This is a comprehensive history of the Los Angeles Library, as well as an informative and extremely interesting history of libraries in general! I loved it. The author spent a great deal of time talking about the LA library fire in 1986. I even lived in northern California at the time and can't remember hearing about it. I was glued to the page.

Libraries have been an important part of my life since I was a young child. I even briefly wanted to become a librarian. This book struck a lovely nerve. I wish my mom was alive to read it as well. It is well researched and very detailed. A truly great book for all library lovers and supporters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.

I received this book in exchange for a honest review from NetGalley.

I adored everything that this book is about. It is more about a community and its ability to overcome adversity and the effects of libraries in communities then it is about the crime of arson. As a librarian I see this effect everyday in peoples lives. This book puts into words the idea of how the loss of a true third space can change a community and bring it together. It is a beautiful ode to libraries and what they can do for a community.

Although a great deal of this book is about the fire that burned the Central Library of Los Angeles in April of 1986, destroying almost half a million books, and about the young man who many thought started the fire, it is really an ode to books and libraries in general. Just about every aspect is covered, from the history of libraries and books to their challenging future.

I adored every minute spent with this book and thank the publisher for granting me the privilege of reading an arc via Net Galley for my honest review

In April 1986, there was a large fire in the Los Angeles Public Library; so large, in fact, that over four hundred thousand books were burned completely and seven hundred thousand more were damaged. Initially, the thoughts were that this was arson, yet no one has been convicted, and a mystery still surrounds the act.

The Library Book accomplishes several things. First, Susan Orlean has researched the history of the LA Public Library, and believe me, it’s intriguing and page-turning.

When examining the fire, Orlean presents a key player. Though he is a suspect, actor Harry Peak denies any involvement. Susan Orlean tells his backstory and presents the evidence clearly and with tension in such a way that it could be on 48 Hours or Dateline.

Susan Orlean lovingly places her endearment for books on every page of this wonder. Her love for libraries and their vital role in communities is also resonantly conveyed.

I don’t want to say too much in this review because this book is all about the discovery. It’s unique and heartwarming, even in the midst of a tragedy that would hurt any bibliophile’s heart. More than anything, it’s an ode to books and a gift to those who love them.

Thank you to Simon Schuster for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Susan Orlean, The Library Book (Simon & Schuster, 336 pp.) Nonfiction. You probably remember Susan Orlean from her book The Orchid Thief. In this book, Orlean tells the story of how the Los Angeles Library went up in flames in 1987. The fire was deliberately started and spread quickly because library upgrades hadn’t been implemented due to lack of funding. First theme: the wonder and treasure that is a library, and the history and resources that are lost when it is lost. (Consider the museum fire in Brazil this year.) Second theme: the mystery of who set the fire. Police suspect a young, attractive man named Harry Peak, who aspires to be an actor but maybe without the acting part (he has stage fright). Third theme: the love of libraries. I was one of those library kids who loved being able to roam the stacks and go home with a new pile of books every time I tore through the old pile. Orlean had me reminiscing about those days and what a big part the library played in my childhood. I took a sleeping pill before I started this book, but then I regretted that I couldn’t stay up all night reading it. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance reader’s copy of this one.

The story of the biggest library fire in the U.S. provides the perfect backdrop to delve into the history of libraries in the U.S. in general and the Los Angeles Public Library in particular. One of the best parts is the look at some of the colorful characters who played an integral role in the growth of the library, from the 'Walking Encyclopedia' to the 18 year old head of the library. Orlean even tried to burn a book herself to see what the arson may have felt or been thinking when he set the fire that destroyed so much of the LAPL's collection.

This superb book by Susan Orlean reveals the life of all books, and how they are valued in our societies. She acknowledges the use of books by academic elites, but she succeeds in embedding the library book in the broad story of the city of Los Angeles. She does not discriminate between the value of books, leaving that up to users, readers and borrowers. She outlines in readable form show our librarians work to save books from neglect and destruction. Examining the crises (especially a devastating fire in 1986) faced by the Los Angeles library since its foundation, she highlights the richly eccentric characters who provided a service to a burgeoning city. As libraries continue to morph to be relevant in a digital age, Orlean shows how flexible that libraries have been in facing the challenges of the past. Champions of public education will celebrate her description of how homeless and immigrant communities have been served in Los Angeles. Overall, an indispensable account of the importance of civic libraries in a shrinking public sphere.

Who would ever have imagined it? Even as rabid a bibliophile as I am, I
could not imagine how a book ostensibly about the 1986 L.A. Library fire could be so fasinating, riveting even. While the fire grounds the book, it explores all the roles that libraries have to play in our communities and our lives, the history of L.A. Library and it's librarians, the salvage operations for the many damaged books, and the search for the cause or culprit. As Orlean writes,
"The library is a whispering post. You don’t need to take a book off a shelf to know there is a voice inside that is waiting to speak to you, and behind that was someone who truly believed that if he or she spoke, someone would listen."
Thank you, Susan Orlean, for doing that tremendous amount research and believing your inner voice, you are right, we are listening. Highly recommended!

Orlean does for libraries what she did for orchids. A great fire at the Los Angeles Library is a stepping off point for a book about crime and community. The uses of the library are countless, beyond the housing of Books. The evolution of the librarian is depicted through the history of the Los Angeles library system. Reflecting the history of the nation, the needs of the library flourished. Orleans captures the real life characters of librarians and arson suspects for the page. A delightful informative book.

From childhood visits to the bookmobile through library school & work as a librarian, I love books and libraries. So this book was a natural for me to read. What surprised and delighted me though was how wide-ranging and wonderful it was. I was enchanted from the first paragraph.

Orleans uses the Los Angeles Central Library and its devastating 1986 fire as the focal point of her book, but it covers so much more, all in chapters introduced by four library book citations, including call numbers, that reflect that chapter's topics.

Not only do we learn the history of the library, we get profiles of many folks who work there, from the Head Librarian to security guards. We also get delightful looks at some special collections as well as many of the departments in the library from the shipping department to the computer center.

We might think that libraries are less relevant in today's Internet world, but as this book conclusively shows, they are more important now than ever.

If you love libraries, read this book, it will give you insight into how complex and interesting they are. If you are skeptical about their value, read this book. It will show you why they are important.

The Library Book by Susan Orlean on the surface is a book about the Los Angeles Public Library fire in 1986 that burned for over seven hours, the single biggest library fire in the history of the US. It’s actually a love letter to libraries, their history, their place in our communities, and the tireless men and women who work there. I’m a lover of libraries, have used them in many capacities throughout my life, but was amazed what I did not know (and what I learned). The author writes not simply about the Los Angeles Library but the history of libraries, their evolution, their future. It gave me a renewed appreciation for the vast role libraries play within communities and how that will continue to evolve. I highly recommend this for bibliophiles and history buffs alike.
I received an advanced reader copy (eGalley) from Simon & Schuster through NetGalley. This review reflects my honest and unbiased opinions.

I'm not sure what I can say that hasn't already been said. The Library Book is a love story with a mini true crime novella intertwined. To anyone that values their library and their community, this is a must read.

This is a wonderful history of the importance of libraries to not only readers but the public in general. I don't think I realized this was a factual, non-fiction story at first, it is well written and keeps sometimes dull facts and details holding your attention till you look at the clock and discover it's long past your bedtime. In 1986 the Los Angeles Public Library caught on fire. It turned into an inferno. This book tries to determine if the fire was set on purpose and who would do such a thing. While the LA Library is the center of the story, Ms Orlean encompasses stories, people and libraries from all around the globe to tell a history of the wonderful notion books for all through the library. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

RECOMMENDED READING: Up from the ashes of the terrible 1986 arson fire and into the archives: in The Library Book, recent Angeleno Susan Orlean (The Orchid Thief) paints an engaging pen portrait of the colorful characters who built up the Los Angeles Public Library, the peculiar dude who maybe tried to destroy it, and the preservationists, architects and policy wonks who saved the grand old gal from demolition. (review appeared in the Esotouric newsletter 11/4/2018)

This may end up being one of my favorite books of the year. Susan Orlean certainly knows how to craft a story. Like the author, I grew up in libraries and hold some of the dearest memories among the stacks of books. So while I was already biased towards liking the book, she did something beyond my expectations- she taught me about libraries, her personal history, and a mystery about a fire in the LA branch, all in one book. The read was at times poignant, at times funny, other times fascinating and mysterious, but never dull. I was utterly charmed by this book and was very sad when it ended.

I would like to thank Simon And Schuster for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

The synopsis:
On the morning of April 28, 1986, a fire alarm sounded in the Los Angeles Public Library. As the moments passed, the patrons and staff who had been cleared out of the building realized this was not the usual fire alarm. As one fireman recounted, “Once that first stack got going, it was ‘Goodbye, Charlie.’” The fire was disastrous: it reached 2000 degrees and burned for more than seven hours. By the time it was extinguished, it had consumed four hundred thousand books and damaged seven hundred thousand more. Investigators descended on the scene, but more than thirty years later, the mystery remains: Did someone purposefully set fire to the library—and if so, who?

My thoughts:
Reading the synopsis I was intrigued and excited for a whodunit about a library fire. I thought the book was mainly going to be an investigation into finding out who started the fire in the Los Angeles Public Library. Spoiler: It wasn't. The book had a sprinkle here and there regarding the fire but mostly it was a book about people who work or have worked in the library. Had I known that, I probably would not have picked this book up in the first place.

Still, once invested in the book I persisted and was actually enjoying it. Susan Orlean started out talking about her love for books and had some great descriptions about her feelings toward them that I could relate to. It all started going downhill, however, when she started talking about the people she met or observed. There was a couple of scenes where she wasn't just describing people, but actually being judgmental. I ignored it at first but it ruined the whole book for me. Had she left those parts out and kept on with the investigation, I think I would have enjoyed it more. As it is, it was a 2/5 star.

Thank you to NetGally and the publisher for as ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I loved this book!! The writing was suburb, as with all her books, and grabbed me from the first page. This was such an interesting book and what I learned was unbelievable! A true story about the biggest library fire in history but really about so much more! The amount of information will blow you away! This one is going down as one of my years best read books! f you love history and you love the Library this is a must read. Starring 5 star.

When I started reading The Library Book, I was expecting a true crime account of the April 1986 library fire at the Los Angeles Public Library. While her investigation of the fire was what drove Ms. Orlean to write The Library Book, ultimately it’s more of a memoir of the Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL). The story of the fire and it’s investigation does weave in and out, but this really is about the library and a love of books.

From a true crime aspect, I was a little disappointed. Ms. Orlean’s research guides us through the fire (which she describes beautifully) and it’s investigation. While they had a strong suspect, officially the arsonist remains a mystery. I would have liked to see justice for such a crime, but obviously this is not the fault of the author.

That being said, from a memoir (and book lover’s) perspective, The Library Book is very interesting. As Ms. Orlean leads us through the history of the LAPL, you can tell this book is a labor of love. She introduces us to the past head librarians, many of whom were strong personalities that helped shape the library as it is today. We learn about the architecture and design of the building itself. She takes us through the modern library and it’s daily operations, from the shipping department to the people fielding telephone questions, to cataloging in the map room, to the librarians on the floor. Learning the stories of the people and patrons who collectively make the library the wonderful place that exists today is what kept me turning pages.

The library fire is just one piece of this library’s history. While it’s an interesting event, it’s the rest of the history and the people Ms. Orlean profiles that makes this book an enjoyable read for any book lover.

The Library Book is okay. It is the history of the Los Angeles Public Library with a focus on the 1986 fire. The book's chapters go back a forth between the history of the library and its managers, the fire investigation, and Susan Orlean's meetings with the current staff of the library and what the library's programs.

I thought the book was supposed to be about the fire and while it was it also included more history about the library than I was expecting. If you are interested in libraries and books give this one a try.

In 1986, a devastating fire tore through the Los Angeles Public Library; it lasted seven hours and burned 400,000 books and damaged 700,000 more. Thirty years later, it’s still a mystery if it was arson, even though investigators strongly suspected a man of setting it.

Susan Orlean looks into the case as part of her Library Book, but this narrative explores much more than the fire and its aftermath. Orlean relates the history of the library in Los Angeles and its librarians but also writes about libraries and their keepers in general, about their role in society and the place they hold in so many people’s hearts. This is a paean to books, their homes, and the people who love them.

I had not read any of Orlean’s previous books, so I was eager to try this one, in part because of her reputation as a consummate writer and in part because I couldn’t resist the subject matter, being a book and library lover myself. I was not disappointed. I’m guessing she can make anything interesting with her skill and style and warm approach to the subject matter. Here, she goes back and forth between the history of the Los Angeles library and the men and women who have led it and the story of the 1986 fire, the investigation and the way people pulled together to try to rescue as many books as possible and rebuild.

Her style had me wanting to highlight probably a third of the book. One example shows what a library is and what her writing is like: “In the library, time is dammed up — not just stopped but saved. The library is a gathering pool of narratives and of the people who come to find them. It is where we can glimpse immortality; in the library, we can live forever.”

I loved her description of the father of the arson suspect: He had “silvery hair that stuck out straight, as if it were a quiver of exclamation points.”

All of it was compelling as an interweaving collection of stories about the Los Angeles library, books and the people who work for and use libraries in general. And all of it is irresistible for people who love books — who else would pick up this book, after all? I savored it, learned from it, and pondered on important points it brought up, such as how libraries are community centers, gathering places that are open to everyone (including the homeless, which means librarians have had to work within the community to try to tackle this complex problem), places that have been and still are vital centers of not just learning but engagement and doors for opportunity for those who need help the most. They have grown and evolved and survived, even and especially in the toughest economic times, because they may be needed the most in downturns.

If you’re not already a believer in the power of libraries, you will be after reading The Library Book.