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3.99 AVERAGE
3.99 AVERAGE
informative
reflective
slow-paced
My fav takeaway: before the internet, people treated librarians like search engines.
I did enjoy the book with the history of the LA library as well. As most of the books I 'read' are through OverDrive it was fun to hear them mentioned!
Loved this book about libraries. The main focus was the tragic fire at the historic Central Library in Los Angeles, and that was very interesting with its talk of how things burn, arson, suspects, saving books, the aftermath, and finally, the rebuild. My favorite parts though were various stories about libraries in general, and the way they function. I’ve loved libraries since I was a little girl, so this was right up my alley. I especially love books full of random tidbits of information for me to learn, so this was a good match for me.
A history, a mystery, and a celebration specifically of the Los Angeles Central Library but also of libraries in general.
DNF made my way to page 80 and I just can’t do it. Maybe at another time in my life I will revisit it but probably not.
Love libraries, liked this book quite a bit. When I heard Susan Orlean read from it in spring 2019, I had no idea that the LA public library had burned down, or the lengths that people went to bring it back. A line that will stick with me: “Writing a book, just like building a library, is an act of sheer defiance. It is a declaration that you believe in the persistence of memory.” And also, to give us all hope: “...libraries have persisted, and they have grown, and they will certainly endure.”
Listened to this book as an audiobook and believe it may have lost some of its magic from not being read in a traditional way. Wonderful combination of library history and cultural history woven around the story of a major library fire. Enjoyed the way in which the information was presented.
The book was intriguing. I struggled with the fact that the story was not linear. I’m not sure if I would have enjoyed this more in print.
An interesting mix of local history, mystery, and reflections on society.