaged the central library back in 1986, until an offhand remark piqued her curiosity. Her research unearthed the library’s storied past, which is a compelling drama all on its own.

But she also attempts to shed light on the fire and the primary suspect, Harry Peak. Was Peak guilty, or just a consummate liar?

The book begins on a horrifying note. In 1986, the library housed a very impressive number of books and records, which included a large ‘stacks’ area. The building was not up to code either, so it only took a short time for the old dry paper to ignite and spread rapidly. Any type of fire which destroys a home or business is difficult to hear about. But, of course, as a book lover, I was nearly in physical pain reading about the hundreds of books damaged by fire, smoke or water.



It was also disconcerting that the fire barely made a blip in the press. Granted, there were other major news stories going on at the time. But, now for the first time, thanks to the amazing work this author did, we can see how the fire effected the city, the patrons, and the librarians. We also get a close -up and personal look at how a library functions, and the important work librarians do. What an amazing job. Working with the public has its drawbacks, of course, but I was truly impressed with how the librarians handle all the phone calls, answer questions on a myriad of topics, and cope with situations such as how to handle the homeless who often use the library to as place of shelter during operating hours.



The wealth of information and history surrounding the Los Angeles public library is vast and completely absorbing, especially if you are passionate about books and libraries. The mystery surrounding the fire, however, is perplexing and frustrating. Orlean presents the facts, and I must agree with her opinion of the prime suspect. The book is categorized as ‘True Crime’, but more than anything I think it falls into the history category. It is also a book that makes one truly appreciate the importance of libraries.

I have always supported libraries, and I try to remind people that although Netgalley, Edelweiss, KU, and Scribd, provide thousands of books right there at your fingertips,( and I am as addicted to these services as anyone else), the library will never reject you ‘based on the information you provided in your profile’, and it doesn’t cost you a dime for a library card. So, don’t forget to take advantage of everything the library has to offer-

Books- both print and digital, audiobooks, music, movies, documents, newspapers, magazines, research material, job information, book clubs, children’s story hour, free access to computers and the internet, literacy programs, programs to help learn new skills, community clubs, and a host of other services- most of them free.

There are many ways to support your local library: volunteer or donate any books or magazines you don’t plan to re-read or keep, and if you are in a position to do so, offer a little financial help from time to time. You can even deduct it on your taxes!! Funding for libraries is not always stable or dependable.

Obviously, book lovers need to read this one, as well as history buffs. While it starts off on a somber note, by the end of the book you will feel as though this eye- opening journey was a rewarding adventure. I am in awe of the LA public library, and its rich history, and have an even greater appreciation for the importance of libraries in general.



Orlean did a terrific job with her exhaustive research and it is obvious she put in many hours with those involved with the library and with those associated with Harry Peak. The book is well- organized, and unlike some non-fiction history books, I never zoned out or lost interest. If you love books or libraries, history, or True Crime this book is one you won’t want to miss out on!

I enjoyed this well researched book. It’s like a love story to libraries! Lots of tidbits of information in this one - about books, about libraries, about California, about people and community. Really enjoyable.

I loved this book. It's really three stories in one which is the history of LA, the history of libraries in general and then how the history of the LA Library and the city itself intertwine. Overall this is a statement over the role libraries play in our lives and how they reflect the cities themselves and also provide a public good. It also gives me a lot of hope for the future of libraries. All book lovers will love this one.

A fascinating history of libraries as well as true crime account. Would recommend for any lover of books and libraries.

I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

On April 29, 1986, the downtown Los Angeles Public Library caught fire, destroying hundreds of thousands of books and causing extensive damage to the historic building. The Library Book explores the fire, its causes, and it's aftermath, as well as the history of the Lost Angeles Public Library.
The book jumps around: each chapter focusing on either the first, the library`s history, or Orlean's personal experiences with the library. It was all very interesting but felt choppy to me. I am a librarian, so nothing about libraries surprised me. At times, I was a little taken aback by how the author chose to describe the people she interviewed-I felt different words could have been used.
There is no definite answer to the question of how the 1986 fire started. Much like the author, I found myself wavering back and forth about Harry Peak's role in the fire. One thing is certain: The LA Public Library didn't let the fire hold them back.
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The Library Book has so many strong elements, the library itself and its inner workings, arson investigations, the fire itself, each one interesting. Each section could almost be a book in itself, which I found interesting. Susan Orlean has definitely done her research and I was grateful for her thoroughness. She writes conversationally and manages to infuse even the more tedious sections with some life. I read this book slowly, as there was so much to absorb. I wished for a discussion group to participate in as I really wanted to talk over what I had read.
Well done.
I received my copy through NetGalley under no obligation.

Every lover of books will be enraptured by Orlean’s paean to libraries, a mystery at heart as it unravels the fire that burned L.A.’s Public Library in 1986. It’s a love letter, a crime story, a history, and an absorbing narrative rolled into one. A triumph! 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine. Pub Date 16 Oct 2018. TheLibraryBook #NetGalley

I am not much of a nonfiction reader, but like the author, I fondly remember those days when my mom and I would go to the library and return home with shopping bags full of books. To me, a library has always felt like a bank -- hushed, full of riches, except there are all there for me to love. I've patronized small suburban libraries, big city libraries and used to love to find and visit the library when I travelled. Found one of the original Carnegie libraries in a small down in Michigan -- such a warm and wonderful delight. I've never been to LA Library and did not remember the tragic fire, but was intrigued to learn of the library's evolution. This book reminded me why libraries are such wonderful, special places. Recommended! (less)

Hmmm, I don't really get the love for this one. It's ostensibly a book about the unsolved fire in the main Los Angeles library building in the 1980s, but really it's about so much more - about the history of libraries both in general and specifically the LA library system, and seemingly about every single person who ever worked in or walked into that library building. I've never read a Susan Orleans book before but she seems to have a very distinctive style - sometimes it's just reporting, sometimes it's inserting herself into the story. Some of the book was fascinating, but so many of the tangents just went on forever and I really didn't get the point of them. And I should add that I am a total lover of libraries - my mom was the children's librarian in my town for part of my childhood, my first job was at the library in my hometown, I am the head volunteer of the school library at my kids' elementary school, and of course I'm a library patron too. But this book just didn't really work for me. 2.5 stars for the interesting parts.

Great narrative nonfiction. I loved the history of the Central Library and found it even more fascinating than the mystery behind the fire!

Rambling narrative with no resolution. Made me feel like reading this book was not a good use of my time.

I received a free e-galley from netgalley.com.

‘The Library Book’ by Susan Orlean documents the devastating fire that raged for seven hours at Los Angeles Public Library in April 1986 and destroyed or damaged over one million books. Investigators quickly concluded that the fire was probably an arson attack but the cause has never been solved and the main suspect, Harry Peak, was arrested but never charged.

The fire broke out just as the news about the Chernobyl disaster became known around the world. Interestingly, while publications such as Pravda remained silent about the worst nuclear accident in history, it found space to cover the Los Angeles library fire in some detail, whereas Chernobyl dominated media coverage across the rest of the world and the fire was overlooked and forgotten relatively quickly. Orlean’s book will hopefully bring this episode to light for a new audience of those like me who had never heard about it before.

As well as the fire itself and the aftermath, Orlean weaves in the history of Los Angeles Public Library and the colourful characters who ran it from when it was founded in 1872. Ray Bradbury, author of the most famous novel about book burning ‘Fahrenheit 451’, was a frequent visitor in his youth. Orlean also covers the history of libraries in general and library fires. An estimated 100 million books were burned by the Nazis and even though the destruction of libraries might be an inefficient way of waging war from a military perspective, the deliberate destruction of books still has enormous emotional and cultural resonance.

The true crime element of ‘The Library Book’ sees Orlean explore the investigation surrounding Harry Peak’s alleged involvement in starting the fire. It is left to the reader to decide for themselves whether or not he was a deluded, attention-seeking fantasist or a practised liar. However, ‘The Library Book’ is predominantly a tribute to the public institutions at the heart of communities around the world and Orlean provides a thoughtful and thorough examination of the value of libraries as one of the few public spaces which can be used by anyone at no cost. The themed library catalogue listings complete with Dewey decimal numbers at the beginning of each chapter are also a nice touch.

‘The Library Book’ is an excellent piece of narrative non-fiction and it goes without saying that I would recommend it to bibliophiles everywhere. Many thanks to Simon & Schuster for sending me a copy of ‘The Library Book’ via NetGalley.