I finally got around to reading this! A stunning nonfiction work that reads like a novel: worth the wait and worth the hype.

As the son of a former librarian, I am all but legally obligated to read this and generally disposed to enjoy it, which I did.

Thank you Netgalley for letting me read and review this book. One of my favorite genres is nonfiction, and I love reading about books and libraries. "On the morning of April 29, 1986, a fire alarm sounded in the Los Angeles Public Library. As the moments passed, the patrons and staff who had been cleared out of the building realized this was not the usual fire alarm. As one fireman recounted, “Once that first stack got going, it was ‘Goodbye, Charlie.’” The fire was disastrous: it reached 2000 degrees and burned for more than seven hours. By the time it was extinguished, it had consumed four hundred thousand books and damaged seven hundred thousand more. Investigators descended on the scene, but more than thirty years later, the mystery remains: Did someone purposefully set fire to the library—and if so, who?" Doesn't this paragraph make you want to read the book? This was a good and interesting mystery nonfiction read that had me turning the pages quickly, waiting to see what happened next. If you enjoy books, mysteries, and nonfiction, you should read this.

This one was a DNF for me. I will not be posting a review of it but thank you for sending. it just wasn't for me. Thank you again for the copy

I did not really enjoy the book as much as I thought I would enjoy since it was about a library in LA that I visited years ago. The part about the fire at the library was pretty hard for me to take, but the rest of the story did mot move me as much.

I love books about books, which is a good start for "The Library Book"! It has some mystery and some history, and is not only a book about books, but is really a book about libraries. All in all, there were some interesting parts, but it didn't grab me like I thought it would. At times it drags a bit and felt a little more dense than I expected; I was hoping for more of a mystery or true crime book, rather than a history book. All of that to say, if you love books and libraries like I do, "The Library Book" is certainly worth reading! Four stars.

BOOK REVIEW: The Library Book by Susan Orlean

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Pages: 336
Genre: Nonfiction
Sub-Genre: US History
Location: Los Angeles, California

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All my reviews can be seen at This Is My Everybody | Simple Living | Denise Wilbanks at www.thisismyeverybody.com

♡ Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

This book combined so many of my favorite things: true crime, books, and libraries. I found myself incredibly emotional reading about the the fire that ravaged the Los Angeles Public Library, and the librarians that watched as the books, the location, and the community they loved so much burned for seven hours. I was intrigued by Orlean's accounts of the library patrons, what they checked out and the questions they asked. It was like people watching in book form. And even though I knew it was never confirmed as arson, and no one was ever caught or charged, I was hooked on the investigation and was on the edge of my seat from start to finish hoping that maybe as I read history would change. Library lovers, history buffs, true crime fans, this is a book to pick up.

I was absolutely not expecting to find a book about a library I've actually never really contemplated (Los Angeles) to be so engrossing. This is a credit to Orlean's story telling!

This is the true story of a devastating fire in the Los Angeles Public Library. Way too many books were destroyed or damaged. Susan Orlean tells us about libraries and librarians in a fascinating way. I had a hard time putting this one down.

Although I found some of the history of the Los Angeles Central Library a bit on the dry side, for the most part I loved this library love letter. Library minutiae and an arson mystery - I am a fan! Now I want to visit.

The Library Book wasn't exactly what I thought it would be and that's both good and bad. The title is a bit of a misnomer. It should be called The Los Angeles Library Book since the vast majority of the book is centered around the history of the library and the historical fire which devastated it. But while that title would be more fitting, I would have never picked it up had it been called that. The book is actually fascinating to read and it does alternate chapters with day-to-day library activities and responsibilities. The history of the library and the fire was written very engaging and kept me wondering how it would all play out.

There are several chapters dedicated to libraries themselves including one about OverDrive, which I found to be the most fascinating. This is truly a book for people who love books. This is a love letter written to bibliophiles and I am grateful I had an opportunity to read it. I would recommend this book not only to avid readers and library aficionados, but to history fans as well.

This book is part true crime, part history lesson, part behind the scenes commentary and part study in a person’s relationship with libraries and books.

My love of libraries and reading started when I was young and continues to this day. I work in one. I know that fire and water are the worst fear when it comes to books. It was the story of the fire that most attracted me to this book. I would have been satisfied if this book had just stopped with the examination of the fire, the suspect, and the resulting investigation.

I wasn’t as enamored with the history of the Los Angeles library. I also found the examination of our relationship with libraries and books lacking. The jumping back and forth between the different subjects also had me scrambling to regain my footing while reading.

I really wanted to love this book but unfortunately it didn’t live up to all my expectations for this book. I didn’t struggle to finish it, but I also didn’t encounter the sadness and emptiness I usually experience after a good satisfying read.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

Susan Orlean has written a fascinating history of the Los Angles Public Library system. The book uses an incident in 1986 when the biggest library fire in United States history occurred to serve as the focus. The fire and its damage is extensively described along with the restoration efforts and the costs to restore the central library as a functioning organization. There was a main suspect and she covers the investigation as well.

But outside of the fire, the LA library is a fascinating organization and Orlean covers those topics. Readers learn about the origin of the library and the various head librarians that served over the years as the library grew and changed. The myriad ways that libraries dissimilate information are explored as well as the services that libraries offer now. The issues that libraries face such as the large homeless population that uses its services are covered. Working conditions for library staff is a large issue that Orlean covers, along with the male/female ratio of librarians. Library services in the electronic age are extensively covered. She grew up with library trips with her mother being their favorite activity and her love of the library and all it offers is clear.

This book has garnered much praise. It was a New York Times Notable Book in 2018 and a Washington Post Top 10 Book of the Year. It was a pick of the Reese Witherspoon Book Club. Orlean has been a staff writer at The New Yorker for many years and her books, which have been highly reviewed, are nonfictions on topics that catch her interest. This book is recommended for nonfiction readers and anyone who has ever enjoyed a trip to their local library.

As the title indicates, this book is an ode to libraries and the importance of books, through the prism of the Los Angeles library and the fire that destroyed it. Exploring the history of libraries from Alexandria to modern day, Orlean does a great job of moving between the big and the small pictures.

The library has always been a magical place for me. Just like the author, Susan Orlean, writes about in this book, The Library Book, I have since childhood loved the idea of walking through the library stacks picking out my pile of books to take home and read, returning them for in exchange for more. There was a time where I also felt a need to buy books to hold onto and my house has bookshelves in many of the rooms.

Sitting surrounded by books is a warm feeling for me and the idea of shopping in the library now, bringing home books that I can read and return, saving money is as good as a bookstore. I love the friendship, camaraderie and quiet of the library.

This book has been patiently waiting for me to pick it up. To read about libraries and how there was a possibility that someone would set fire to one was intriguing. This book is interesting for a bibliophile.

You learn about the history of libraries and especially about the Los Angeles library system and Central Library. You also learn about the sad life of Harry Peak, who was always looking for attention and wanted to be known. He has gained that notoriety now as the Library arsonist.

As Orlean writes, "The idea of being forgotten is terrifying. I fear not that I, personally, will be forgotten, but that we are all doomed to be forgotten - that the sum of life is ultimately nothing; that we experience joy and disappoints and aches and delights and loss, make our little mark on the world and then we vanish, and the mark is erased and it is as if we never existed." This is a conundrum I have been wrestling with for the last few years also. How do we make our mark so that we stand out from the multitudes and will be remembered.

This is why Orlean says she wrote this book. It also could be a reason Harry Peak behaved the way he did. People want to feel special. Peak is seems was a lost soul and had trouble in life finding his path.

This book is so much more than just a book about libraries or the fire that consumed Los Angeles Public Library. This book helps the library live on in our memories. It also gives the author's childhood memory of visiting the library with her mother and her memory of visiting the library with her son permanent record.

Susan Orlean's The Library Book is a sprawling text that both analyzes the events of the 1986 Los Angeles Central Library fire and ponders the past, present, and future of public libraries as a whole. Orlean injects a personal thread to the story that is easy to relate to, as almost everyone was once a child that cherished a visit to their local library. While the book covers the Los Angeles Library fire extensively (and fantastically), the true crux of the book is the far-reaching and surprising ways that libraries play a role in our society -- as well as how they adapt and grow with the changing times and needs of the public.

Initially, I was not a fan of how the book was organized -- it jumps around a lot between many different topics. However, by the end of the book, I understood why Orlean structured this story the way she did. Some aspects of the book are truly fantastic, such as the description of the library fire and the surprisingly interesting history of the Los Angeles Library. Orlean is also excellent at providing profiles of individuals, and she paints vivid portraits of everyday people.

Susan Orlean's The Library Book is a well-researched and engaging portrait of the beloved and significant public library system. I would absolutely recommend this book to others.

I finally got around to reading this one and it's a perfectly soothing and engrossing ode to libraries. Orlean's descriptive writing is remarkable.

A fantastic read for anyone who loves libraries and/or loves non-murderous true crime. Well researched, well told. Engaging from beginning to end.

**I received an advanced readers copy of this book through NetGalley from the publisher in exchange for an honest review**

Orlean writes the perfect love letter to libraries. Using a true crime case of arson at the Los Angeles Public Library, Orlean's writing style intermixes the investigation with historic and contemporary looks at libraries and the roles they have played in communities and lives for decades. Orlean also includes her personal stories about libraries.

This is one book I wanted to hug thoroughly upon completion. As a librarian, it made me feel so proud of my profession and the variety of ways we librarians help others. Orlean completely gets the way a library supporter feels when walking into the library - the sense of books and knowledge surrounding you and the dedication of the staff to their positions. Highly recommended to all library supporters and book lovers!