From the Bookshelf of Constant Reader…

The Library Book

Susan Orlean

Start date: December 15, 2019

Finish date: January 1, 2020

Discussion: Reading List

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Reading List

* The Schedule for July through Dec. 2025
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What Members Thought

Jan 02, 2020 Linda rated it really liked it

I really enjoyed this work of non-fiction. It’s about one of my favorite subjects. Although the focus is on Los Angeles Public Library, the authors passion for the concept of libraries shines through. Many times I felt as though I was reading the words of a soulmate, a kindred spirit. And I want to go to Aarhus, Denmark. Time for a trip.

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Nov 19, 2018 Dree rated it it was amazing

Shelves: nonfiction, history, california, los-angeles, 2018-reads

Orlean is an amazing writer. In this book she has made the history and librarians of the Los Angeles Public Library seem like a fast-paced novel, and turned the 1986 fire that destroyed much of the Central Library collections into a detective story for the ages. Even the science that saved so many books becomes fascinating. She weaves together the history, the librarians, the fire, the search for the arsonist, the life of the main suspect, with the cleanup and the present. Masterfully done nonfi ...more

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Mar 09, 2021 Laurel Bradshaw rated it really liked it

Shelves: audiobook, non-fiction, color-rating-red, true-crime, books-bookstores-libraries, themes-book-titles

4 red stars, though I wavered between 3.5 pink and 4 red. I love trivia and this book is full of it. But it got tiring at times and I struggled to want to finish it. It was not very cohesive, but it did manage to cover the entire history of the Los Angeles public library and bring to life some of its more interesting (peculiar?) library directors. As a librarian myself, I had to chuckle at her depiction of libraries, librarians, library patrons, and reference questions. Over all it was a reminde ...more

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