A Bit Bookish

The Library Book by Susan Orlean

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I found this a very interesting read. A mix of history, biography and the type of journalism that immerses itself in a situation and the people involved. It is also a love letter to libraries, a place where I spend my working days and where my own passion lies. It is ostensibly about a fire that occurred on the morning of April 29, 1986 at the LA Public Library--but it is about so much more. The fire itself was disastrous: it burned for more than seven hours, consumed four hundred thousand books, and damaged seven hundred thousand more. The descriptions of the fire and its aftermath are fascinating, but what I really loved about this book was how the author weaved her lifelong love of books and reading into the narrative and all the background information about library personnel over the years. She highlights the crucial role that libraries play in our lives, and delves into the evolution of libraries across the country and around the world with wit, insight, and compassion. Bottom line is that we need libraries now more than ever.



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