A REESE WITHERSPOON x HELLO SUNSHINE BOOK CLUB PICK

A WASHINGTON POST TOP 10 BOOK OF THE YEAR * A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER and NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK OF 2018

“A constant pleasure to read…Everybody who loves books should check out The Library Book.” —The Washington Post

“CAPTIVATING…DELIGHTFUL.” —Christian Science Monitor * “EXQUISITELY WRITTEN, CONSISTENTLY ENTERTAINING.” —The New York Times * “MESMERIZING…RIVETING.” —Booklist (starred review)

A dazzling love letter to a beloved institution—and an investigation into one of its greatest mysteries—from the bestselling author hailed as a “national treasure” by The Washington Post.

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 fire alarm. As one fireman recounted, “Once that first stack got going, it was ‘Goodbye, Charlie.’” The fire was disastrous: it reached 2000 degrees and burned for more than seven hours. By the time it was extinguished, it had consumed four hundred thousand books and damaged seven hundred thousand more. Investigators descended on the scene, but more than thirty years later, the mystery remains: Did someone purposefully set fire to the library—and if so, who?

Weaving her lifelong love of books and reading into an investigation of the fire, award-winning New Yorker reporter and New York Times bestselling author Susan Orlean delivers a mesmerizing and uniquely compelling book that manages to tell the broader story of libraries and librarians in a way that has never been done before.

In The Library Book, Orlean chronicles the LAPL fire and its aftermath to showcase the larger, crucial role that libraries play in our lives; delves into the evolution of libraries across the country and around the world, from their humble beginnings as a metropolitan charitable initiative to their current status as a cornerstone of national identity; brings each department of the library to vivid life through on-the-ground reporting; studies arson and attempts to burn a copy of a book herself; reflects on her own experiences in libraries; and reexamines the case of Harry Peak, the blond-haired actor long suspected of setting fire to the LAPL more than thirty years ago.

Along the way, Orlean introduces us to an unforgettable cast of characters from libraries past and present—from Mary Foy, who in 1880 at eighteen years old was named the head of the Los Angeles Public Library at a time when men still dominated the role, to Dr. C.J.K. Jones, a pastor, citrus farmer, and polymath known as “The Human Encyclopedia” who roamed the library dispensing information; from Charles Lummis, a wildly eccentric journalist and adventurer who was determined to make the L.A. library one of the best in the world, to the current staff, who do heroic work every day to ensure that their institution remains a vital part of the city it serves.

Brimming with her signature wit, insight, compassion, and talent for deep research, The Library Book is Susan Orlean’s thrilling journey through the stacks that reveals how these beloved institutions provide much more than just books—and why they remain an essential part of the heart, mind, and soul of our country. It is also a master journalist’s reminder that, perhaps especially in the digital era, they are more necessary than ever. - (Findaway World Llc)

A REESE WITHERSPOON x HELLO SUNSHINE BOOK CLUB PICK

A WASHINGTON POST TOP 10 BOOK OF THE YEAR * A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER and NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK OF 2018

“A constant pleasure to read…Everybody who loves books should check out The Library Book.” —The Washington Post

“CAPTIVATING…DELIGHTFUL.” —Christian Science Monitor * “EXQUISITELY WRITTEN, CONSISTENTLY ENTERTAINING.” —The New York Times * “MESMERIZING…RIVETING.” —Booklist (starred review)

A dazzling love letter to a beloved institution—and an investigation into one of its greatest mysteries—from the bestselling author hailed as a “national treasure” by The Washington Post.

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 fire alarm. As one fireman recounted, “Once that first stack got going, it was ‘Goodbye, Charlie.’” The fire was disastrous: it reached 2000 degrees and burned for more than seven hours. By the time it was extinguished, it had consumed four hundred thousand books and damaged seven hundred thousand more. Investigators descended on the scene, but more than thirty years later, the mystery remains: Did someone purposefully set fire to the library—and if so, who?

Weaving her lifelong love of books and reading into an investigation of the fire, award-winning New Yorker reporter and New York Times bestselling author Susan Orlean delivers a mesmerizing and uniquely compelling book that manages to tell the broader story of libraries and librarians in a way that has never been done before.

In The Library Book, Orlean chronicles the LAPL fire and its aftermath to showcase the larger, crucial role that libraries play in our lives; delves into the evolution of libraries across the country and around the world, from their humble beginnings as a metropolitan charitable initiative to their current status as a cornerstone of national identity; brings each department of the library to vivid life through on-the-ground reporting; studies arson and attempts to burn a copy of a book herself; reflects on her own experiences in libraries; and reexamines the case of Harry Peak, the blond-haired actor long suspected of setting fire to the LAPL more than thirty years ago.

Along the way, Orlean introduces us to an unforgettable cast of characters from libraries past and present—from Mary Foy, who in 1880 at eighteen years old was named the head of the Los Angeles Public Library at a time when men still dominated the role, to Dr. C.J.K. Jones, a pastor, citrus farmer, and polymath known as “The Human Encyclopedia” who roamed the library dispensing information; from Charles Lummis, a wildly eccentric journalist and adventurer who was determined to make the L.A. library one of the best in the world, to the current staff, who do heroic work every day to ensure that their institution remains a vital part of the city it serves.

Brimming with her signature wit, insight, compassion, and talent for deep research, The Library Book is Susan Orlean’s thrilling journey through the stacks that reveals how these beloved institutions provide much more than just books—and why they remain an essential part of the heart, mind, and soul of our country. It is also a master journalist’s reminder that, perhaps especially in the digital era, they are more necessary than ever. - (Simon and Schuster)

Susan Orlean has been a staff writer at The New Yorker since 1992. She is the author of seven books, including Rin Tin Tin, Saturday Night, and The Orchid Thief, which was made into the Academy Award–winning film Adaptation. She lives with her family and her animals in upstate New York and may be reached at SusanOrlean.com and Twitter.com/SusanOrlean. - (Simon and Schuster)

Booklist Reviews

In 1986, a mammoth fire destroyed the interior and collection of California's Los Angeles Central Library. Arson was declared, and Harry Peak became the prime suspect. Using this event as a focal point, Orlean digs not only into the origins of the fire but also into the everyday workings of the vast library system. The author shows her respect to both books and libraries in her fascinating study. She profiles the accused arsonist as well as staff, from head librarians to shipping crew. The author reads the text painstakingly. Her performance doesn't add a lot of drama to the events, but her voice is clear as she details the facts, figures, and inside information. Along with the true-crime aspect, listeners at home in the stacks will appreciate the historical details of the evolution of libraries from book-filled warehouses to vital community centers, and enjoy the cast of characters who populate and serve at these buildings. Copyright 2019 Booklist Reviews.

Booklist Reviews

In 1986, a mammoth fire destroyed the interior and collection of California's Los Angeles Central Library. Arson was declared, and Harry Peak became the prime suspect. Using this event as a focal point, Orlean digs not only into the origins of the fire but also into the everyday workings of the vast library system. The author shows her respect to both books and libraries in her fascinating study. She profiles the accused arsonist as well as staff, from head librarians to shipping crew. The author reads the text painstakingly. Her performance doesn?t add a lot of drama to the events, but her voice is clear as she details the facts, figures, and inside information. Along with the true-crime aspect, listeners at home in the stacks will appreciate the historical details of the evolution of libraries from book-filled warehouses to vital community centers, and enjoy the cast of characters who populate and serve at these buildings. Copyright 2019 Booklist Reviews.

Library Journal Reviews

On April 29, 1986, the Los Angeles Public Library went up in a blaze that would be the worst library fire in America's history, destroying more than 400,000 books. Who setthe fire, and why? After moving to Los Angeles, New Yorker staff writer Orlean (The Orchid Thief) decides to seek answers.

Library Journal Reviews

Susan Orlean's masterly long-form investigative nonfiction has previously explored horticulture (The Orchid Thief) and dog breeding (Rin Tin Tin). Here she begins with the Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL). She had recently moved from New York to Los Angeles and paid a visit to the downtown Central Library. She learned there had been a catastrophic fire in 1987. (It was the same day as the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, which got national coverage.) The library fire reached 2,000°. Steel shelves melted, thousands of books turned to ash, and thousands more were waterlogged. She learned about the history of LAPL, going back to the mid-19th century, and the often-quirky men and women appointed to the post of city librarian. She writes about the current (rebuilt) library, its programs, staff, patrons, and collections in an extended fan letter: "A library is a good place to soften solitude; a place where you feel a part of a conversation that has gone on for hundreds and hundreds of years even when you're all alone." The author narrates, reading clearly, with just the right emphasis to keep the story moving. VERDICT Librarians will enjoy this book, naturally, but laypeople will as well, and they will learn more about what motivates librarians and staff to provide the best service they can. ["Orlean's affecting account of the tragedy and its painful aftermath...points to a suspect who was never indicted. But the overall tone is warm and engaging, offering a love letter to libraries everywhere": LJ 9/15/18 starred review of the S. & S. hc.]—Nann Blaine Hilyard, formerly with Zion-Benton P.L., IL