You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.99 AVERAGE
3.99 AVERAGE
What a cool book! It covers so many library topics: burning libraries, library design, the many operations of a library, the human stories behind the libraries, recovering damaged books. And it's such a personal work. I love how Susan ends the acknowledgments: "Mom, I made a book for you." Makes me all teary. Susan came to Bend for our Author Author book talk this year, and she's simply charming. She has the same practically worshipful feeling towards books and libraries that I have. If you love libraries too, you will enjoy this book. And now I have yet another author whose books I want to read...
Beautifully researched and profoundly written, this work is as much a thrilling recounting of true crime as it is a love letter to the modern institution of the library.
I love libraries, I love books.... couldn’t make it more than 30 pages, so boring. I’ll listen to a podcast or something so I can participate in book club, but I just can’t read this.
I love to read. I love books. I love my library. And I loved this book. Non fiction accounting of a fire in a library in Los Angeles but so much more.
Review for "The Library Book" by Susan Orlean (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐): This book was inspiring to me because as y'all know, I recently started my job at my local library! Susan Orlean's writing style clearly comes from her background as a journalist, which brought a personal touch to the stories in the book. Orlean not only described the investigation of the fire that devastated the Los Angeles Public Library, but she wrote about the library as it stands today and its history long before the fire even started. I recommend this book to anyone itching to read a nonfiction book that is quirky and intriguing. Also, this book is great for fellow book lovers and history nerds. This is one of the Reese Witherspoon Book Club books that I'm glad I purchased for a future reread.
WOW! This book was AMAZING!! I don't know if my feelings about the book are related to the fact that I had the privilege of working in a library for several years after my retirement from my "real job" or just that I have always loved libraries, but this book is one for the ages!
Every person who has ever worked in a library or been to a library or has heard of a library should read this book!!
Every person who has ever worked in a library or been to a library or has heard of a library should read this book!!
So meandering, but a good read. Not sure if it was about the LA main library, the fire at the LA main library in th3 1980s or libraries in general.
The Library Book by Susan Orlean is a must-read for any library lover. It is literally a love note to libraries.
The book mixes the true-crime story of the unsolved 1986 fire at the Los Angeles Central Library that destroyed nearly a million books with an exploration of the history of libraries and the myriad of ways libraries impact communities.
Orleans tells the story of the fire and its aftermath alongside the history of the LA library system and of libraries in general including all the social and community assistance they provide. She also explores how libraries are repositories of so much more than books. The vastness of the collection in LA alone is staggering.
Reading this book made me love libraries all the more and helped me remember some of my own fondest library memories.
The book mixes the true-crime story of the unsolved 1986 fire at the Los Angeles Central Library that destroyed nearly a million books with an exploration of the history of libraries and the myriad of ways libraries impact communities.
Orleans tells the story of the fire and its aftermath alongside the history of the LA library system and of libraries in general including all the social and community assistance they provide. She also explores how libraries are repositories of so much more than books. The vastness of the collection in LA alone is staggering.
Reading this book made me love libraries all the more and helped me remember some of my own fondest library memories.
The perfect reminder, during this pandemic, about the many things I love about the library. And, I had had no idea that the Los Angeles Public Library had had such a devastating fire in recent memory; fascinating.
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Part true crime investigation, part memoir, part niche history, this book tells a story of a place, of a time, of a history, and of a hope for the future.