This was an inadvertent BB from mstrust who initially used the wrong touchstone. It caught my eye because I spotted Alan Bennett’s name in the drop down description. However, there were many favourite authors in this anthology created in support of libraries: Ann Cleeves, Caitlin Moran, Val McDermid, Zadie Smith, and more. The story from Kate Mosse was a hair-raising ghost story. And Alan Bennett’s essay was so typically personal that I could hear his voice. Both interesting and inspirational, this was a very enjoyable read, and just imagine, without mstrust’s mistaken touchstone, I may never have found it. ( )

I love going into my local library! I get something from being there that I don’t get anywhere else. All the contributors in this book feel the same way. Libraries are special places and if you think so too you’ll enjoy this lovely book about what makes them so special. ( )

An interesting little book full of essays on what libraries have meant to the writers. A varied collection of authors, some well known, others not, but all very much appreciate libraries. It was a lifeline for many, escaping from home, poverty, ...
A good read. ( )

This is a book published by the reading agency, as an eulogy to the institution that is the public library system. All the authors in this book are fans of libraries, either because they have fond memories of them as children, or they were pivotal in their life. It has a couple of fictional extracts, and the remainder are essays on the reason that we cannot let national government abolish these essential parts of the community.

I am a complete library addict. I see them as a free bookshop, and normally visit once a week. ( )

The Library Book was published to support The Reading Agency, whose website describes itself as "a charity whose mission is to inspire more people to read more, encourage them to share their enjoyment of reading and celebrate the difference that reading makes to all our lives." Rebecca Gray, author of the foreward, along with her colleague "John" appear to be the editors for the volume, although no formal attribution statement is made. The book consists primarily of essays written by various authors championing libraries and reading. A couple of selections were excerpted from published works, including a a fictional one in the case of China Mieville's contribution. My favorite contribution was Val McDermid's "Going to the Dogs." It described her experiences with libraries over the years, providing insight into why she chose the mystery genre. I'll let you read the essay to find out why she entitled her essay as she did. My next favorite was "Libraries Rock!" by Ann Cleeves. While her essay was different in nature, I found it to be written with a great deal of thought. In contrast, one or two of the contributions seemed to be written in haste and unedited, even by the author. It's a book those of us who love books and libraries should love, but it really encourages support for both reading and libraries. ( )