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Nov 01, 2019
Colleen Chi-Girl
rated it
it was amazing
Shelves:
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women-centered,
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books-libraries
This is definitely a 4-1/2 star book. Susan Orleans’ compelling idea and method of telling a story about the LA fire was so much more than that. It’s about her love of books and libraries, while weaving in the history of LA and it’s library history. Beginning in the 1800’s. There are a host of characters, from those who worked at and ran LA’s first library, continuing to present day, with so much interesting historical info on the inhabitants and facts you can’t even imagine. She takes us throug
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AUTHOR Orlean, Susan
TITLE The Library Book
DATE READ 11/25/2019
RATING 5/A
FIRST SENTENCE
GENRE/ PUB DATE/PUBLISHER / # OF Non-fiction/ 2018/Simon & Shuster/ 12 hr 9 min
SERIES/STAND-ALONE SA
CHALLENGE Good Reads 2019 Reading Goal 177/111;
GROUP READ RCR
TIME/PLACE Late 1800's through today/LA
CHARACTERS
COMMENTS I really liked this book not only was this book about the LA Library fire but it was interspersed with research about libraries and also the particulars of the LA library system. Very i ...more
TITLE The Library Book
DATE READ 11/25/2019
RATING 5/A
FIRST SENTENCE
GENRE/ PUB DATE/PUBLISHER / # OF Non-fiction/ 2018/Simon & Shuster/ 12 hr 9 min
SERIES/STAND-ALONE SA
CHALLENGE Good Reads 2019 Reading Goal 177/111;
GROUP READ RCR
TIME/PLACE Late 1800's through today/LA
CHARACTERS
COMMENTS I really liked this book not only was this book about the LA Library fire but it was interspersed with research about libraries and also the particulars of the LA library system. Very i ...more
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.
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What I like about this book is that Susan Orlean didn't waste her words on dispelling many myths associated with librarians and libraries. She focused on her story (LA library fire of 1986) and how the libraries have evolved over the years in terms of a community place, materials and fulfilling many needs of the communities they serve, in a very readable, storytelling way.
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I loved this book. It's really three stories in one which is the history of LA, the history of libraries in general and then how the history of the LA Library and the city itself intertwine. Overall this is a statement over the role libraries play in our lives and how they reflect the cities themselves and also provide a public good. It also gives me a lot of hope for the future of libraries. All book lovers will love this one.
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Orlean does a fine job weaving together the fire, the history of the LA Library, and library history in general. However, it was more a pleasantly informational tapestry than a compelling narrative.
Nov 11, 2018
Katy
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Nov 21, 2018
Jody Rowan
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Jan 01, 2019
Astrid Lim
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Feb 01, 2019
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Feb 10, 2019
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Apr 13, 2019
Stacey
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May 27, 2019
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Feb 01, 2020
Idit
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May 18, 2020
Oana
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Jun 18, 2020
Tuck
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Apr 01, 2021
Jennifer
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Nov 06, 2021
Jen
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Mar 02, 2022
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