You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.99 AVERAGE
3.99 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
informative
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
If you love books, libraries and/or are just curious about stuff this is the book for you! While the burning of the Central Library in LA in the late 1980s is central to the story, you’ll explore the Dewey decimal system, book burnings through the ages, how libraries work, and why they should, you’ll also meet people work work at libraries, love libraries and or may be an arsonist. Terrific read.
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Fun book about the history and role of libraries, good analysis of the modern role. I learned a lot, especially about the history of the LA central library
This one just wasn’t for me. The story of the fire itself was interesting, but this book could not hold my attention.
Although there were very interesting characters and anecdotes, the exhaustiveness took a lot away from the story as a whole. Most of it was incredibly boring.
funny
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
One thing’s certain, pathological liar, attention whore, and suspected arsonist Harry Peak led a very strange existence. If this book had kept it’s focus on the actual 1986 fire and investigation instead of straying so much, it would’ve been more effective. It felt like two books forced together; one about the incident and one with general library facts. It’s choppy and, frankly, tedious. I feel like a bad bookworm slamming a book about books, but there you have it. I had to speed up the narration to 2x, then upon completion, I returned it to Audible. If you’re going to read this, go with print.
This simply fascinating book blends a true-crime arson case, library architectural successes and mishaps, and perhaps most importantly documents the changing landscape of how regular people use libraries. Highly readable, this will appeal to all concerned with issues related to access to information and how libraries positively affect their communities.
When the Los Angeles Public Library tragically burned in 1986, many concerns needed to be reconsidered. Susan Orlean takes readers back to that library's earliest days and then over the ensuing decades describes the leadership, the changing landscape of Los Angeles, and the habits of patrons, some of which are downright amusing as in during Prohibition all of the home brewing books were stolen.
The profession has changed from mostly male librarians to mainly female. Tax dollars are always in high demand and often deficient, especially for aging buildings. Outreach to niche groups (homeless, job seekers, immigrants, teens, non-English speakers, and more) is growing exponentially. How patrons use libraries is all over the map. Yes, there is very poor behavior at times (librarians have lots of stories), yet as the LA library got on its feet again, there was clear evidence of the value that libraries provide to any community.
Inspiring!
When the Los Angeles Public Library tragically burned in 1986, many concerns needed to be reconsidered. Susan Orlean takes readers back to that library's earliest days and then over the ensuing decades describes the leadership, the changing landscape of Los Angeles, and the habits of patrons, some of which are downright amusing as in during Prohibition all of the home brewing books were stolen.
The profession has changed from mostly male librarians to mainly female. Tax dollars are always in high demand and often deficient, especially for aging buildings. Outreach to niche groups (homeless, job seekers, immigrants, teens, non-English speakers, and more) is growing exponentially. How patrons use libraries is all over the map. Yes, there is very poor behavior at times (librarians have lots of stories), yet as the LA library got on its feet again, there was clear evidence of the value that libraries provide to any community.
Inspiring!