Comments (115)

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Mar 27, 2024
I've known about Susan Orlean for some time now, mostly framed by the strange film adaptation of the Orchid Thief. This book is great, as someone that has done disaster planning for a library, it makes me very thankful to have sprinklers…
Jan 18, 2024JCLAliceRP rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
I love the way this author zooms out from a specific event—the library fire of 1986, which few of us remember because it happened concurrently with Chernobyl—to explore libraries generally; fires generally; and the long arm of book burning…
Nov 10, 2023libmgr6 rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
This is such an interesting book, but we could all benefit more from her research if it had an index. Arrrgh! I can see her surrounded by all this ephemera with no contemporaneous indexing to guide her. Otherwise, remarkable work.
Nov 09, 2023 CALS_Amanda rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Anyone who is reading reviews on Bibliocommons loves books, and probably libraries, enough to enjoy Susan Orlean's exploration of the fire that destroyed some four hundred thousand volumes in the Los Angeles Public Library, two and a half…
May 21, 2023nclcw rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Fascinating! I knew nothing about this and I live in CA. The story had all the feels for me. Thank you Susan for enriching my life.
May 11, 2023rvphinney rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Excellent! Fascinating! On the same day as the Chernobyl disaster, the main LA public library burned: half a million books destroyed outright, 700,000 more damaged, some of which would also be lost, collections ranging from a Shakespeare…
Apr 23, 2023derilyn rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
Very informative and interesting. Loving libraries, as I do, this was quite the ultimate journey in exploring the importance of libraries and the role they play in our everyday lives.
Nov 10, 2022Gobe4me rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
this was a fascinating book, a story not just about a young man and a fire in LA Library but this story about the library, libraries, people who love libraries, the transformation of libraries, every angle exploring the libraries was as…
Aug 27, 2022JJheller01 rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
“All the things that are wrong in the world seem conquered by a library's simple unspoken promise: Here I am, please tell me your story; here is my story, please listen.” ~ Susan Orlean, The…
Aug 19, 2022bibliosara rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
Orlean explores a case of arson in this ode to libraries unlike anything you've read. Part investigative journalism, part homage to books, part historical sketch, the stories of Los Angeles' central library intertwine with the story of the…
Jul 24, 2022hao1234 rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
I had no idea what I was about to walk into when reading this novel. In the beginning it feels like the story is all over the place, however, she ties the storyline in beautifully in the end. The story is intriguing, heartbreaking, and…
Apr 25, 2022Lowell_R rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
A fun read that captures the beauty of libraries and their evolution in the information age. It made me totally geek out over the institution! The breadth of Orlean's research is really remarkable. In particular, I learned a lot about…
Feb 28, 2022kschimmo rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
I had never heard about the historic LA library fire of 1986. The true story has so much drama and mystery - you can't make this stuff up... Susan also includes history of libraries in general, which added to the interest of this book.…
Feb 13, 2022joyful2743 rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
What a wonderful book. Susan Orleans weaves a story lit by the fire in the Los Angles Public Library. Her love for books, for libraries, for librarians shine throughout the story. This should be a must read for everyone who loves books,…
Dec 26, 2021EljayJohnson rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
Susan Orlean opens her nonfiction book about libraries, revolving around the 1986 fire that virtually destroyed the main branch of the Los Angeles Public Library, with a memory of going to her local library as a child with her mother. She…
Dec 19, 2021xiaojunbpl12 rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
A library is the only AI sentient of my being; A regimented review can belie to find the book freeing.
Nov 25, 2021rogeraeschliman rated this title 2.5 out of 5 stars
Once again this author overpromises and under-delivers. The mystery of the library burning remains a mystery. We are teased with some minor history of libraries but not provided much substance. The best work in the book is the broad…
Oct 13, 20210Charlie rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
As a library staffer, I was entranced by the various characters that make up a library past and present. I enjoyed the investigation aspect of the work, trying to decide if the fire was accidental or human caused. An excellent read - I…
Aug 17, 2021maipenrai rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
As a life long lover of books, it broke my heart to find this book about the burning of the Los Angeles Library. I enjoyed learning the history of the library and the efforts made to save the books. I was a little disappointed in the…
Jul 09, 2021arichard91 rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
An entertaining non-fiction book combining history of the Los Angeles Library and its infamous fire, the history of libraries in general, and autobiographical stories about the author's own memories of libraries and her experiences…
May 12, 2021
An absolutely fascinating nonfiction book about libraries. This captivating true crime mystery traces the events surrounding the catastrophic Los Angeles Public Library fire of April 28, 1986, which accounted for the destruction of over a…
Apr 25, 2021IndyPL_TheresaC rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
I absolutely love this book! Orleans writes of the importance of libraries; important to herself and the world. The vivid description of the fire and destruction of the Los Angeles Public library in 1986 is heartbreaking; however, the…
Mar 14, 2021Monkeybuns rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
Engaging read for anyone who loves books and enjoys libraries. Built around the story of the devastating fire at the Los Angeles Central Library in 1986, Orlean covers the colorful history of the library and everything that goes on there,…
Dec 28, 2020728_emily rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
This book was an absolute delight! I love libraries, and I learned so much from this engaging book about libraries past and present. Now I feel even more excited for the day when I can sit and read in the library again like normal.
Dec 15, 2020Kit_k rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Thoroughly enjoyed this one. Part true-crime, part colourful history of the LA Central Library and all love story for libraries and the unique people who visit and work in them. Recommend!