From the Bookshelf of Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge…

The Library Book

Susan Orlean

Start date: January 28, 2019

Finish date: February 12, 2019

Find A Copy At

Libraries

Group Discussions About This Book

No group discussions for this book yet.

What Members Thought

Jan 24, 2019 Katrina Kennedy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I loved this book! I loved the intertwining of past and present, but I loved the library most.

2 likes · Like · see review

Mar 09, 2019 Adjrun rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This book is a mash note to libraries. It’s not the story of a crime and a tragedy, though those events may (emphasis on “may”) be recounted in the text. Over and over, the author returns to the purpose of libraries. She advocates form and function and mission and individual. She sings the praises of history, and both mourns and recognizes the transitory and ephemeral nature of a single book. It may burn or turn to mush in the water dousing that fire or mold and rot. The libraries too are transi ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Aug 30, 2019 Joanne rated it really liked it

Shelves: nonfiction

Maybe 3.75/4 stars... I often pick books at random based on the cover or the title without reading the blurb just to be surprised. This was one of those picks. And, as I was reading - since I had no idea what it was supposed to be about - I couldn't figure out if I was reading a fiction or non-fiction book. It reads as both at times. But, more than that, it reads as a love story to books and libraries and librarians - so many of my favorite things. ...more

Like · see review

Oct 02, 2019 Felicia Zondlo Ko rated it really liked it

Shelves: bookclub, 2019

This book was an interesting read. A bit difficult to get into at first, very dense with information, but a combination of crime mystery and ode to libraries in the end.

Like · see review

Feb 23, 2019 Megan rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, history, true-crime, reese

Of course I loved this book...it was about MY library (or at least my old one - the DTLA central library) and how it caught fire in 1986. Part true crime, part history of the library, part exploration of the importance of libraries today...I loved every minute of it! And yes, I checked it out from the library, how could I not read this one AS a library book???

Like · see review