Book Review: The Library Book by Susan Orlean

Eh, let's talk a little about non fiction...am I a big fan of non fiction?  Let's see, if you give me a memoir that is from a famous person that is a comedian, yeap, sign me up, I will read, listen to it without thinking too much about it.  I do not mind to read about old stuff too, or old people, old history, for some reason I like the 1500-1800s history, the more scandal, the better.  But, the truth is I don't really read that much non fiction stuff, this year I made a list of 10 non fiction (all biographies/memoirs) to read and I'm happy to report that as of this month I have read them all. Maybe next year may TBR list needs to include a little more non fiction, we will see.  Any way, let's get back on track and to this post and tell you that I read a non fiction book and that I enjoyed, quite a bit actually (it may be because it was about books but let's not mention that lol).  Let's get to the review:

The Library Book by Susan Orlean

From GoodReads:
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 false alarm. As one fireman recounted later, “Once that first stack got going, it was Goodbye, Charlie.” The fire was disastrous: It reached 2,000 degrees and burned for more than seven hours. By the time it was extinguished, it had consumed 400,000 books and damaged 700,000 more. Investigators descended on the scene, but over thirty years later, the mystery remains: Did someone purposefully set fire to the library—and if so, who?

Weaving her life-long love of books and reading with the fascinating history of libraries and the sometimes-eccentric characters who run them, award-winning journalist and New York Times bestselling author Susan Orlean presents a mesmerizing and uniquely compelling story as only she can. With her signature wit, insight, compassion, and talent for deep research, she investigates the legendary Los Angeles Public Library fire to showcase the larger, crucial role that libraries play in our lives. To truly understand what happens behind the stacks, Orlean visits the different departments of the LAPL, encountering an engaging cast of employees and patrons and experiencing alongside them the victories and struggles they face in today’s climate. She also delves into the evolution of libraries across the country and around the world, from a metropolitan charitable initiative to a cornerstone of national identity. She reflects on her childhood experiences in libraries; studies arson and the long history of library fires; attempts to burn a copy of a book herself; and she re-examines the case of Harry Peak, the blond-haired actor long suspected of setting fire to the library over thirty years ago. Along the way, she reveals how these buildings provide much more than just books—and that they are needed now more than ever.

Filled with heart, passion, and unforgettable characters, The Library Book is classic Susan Orlean, and an homage to a beloved institution that remains a vital part of the heart, mind, and soul of our country and culture.
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Let's start with how much I loved Susan Orlean's writing, I felt like I was listening to her, it was like she was telling me to whole story herself.  It just proves how much power words have even on paper, it truly is magical, right?

I love libraries, I have spent my whole entire life inside one library or another.  I was born in S. Miguel Azores, this island in the middle of the ocean (which is beautiful by the way) and even there I remember visiting the library and now thinking about it, compared to the libraries here?  It was small but to small little me it was magical, it was the place where I could go and where all the books existed and I could borrow them over and over again as many times I wanted.  And then I came to US as a teen and OMG, first library I visited was Somerville Library in MA and I remember getting my own library card and I remember spending hours and hours there and let's fast forward to today and I'm married and I still go to my local library and you bet that I bring my kids there lol.  So, when I read the sypnosis of this book I had to read it and once I started reading I was fascinating in all aspects.

The more I read the more I wanted to know about the fire that happened at the LA Public Library and what happened to all the books after the fire and what about the people and the reconstruction of it.  It was non ending what I wanted to learn and you know what surprised me?  It looked like all the questions that I had?  Susan had all the answers for it...but she not only had the answers for my questions but she went even deeper than that.

She investigated what happened to the person who was blamed to the fire, even talking to his family.  She spent so much time at the library, that we got to know how every single department works and oh man, there are sooo many of them lol.

She goes looks at some other library fires and she even goes as far as burning a book to see how quick a fire inside a library can spread.  Fascinating reading for sure.  I totally recommend it.  5 out of 5 stars!!!

XOXO,

Nelia