Play Book Tag discussion

The best way to describe this book is to share quote on the book's cover by BOOKLIST "Mesmerizing...A riveting mix of true crime, history, biography, and immersion journalism."

The LA Central library was devastated by a fire in 1986 that consumed 400,000 books and damaged more than 700,000. Susan Orleans' journalistic talent accompanied by her talent to define characters, places and events with such clarity and definition that you feel that you are there meeting these people alongside her and seeing the events as they unfold. Her research was extensive and interviews were broad. What I enjoyed the most beyond her writing skills was her lack of sensationalizing the subject and her complete absence of expressing her own opinion regarding by whom/how the fire started.

This book held my attention without getting too buried in details. Another excellent book for my completed files. Sure to share this with friends and family and you---if you like libraries, you will like this!

I enjoyed this one too, Margie - there were bits that resonated more than others (her personal story about valuing libraries for instance) and bits that were less well explored than I’d have liked but I’m really glad I read it