Scan barcode
beebeewin's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
informative
mysterious
fast-paced
3.5
This book was good but honestly didn't really wow me. The description drew me in not only for the mystery but a history on libraries and their importance, and then I was kind of let down. It was more like a extended history of the Los Angeles Central Library with a great deal of personal experiences tied in. The mystery was not really a mystery but instead more of a sad story. Due to this shift I felt disappointed by the read. While I think Susan Orlean is a good writer and wrote an interesting book I just wish it had fulfilled it's promise. The version I read just felt like a long form news article with some interesting tid bits but no real depth. For how long this book was there felt like a lot of repeating of the same points with no nuance.
I think if you had different expectations and knew what you were getting into this would be an enjoyable read but for me it never really gripped me and I just wanted more library generally lore and love.
One good quote that I think was in the truly most insightful chapter of this book, "Books are a sort of cultural DNA, the code for who, as a society, we are, and what we know. All the wonders and failures, all the champions and villains, all the legends and ideas and revelations of a culture last forever in its books. Destroying those books is a way of saying that the culture itself no longer exists; it's history has disappeared; the continuity between its past and its future are ruptured. Taking books away from a culture is to take away shared memory... Destroying a culture's books is sentencing it to something worse than death: It is sentencing it to seem as if it never lived."
I think if you had different expectations and knew what you were getting into this would be an enjoyable read but for me it never really gripped me and I just wanted more library generally lore and love.
One good quote that I think was in the truly most insightful chapter of this book, "Books are a sort of cultural DNA, the code for who, as a society, we are, and what we know. All the wonders and failures, all the champions and villains, all the legends and ideas and revelations of a culture last forever in its books. Destroying those books is a way of saying that the culture itself no longer exists; it's history has disappeared; the continuity between its past and its future are ruptured. Taking books away from a culture is to take away shared memory... Destroying a culture's books is sentencing it to something worse than death: It is sentencing it to seem as if it never lived."
Content Warnings
Moderate: Terminal illness and Fire/Fire injury
kaixv's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Homophobia, Racism, and Terminal illness
Minor: Death, Drug use, Pedophilia, and Death of parent
linda48's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Drug use and Fire/Fire injury
lizzie24601's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
If you love your local library (you're on StoryGraph - I hope you do!), you will love this book. Susan Orlean has a beautiful narrative voice, and she tells the full, complete story of the LA Public Library - researching its 100-year history, interviewing and shadowing the librarians of today, and reporting on the 1986 fire that almost destroyed it. Throughout, she paints a loving portrait of the important role libraries play in our society, and why they just might represent the very best of humanity. A gorgeous, informative read that filled my heart to the brim.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury
thefooddater's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Homophobia, Dementia, and Death of parent
sarahb919's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
2nd time reading this book. Still really good and interesting.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Drug use, Homophobia, Sexism, and Terminal illness
Minor: Violence, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, and Classism
cursiveknight's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
jaqylantern's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
5.0
I really love how the author went back and forth between the history of the library and the court case. So informative and well written. Made me love my library all over again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury
aturb92's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
4.5
A great read for readers who love books about books! I enjoyed the mix of library history, and true crime investigation about the 1986 library fire.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury
frawst_disasta_reads's review against another edition
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
4.0
I loved everything about this book except for the format of timelines. Sometimes I found the organization of timelines jarring.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury