Susan Orlean

I ADORED this book. As a librarian it really spoke to me. Learning about the fire at Los Angeles Central was heart wrenching, but I loved the way that Susan Orlean framed it around the history of libraries, book burnings, and the thrill of seeking knowledge. Utterly fascinating; this book reads like a love letter to libraries and those that work in them. Told from three "perspectives;" one thread discusses the destruction of the LA Library by fire and the man who was "responsible" for it, show more another thread of the story discusses the history of the LA library, and the third thread of the story discusses the history and importance of libraries around the world; leading up to this moment in time. Wonderful and thought provoking. show less

Libraries are awesome. I've been a lifelong patron ever since my parents took me to storytime as a tiny tot, and I actually kept this one two days past its due date to finish, whoops (and couldn't renew because there were holds, but I'm more than happy to pay fines to my local library).

I'd never heard of the 1987 Los Angeles Central Library fire, but loss of priceless knowledge is devastating (still mourning the losses of Brazil's National Museum). Orlean weaves the story of the incident & show more recovery of the library with the threads of: the life of the primary suspect and his penchant for fabulism perhaps playing up whether or not he was involved; the history of the Los Angeles Public Library system and the building itself; and the programs and services of the modern LAPL as well as the people who work it, and on a meta level the way modern libraries function as community spaces in today's digital, globally connected world.

TLB is a love letter to libraries in addition to being a history. We learn about librarians who fought to keep their jobs in the face of sexism (frustrating as an experienced, career librarian was displaced by a charismatic male writer with no previous administrative experience though he also left his stamp in making the library accessible), and those who widened access in a growing metropolis with a constantly shifting population. The sheer logistics of a connected library system circulating hundreds of thousands of books between branch libraries, the modern widespread issue among all libraries of how to compassionately work with the homeless, and the unusual collections many people forget (maps, musical scores, autographs) that libraries carry each get a chapter as Orlean shadows a library staffer in their day-to-day. Periodically some libertarian blowhard online wonders outloud, "Why have libraries when you can Amazon anything?" and the pushback always indicates that 1) they haven't set foot in one in a while and 2) don't understand just how much today's libraries provide the public and why a private corporation can't fill that void.

The conclusion to the mystery of the fire is a tad unfulfilling, but there's only so many ways to interpret the evidence available. It's also thematically appropriate that perspective shifts as advances in technology grow.

The Library Book is first person, and makes for an interesting parallel with the other history by an LA citizen I'm reading at the moment, [b:The Lady from the Black Lagoon: Hollywood Monsters and the Lost Legacy of Milicent Patrick|34993030|The Lady from the Black Lagoon Hollywood Monsters and the Lost Legacy of Milicent Patrick|Mallory O'Meara|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1540088794l/34993030._SY75_.jpg|56266883] (Mallory O'Meara and her cohost Brea Grant actually mentioned TLB on an earlier episode of their podcast Reading Glasses). Both books tell a history, but also frame it with their authors discovering the nature of that history and their own explorations in digging up the past. I suspect reviews are more polarized on O'Meara's end because her tone is casual, but ultimately the books feel like cousins to me, women exploring Southern California events that the rest of the world seems to have missed. show less

**I received an advanced readers copy of this book through NetGalley from the publisher in exchange for an honest review**

Orlean writes the perfect love letter to libraries. Using a true crime case of arson at the Los Angeles Public Library, Orlean's writing style intermixes the investigation with historic and contemporary looks at libraries and the roles they have played in communities and lives for decades. Orlean also includes her personal stories about libraries.

This is one book I wanted show more to hug thoroughly upon completion. As a librarian, it made me feel so proud of my profession and the variety of ways we librarians help others. Orlean completely gets the way a library supporter feels when walking into the library - the sense of books and knowledge surrounding you and the dedication of the staff to their positions. Highly recommended to all library supporters and book lovers! show less

Fantastic book about the 1986 Los Angeles Public Library fire, and so much more. The book not only covers that incident, the science of arson investigation, and the story of the quirky wannabe actor who was the primary suspect in the fire, but leads into a discussion of libraries in general, the many services they provide, and a comprehensive history of the LAPL and the many colorful characters who were its head librarians. One gentleman came to L.A. from Ohio, by FOOT! He literally WALKED show more 2,000 miles to his new job. In 1895! The hardest chapter to read was Orlean's vivid imagining of the fire itself, how quickly it spread, how unbelievably hot and destructive it was, which she leavened with a few puns like "the cookbooks roasted." I especially appreciated how each chapter begins with a list of a few nonfiction books, that seem random and unrelated; by the end of the chapter, you see how they foreshadow and connect to what she covers in that section. Just a fun bibliophile-centric touch. A terrific book, entertaining and informative, clearly written by someone who loves books and reading and has an appreciation for all the wonderful things libraries mean to us. show less