Next week, read through the end of chapter 10, which in the hardcover is page 112. We’re just two chapters in so there’s still time to buy The Library Book and join in too!
This week, here’s a few ideas to kick off the discussion!
What are your first impressions of the book?
Do any library rituals provoke memories for you too?
I was surprised to learn that reason that we’ve maybe never heard of the L.A. fire is that the very same day, Chernobyl exploded. How do you feel that reflects on the media?
Has an important news event in Ukraine ever overshadowed another important story you wish got more attention?
What did you think of the description of the events of the fire? Were you also on the edge of your seat?
Comment below, be nice, strike up conversations and don’t hesitate to invite new friends to join up and subscribe! We got a great conversation going last week so if you’re new don’t hesitate to jump right in!
I was only half-interested in chapter 1, but chapter 2 really hooked me! Exciting, and stunningly well told. And the start of chapter 3 brought tears to my eyes.
Many of the books in libraries can be replaced easily enough. We don't like to think of it, but libraries destroy a lot of books in the normal course of their operations. (When books become too stained or marred, or when there is an unsellable surplus.) If there had been no fire, by 2019, most of the normal collection would have been disposed of and replaced anyway. But there were irreplaceable losses as well. Chapter 2 mentioned "theater programs of every play produced in Los Angeles since 1880" -- what a historical record! -- "a quarter million photographs of Los Angeles dating back to 1850". What was lost there could just be lost forever. The development of the theater scene in L.A., the physical changes to buildings and streets, all that record, gone, and senselessly.
Can you imagine if you had books checked out of that library during the fire, overdue books that you'd meant to return but never got around too? What an irony that your procrastination might have saved a few books.
I was also fascinated with the descriptions of archives that have been assembled (and lost). Though I'm also curious about the junk:history ratio. I could *maybe* make a case for phone books being interesting historical records. But I'm not sure anyone would be devastated of those perished.
The actual tick tock of the library going up in flames was one of the more stomach-turning sequences I’ve read in a while, I think in part because I legitimately did not know to what extent it would be a total loss. I felt like all the credit she built up earlier by describing what exactly was in the library — in any other book, basic “look at how cool this library is” stuff — paid out when the careless, undiscriminating destruction of the fire actually goes down. Would it hit the Shakespeare folio? The patents??
Was not expecting to be on the edge of my seat during a book about libraries and yet here we are!
Her story telling is riveting for sure! Was anyone else in awe (and not necessarily in a good way) about some of the stuff that the library houses? Like old phone directories of every American city with a population over ten thousand! Wow!
Yes! I'm super curious about the junk to historic value ratio. Some of the collections sounded a bit like institutional hoarding (phone books, repair manuals). Though I think we got a sense of curation with the Valley Times photo tagging example (p. 89-90). If it was fine for anyone to tag photos we could crowdsource that and blaze through (pun totally intended) 45,000 photos in a few days and a few hundred bucks (including triangulation by having every photo tagged and reviewed by multiple individuals). But there's seemingly a lot of value in having someone with collections expertise, who knows what people search for and how the photos might be used later complete the task independently so that there's consistency in the curatorial process. Same for the LA Resistance student anti-war group donation. A lot of of that has to be junk. Some parts may be quite historic. But we all benefit in having someone do the sifting to determine what's interesting and what's less so.
While a lot of it seems like junk to us now, I think it's important to remember that it might have some value to people in the future. Those phone books act a little bit like a census, giving a particular view of the people and businesses in those towns, and some kind of research in the future could well benefit from them. We just don't know what kind of value those things might have to other people in the future.
Beginning on pg. 23 (2nd paragraph), you could really follow along as "[the smoke] wound around Fiction A through L, curling in lazy ringlets". As if you were there, you could feel the heat of it and watch it "crawl" through the stacks. Orleans' story telling style comes into play here. She carefully described and provided each of the characters introduced with background (I've got a whole list written down on paper here). It provided context for the fire that showed just how large of an event it was. Each Librarian from Elizabeth Teoman (head librarian) to Michael Leonard (in the public relations Dept.) and all other characters, Tom Bradley (mayor), Donald Manning (Head of Fire Dept.), Etc. were all relevant individuals.
I highlighted this sentence "In the library, time is dammed up-not just stopped but saved." Still pondering about the magnitude of that statement. My daughter just read Alan Drury's Advise and Consent, an old book but not an old story.
I have highlights of her beautiful word combinations throughout. A favorite: LA is “the kind of place that doesn’t hold you close, a place where you can picture yourself cartwheeling off into emptiness, a pocket of zero gravity.”
I also loved that image of libraries as dams or reservoirs of time and memory: not stopped, still part of the flow, but pooling and collecting in this one place to be used.
It brought to mind the massive fire at the Brazilian Museum recently, which received coverage but only if you were paying attention. Contrast with the fire at Notre Dame, which was covered "live" most places. We all know what Notre Dame looks like, have seen it in movies forever -- that fire felt so "real". It is much harder to have a visceral reaction to a library fire. The author does an incredible job of making it as real and gut-wrenching as CNN coverage of Notre Dame.
Great point! I remember reading a short article about the museum fire and thinking- why isn't there more coverage of this? I grew up in the greater LA area, and I had never heard of the library fire before this book club brought it to my attention. If there's any lasting cultural impact that the fire has left on Los Angeles, I certainly didn't notice it. I hope that that doesn't become the case with the the Rio disaster as well.
Your comment made me smile. My summer reading project was to read all the Harry Potter books. I had read book one when it first came out but was not entranced. Liking them better now.
I have to admit this selection was the last one I would have voted for but I decided to participate anyway because I wanted to join the club. I’m so glad I did. I’m enjoying it. I have not been to a library since cramming for exams in college many years ago. I just signed up for a NYC library card and look forward to visiting a branch very soon.
The description of the fire was intense. The sense of loss portrayed through the employees is overwhelming.
I initially thought the book was a novel and was a little disappointed. I was pleasantly surprised how quickly I was hooked on the story. I loved the descriptions of the books themselves. The smell of the paper pages and the cracking sound of the spine. I am the kind of person that has to physically hold a book everyday!!! E-books are good in a pinch, but a REAL book is a must. Chernobyl was a horrible disaster for the entire world, but the loss of irreplaceable books is also horrible. I physically felt pain in my chest while reading the part about HOW the books burned. The description of the intensity of the fire was shocking to me. Especially the description of the white & blue flames, instead of orange/red flames. The thought of the fire intensity being as much as 2000 degrees boggles my mind.
Debbie, I am somewhat addicted to my ebooks now!! I don’t ever have to remember to bring them with me, as they are always available on my phone or IPad. When I went to the library to check out this book all they had was the e-version!!
Ok, so now do we have to worry about “digital fires” of Library material?
I have a Kindle myself and I've read fair amount via the Kindle. I used to bring it with me to all sorts of places. Despite it being easy to carry around it occured to me on multiple instances that I could accidentally leave it behind somewhere, or damage it by dropping it. After setting it aside and picking up physical books to read you will notice a clear difference. I like the smell and touch of physical pages more and it gives you a better conception of progress. The weight of the book also gives you a sense of how much time and effort the author used to write it. I think there was also a study that you remember more of what you read with a physical book.
I always check our online library first. I love "real" books but having the" touch the word" dictionary that is instantly available with ebooks is fabulous. Also, I find holding a 600 page book with my old hands awkward and uncomfortable.
I love books in all kinds of formats. Ebooks are so convenient to have with you. Our public library has Overdrive which has made borrowing books so easy that I usually start there first when I hear about a book that sounds good. For this book, I checked out the audiobook which was available to download immediately and put the ebook on hold. I found the description of the fire to be particularly riveting in audio, as it forced me to listen to each word and not skip ahead/speed read as I might have been tempted to do with the written version.
I too just started the book. I too dod not realise it is non-fiction. I thought it was historical fiction an was trying to seperate her life story with the factual events. I am interested to see the book to the end to see her story also.
My mom, dad, I and eventually my younger brother would all go to the library every other Saturday morning after breakfast to return books and sign out new ones. It was a ritual of sorts that was maintained until I was in high school and got my drivers license and 1st job. The thing I remember most about this is that when we got home everyone would excitedly tell each other about the books they got while we ate lunch.
If you mean stories like the Rubik's Cube mosaic with Prince Harry's face on it that broke a Guinness record, the World Rugby Cup is in full swing or that the cast of SNL this season is the weakest in ages (Can Eddie Murphy host the whole season?!) than yes an important news event in the Ukraine has overshadowed stories I wish got more attention.
Yes Chernobyl exploded, but I think we still wouldn't have heard that much about it unless you lived on the West Coast, especially back then during the pre-OJ 24 hour news coverage. Even today there's still an East Coast bias of sorts. Just ask the Pac 12 or Dodgers & Giants fans.
In today’s environment it would be at best a below the fold over page 1 type of story that would get only a bit of additional coverage in print ... barely any on cable TV. I’m thinking of Flint as an example. It got coverage but slowly and barely.
Not sure about the Flint comparison. Things like Flint sadly never get that Headline News wall to wall coverage or anything even close. Thinking live Headline News coverage of the fire and all that day. Even some special interest stories about the lost books and such. Maybe someone like that City Librarian guy who threw his chili dog out the window gets a spinoff story of sorts. I will hold of judgement on how much staying power this story would have until we get further into the book about the investigation and arsonist (?).
This is an interesting thought! I have always lived in the middle of the country so hadn’t looked at news coverage in this way. Chernobyl was like Our introduction of a non-war global event that reminded us all the first priority is that we all live on planet earth together. Fascinating that the history and lessons of Chernobyl are now “safely” kept in libraries including no doubt the LA Library.
I agree about national coverage in the NYT. It’s great for world news, but seems to cover mostly Washington and the East Coast after that. From a West Coast perspective, it’s a surprisingly provincial paper.
The description of the fire itself was captivating. I lived in D.C. and remember both this and Chernobyl, but the latter was much bigger news. The fire disappeared from my mind, perhaps because of prolonged Chernobyl coverage combined with SNL’s great comedy skit about it. No one parodied the library fire.
My favourite chapter by far is the one on the history of book burning. The calculated viciousness with which the history of entire societies and civilizations has been obliterated really puts the Library Fire into perspective. Yes, it’s devastating and heart breaking that over one million books were lost or damaged. But when one considers that there are maybe a dozen Mayan codices left in existence, the loss of the written word feels even more impactful. It made me wonder what ancient (and not so ancient) thinkers have been wiped off the face of the earth and how our world have been depleted by what is missing. What civilizations could have existed that we know nothing about. There is no way to ever regain that knowledge, there is no way to ever remember those people. What are we missing? That chapter really made me see how powerful the tool of book burning really is and how with one sweep history can be entirely rewritten.
Did anyone else find the description of the stacks confusing? I mentally pictured something like wide cylindrical chimneys with bookshelves rising up within but I wish I could see an actual photo. I’ll do some googling...
Also any idea how other large library systems store their “stacks”? I’ve occasionally put holds on stuff listed as being in the stacks and I always imagined something like the scene at the end of Indiana Jones where they file away the Ark.
Exactly what I did! I only found a single photo by looking through photo archives, but that was only a partial view of a stack. The way Orleans described it ...I think was "hollow concrete tube"? That could potentially be misleading since we are so accustomed to imagining tubes as cylindrical. I believe the purpose of this was to put emphasis on the word "hollow". A fire would (only) be able to follow along this path with heat, oxygen and paper present as fuel.
I was a little confused by it too. I pictured it like this bookstore I go to in the French Quarter in New Orleans where it’s floor to ceiling books in a kind of organized chaos. I ended up googling “public library stacks 1980’s”. There is a photo of one of the burned stacks in LA. Their stacks are floor to ceiling bookshelves. My sister works at one of the branches of our metro library in OKC, I’ll ask her if she know how all of their extra books are stored now.
This is stunningly evocative! It brought back forgotten memories of how I loved the library as a kid - I checked out every book in the scool library at least once. And then I was barely breathing thru the fire until it was controlled.
I definitely thought the whole building would come down, and was surprised that nobody died, considering the intensity of the fire. The description was gripping, and I was particularly impressed with Orleans’ style of mixing in facts about the building, the city, and fire itself. I think it definitely built tension, but in a natural, not artificial way.
I thought the building would come down too! I think the picture of the fire was fascinating. Not to go too off the rails, but I know people like this. Burning to ashes inside and appear almost perfectly fine on the outside
Chilling beginning of the book when we are first introduced to the arsonist. Also the attention to detail and build up to the fire was tremendous. I'm hooked!
Lively prose that put me in the moments being described. My first trip to the library, when I was 8 years old, led me into a new world full of wonder. I went home with a number of books about the west, Zane Grey, Max Brand and others. The writing was over my head but my Dad ate them up. Looking forward to the next 81 pages of THE LIBRARY BOOK.
There was quite a bit to unpack in these first pages: The role libraries paid in the author's life; glimpses of how libraries function; lack of public funding for anything in the '80's; the timeline of the fire itself; the coverage, or lack thereof, of the fire by the national media. I enjoy well-crafted narrative non-fiction and so far this one is keeping me engaged. Libraries and books have played a large role in my life and I share many of the author's experiences. I like that she has brought those memories to the forefront.
Sue- your comment captured exactly how I felt! I loved how Ms. Orlean was able to make it not just a historical recounting of the facts, but brought to life the individuals involved with all facets of the institution. I'm glad the group picked this book because it's not one that I would think to pick up myself, but I have really enjoyed it so far!
As well, while I wasn't alive during the fire- I'm surprised it's not something that I'd ever heard about in a history class or something. What a tragic loss.
I did not know about the fire and I searched to see if it had been covered by any of our local papers. The New York Times didn’t bother to mention it until the day after it had been extinguished, and only then as an aside, on Page A14. I picked up a hard copy of the book after calling 3 libraries. I now have a mini I-Pad which I received as a no-occasion surprise gift & was told that I could download books from the library. I could feel myself becoming tense as the discussion begins about the fire and, as the horrifying details were described, I thought I was not breathing. The description of the employees was beyond sad. The loss was so overwhelming. I do not believe that anyone was ever arrested for a such a horrifying event.
I do know that it took several years for the library to be renovated and I keenly look forward to reading how that was accomplished.
I am amazed at how the author was able to use language to evoke my experiences 74 years ago at the Albina Branch of the Multnomah County Library in Portland, Oregon. I could actually feel and see what the library was like. My mother was a Volga German immigrant from Russia, who had a lifelong love of books. We didn’t have money to buy books but we had access to a library, which enabled me to eventually get a BA then a JD. Without the educational supplement of the library which enlarged my experiences beyond my narrow background, I would not have been able to achieve what I have. Like the author, in college I became addicted to buying books. My granddaughter told her husband that I had a book on every available surface. But what she didn’t know is that I also have an extensive library on my iPad. Which is better?
Mary, don’t know if there is a better. I am trying to be a better global citizen and read more digitally - stopped the physical paper, etc. I think for some of us older folks Libraries might be a place we can go to enjoy our old lifestyle of “gobbling resources” without embarrassment.
I find that I use mainly e-books for novels many of which I skim or at least read very quickly, which my I pad allows me to do. But for non-fiction, I prefer using paper that I can peruse at my leisure and make notes in the margins If I so choose or underline with a marker. The digital equivalents don’t seem to stick in my brain the way using real implements do. (An old fashioned ay of learning involving muscle memory.) I read an article on Apple news yesterday from The Atlantic by Alia Wong titled “College Students Just Want Normal Libraries” that offer a quiet place to study or do group projects with access to the skills of librarians to help with their research. In several surveys the students overwhelmingly chose paper over e-books and were not impressed by glitzy offerings libraries in order to be relevant. The article also mentioned research that showed students retained more from paper books. Do you think that this is more of a function necessary for student libraries than general public libraries whose clientele have different interest or needs.
"Goodbye Charlie"! The description of the fire was extraordinary. High tension at it's finest. I couldn't read fast enough to find out what happens. Who knew a book about libraries would have me on the edge of my seat?! Besides a bit shaken and sad about the library it left me with so many questions like How was nobody killed? How did the whole building not come down? Can't wait to find out about the who, what, when, why and how of this fateful day at the library.
Just had an opportunity to start this book. The writing of the fire was truly gut wrenching. I did not know about this major event. I still love the smell of libraries and old books. I have book cases in almost every room, and enjoy reviewing their titles. I so enjoy a book that starts off strong. Hate to wade through 50 pages before it gets interesting. Looking forward to the rest of the story.
Initial impression: I like the story telling a lot so far. I was on the edge of my seat too when it came to the fire. I'm also very curious about Harry Peak and excited for his part of the story to return.
I'm not a huge fan of the memoir components. The library ritual was a perfectly fine intro to set the stage, but I'm not super invested in Orlean (yet anyway). However, I am veeeeeerry curious if this is Orlean's usual style. I love the movie Adaptation (based on Orlean's The Orchid Thief). If Orlean typically inserts herself into the narrative (arguably more than is essential), then I have a whole new appreciation for Adaptation as a film. Has anyone read The Orchid Thief or another work and can confirm whether Orlean is frequently an active participant in the narrative?
Her description of going to the library as a child definitely provoked vivid memories of going to the Green Township branch of the Cincinnati Public Library as a kid. My mom always took us to sign up for the summer reading program, which I was way too competitive about. I loved filling up every line of my worksheet with what books I read that summer. At least a few lines were usually filled with Redwall books. I often read 50 library books during the summer break. Now I'm lucky if I read 50 in a year. I rarely set foot in the library anymore, because I borrow all of my books through Libby and read them on my tablet.
I too, was on the edge of my seat during the description of the fire. I'm pretty sure my mouth was actually hanging open when she described how the fire was so hot you could barely see the flames. I learned more about libraries and the physics of fire from that one chapter than I did in multiple decades of schooling.
The destruction of a library seems to me to be a kind of social or community form of Alzheimers. Memories in the form of documents are lost forever. Sure, most books can be replaced, but, as others have pointed out, not the local archives. While reading of this tragedy, I could not help but think of the burning of the great library of Alexandria. The fire started by Julius Caesar was said to have accidentally burned 40,000 scrolls. The library survived, but continued to decline over the centuries. Eventually all the scrolls were destroyed and the library disappeared. Then when a scroll or book burned, it was quite possible that it was the only copy. I got shivers when I read the author’s experiment in burning a book.
I’ve been thinking about the list of books at the beginning of each chapter. It’s a cute hook. Unfortunately some are dated post-fire — I was secretly hoping they were books/knowledge that were lost in the first.
So far I am really enjoying this book! The first chapter reminded me of how much I loved our library trips, although I remember there being a cost involved - having to decide which books to check out and which to leave for next time. I could only check out 5 books at a time but I don't remember if the rule was my mom's or the library's. All I know was that it was never enough and I would ponder my decision with great seriousness.
The book describing the library fire itself was suspenseful and heartbreaking as well. It was evocative of the fire at Notre Dame with the same sinking horror as the story of the fire spread. Hope the next section is as captivating. I remember enjoying The Orchid Thief so I suspect it will be.
I find her storytelling riveting. Her description of the fire was so vivid. I've never been in that library but I could picture those shelves of books being destroyed. What hit me most were the historical works and first editions lost. The books make me sad but those irreplaceable works are what really got me. I think the fire would be covered more thoroughly now with our penchant for live news all the time. Libraries are different now and are thought of as more of a community center than back then. They're not just a place for books and research, they offer a wealth of information, access to the outside world, and offer a wide variety of programs.
I'll be that guy... Every single day lately, there's a Ukraine story that overshadows everything else happening locally and around the world. A couple of days later, I find mention of something closer to home that would have been good to know about when it actually happened. It's still more immediate than the library fire coverage was.
I think the first two chapters help set the stakes involved and a sense of the loss.
I have the same memory of going into libraries and just having a joy in finding a set of books to check out (but probably only casually review, but not fully read). As a full grown adult I find myself doing the same at Barnes and Noble now but I am a lot better in actually reading most of the books.
I do enjoy the fact that almost immediately you know who did it (or do we?).
I have no idea where this book is going, but I'm all in. I certainly relate to the family trips to the library as a kid. I remember when I was finally allowed to check out books from the adult section -- a rite of passage! In our small town, we as teens would congregate there to work on our school projects, or at least pretend to, between gossiping and flirting with each other. Now as a city person, I still go to the library, and it is still packed after school with students gossiping and flirting. Details from this book just stick with me -- the firefighters unable to get the larger hoses through the stacks, the librarian tossing his chili dog out the window to dash back, the volunteers sending the books to the fish freezers. And yes, as noted below, the cookbooks "roasting". Loved that line.
This is the first time I've read one of Susan Orlean's works. The first two chapters of the book revealed a detailed and informative story telling style that felt really immersive. It got me hooked and I couldn't put down the book. I'm really looking forward to reading through to chapter 11.
Looking back at one of the notes I had written down for Chapter 2, Page 31. There was one particular piece of information that I was curious about and I forgot to mention:
"It had required 1,400 tanks of air; 13,440 square feet of salvage covers; [...] ninety bales of sawdust " before the fire was extinguished.
It's clear what the other stuff was used for, but the "sawdust"? To my understanding sawdust is considered fuel for fires— as such was the cause for many of the warehouse or factory fires that show up in the local news.
It's interesting, and I never realized it until I read the authors description of her family's desire to not own any books when they can be borrowed, I followed a similar trajectory. She also said that when she left to college she started to OWN books. Looking back, I certainly entered a strained relationship time with the library when I left for school. Being a culinary school the library was a place for research, but to own those cook books, write notes and recipe corrections and not be held accountable for staining the pages, I neglected my old friend. It was not until I had kids that we reconciled and the relationship was renewed. It was renewed with a feeling of rediscovery and excitement.
The telling of the fire was tragic. The feel of the book weaves between fiction and non-fiction. Though I only read the first 30 pages (and bought the book) I intend to read the rest in the library.
I never thought I would like a book about libraries but I really liked this book. It is surprising, it has information that I would not have sought out but relevant to me. Author does seem to be changing subjects in a way that I could not understand the flow but I don't mind it. Interestingly, this was in Numlock news today:
College Libraries
While colleges throw fortunes at ramping up their library offerings to include the latest in education technology and electronic book access, overwhelmingly kids still prefer physical texts. A 2015 survey found 92 percent of college students preferred paper books to electronic versions. New evidence leads researchers to believe that physical books are better at conveying information than digital formats, and a 2016 survey of Webster University students found that just 18 percent of students accessed ebooks with any degree of frequency while 42 percent never used them at all. And sure, 3-D printers are cool and VR headsets are neat, but a Duke University survey found that students were mainly interested in solid Wi-Fi.
really enjoyed the details and descriptions about the fire. Also fascinating learning the magnitude of the library system. Looking forward to the future chapters.
I was only half-interested in chapter 1, but chapter 2 really hooked me! Exciting, and stunningly well told. And the start of chapter 3 brought tears to my eyes.
Many of the books in libraries can be replaced easily enough. We don't like to think of it, but libraries destroy a lot of books in the normal course of their operations. (When books become too stained or marred, or when there is an unsellable surplus.) If there had been no fire, by 2019, most of the normal collection would have been disposed of and replaced anyway. But there were irreplaceable losses as well. Chapter 2 mentioned "theater programs of every play produced in Los Angeles since 1880" -- what a historical record! -- "a quarter million photographs of Los Angeles dating back to 1850". What was lost there could just be lost forever. The development of the theater scene in L.A., the physical changes to buildings and streets, all that record, gone, and senselessly.
Can you imagine if you had books checked out of that library during the fire, overdue books that you'd meant to return but never got around too? What an irony that your procrastination might have saved a few books.
I was also fascinated with the descriptions of archives that have been assembled (and lost). Though I'm also curious about the junk:history ratio. I could *maybe* make a case for phone books being interesting historical records. But I'm not sure anyone would be devastated of those perished.
The actual tick tock of the library going up in flames was one of the more stomach-turning sequences I’ve read in a while, I think in part because I legitimately did not know to what extent it would be a total loss. I felt like all the credit she built up earlier by describing what exactly was in the library — in any other book, basic “look at how cool this library is” stuff — paid out when the careless, undiscriminating destruction of the fire actually goes down. Would it hit the Shakespeare folio? The patents??
Was not expecting to be on the edge of my seat during a book about libraries and yet here we are!
Her story telling is riveting for sure! Was anyone else in awe (and not necessarily in a good way) about some of the stuff that the library houses? Like old phone directories of every American city with a population over ten thousand! Wow!
Yes! I'm super curious about the junk to historic value ratio. Some of the collections sounded a bit like institutional hoarding (phone books, repair manuals). Though I think we got a sense of curation with the Valley Times photo tagging example (p. 89-90). If it was fine for anyone to tag photos we could crowdsource that and blaze through (pun totally intended) 45,000 photos in a few days and a few hundred bucks (including triangulation by having every photo tagged and reviewed by multiple individuals). But there's seemingly a lot of value in having someone with collections expertise, who knows what people search for and how the photos might be used later complete the task independently so that there's consistency in the curatorial process. Same for the LA Resistance student anti-war group donation. A lot of of that has to be junk. Some parts may be quite historic. But we all benefit in having someone do the sifting to determine what's interesting and what's less so.
While a lot of it seems like junk to us now, I think it's important to remember that it might have some value to people in the future. Those phone books act a little bit like a census, giving a particular view of the people and businesses in those towns, and some kind of research in the future could well benefit from them. We just don't know what kind of value those things might have to other people in the future.
My favorite line: "The cookbooks roasted." The imagery of the conflagration was beautifully described.
Beginning on pg. 23 (2nd paragraph), you could really follow along as "[the smoke] wound around Fiction A through L, curling in lazy ringlets". As if you were there, you could feel the heat of it and watch it "crawl" through the stacks. Orleans' story telling style comes into play here. She carefully described and provided each of the characters introduced with background (I've got a whole list written down on paper here). It provided context for the fire that showed just how large of an event it was. Each Librarian from Elizabeth Teoman (head librarian) to Michael Leonard (in the public relations Dept.) and all other characters, Tom Bradley (mayor), Donald Manning (Head of Fire Dept.), Etc. were all relevant individuals.
I highlighted this sentence "In the library, time is dammed up-not just stopped but saved." Still pondering about the magnitude of that statement. My daughter just read Alan Drury's Advise and Consent, an old book but not an old story.
I have highlights of her beautiful word combinations throughout. A favorite: LA is “the kind of place that doesn’t hold you close, a place where you can picture yourself cartwheeling off into emptiness, a pocket of zero gravity.”
I also loved that image of libraries as dams or reservoirs of time and memory: not stopped, still part of the flow, but pooling and collecting in this one place to be used.
It brought to mind the massive fire at the Brazilian Museum recently, which received coverage but only if you were paying attention. Contrast with the fire at Notre Dame, which was covered "live" most places. We all know what Notre Dame looks like, have seen it in movies forever -- that fire felt so "real". It is much harder to have a visceral reaction to a library fire. The author does an incredible job of making it as real and gut-wrenching as CNN coverage of Notre Dame.
Great point! I remember reading a short article about the museum fire and thinking- why isn't there more coverage of this? I grew up in the greater LA area, and I had never heard of the library fire before this book club brought it to my attention. If there's any lasting cultural impact that the fire has left on Los Angeles, I certainly didn't notice it. I hope that that doesn't become the case with the the Rio disaster as well.
My favorite words" "Always Harry Potter."
Your comment made me smile. My summer reading project was to read all the Harry Potter books. I had read book one when it first came out but was not entranced. Liking them better now.
I have to admit this selection was the last one I would have voted for but I decided to participate anyway because I wanted to join the club. I’m so glad I did. I’m enjoying it. I have not been to a library since cramming for exams in college many years ago. I just signed up for a NYC library card and look forward to visiting a branch very soon.
The description of the fire was intense. The sense of loss portrayed through the employees is overwhelming.
I initially thought the book was a novel and was a little disappointed. I was pleasantly surprised how quickly I was hooked on the story. I loved the descriptions of the books themselves. The smell of the paper pages and the cracking sound of the spine. I am the kind of person that has to physically hold a book everyday!!! E-books are good in a pinch, but a REAL book is a must. Chernobyl was a horrible disaster for the entire world, but the loss of irreplaceable books is also horrible. I physically felt pain in my chest while reading the part about HOW the books burned. The description of the intensity of the fire was shocking to me. Especially the description of the white & blue flames, instead of orange/red flames. The thought of the fire intensity being as much as 2000 degrees boggles my mind.
During parts of this I found myself forgetting that this wasn't a novel and I mean that in a good way.
Yes! Same!
I agree with that too! I read this book early this year and have it in my top three favorites for 2019.
Debbie, I am somewhat addicted to my ebooks now!! I don’t ever have to remember to bring them with me, as they are always available on my phone or IPad. When I went to the library to check out this book all they had was the e-version!!
Ok, so now do we have to worry about “digital fires” of Library material?
I have a Kindle myself and I've read fair amount via the Kindle. I used to bring it with me to all sorts of places. Despite it being easy to carry around it occured to me on multiple instances that I could accidentally leave it behind somewhere, or damage it by dropping it. After setting it aside and picking up physical books to read you will notice a clear difference. I like the smell and touch of physical pages more and it gives you a better conception of progress. The weight of the book also gives you a sense of how much time and effort the author used to write it. I think there was also a study that you remember more of what you read with a physical book.
You are absolutely correct about a better idea of progress with a real book. It's one of the things that does annoy me about the ebooks.
I always check our online library first. I love "real" books but having the" touch the word" dictionary that is instantly available with ebooks is fabulous. Also, I find holding a 600 page book with my old hands awkward and uncomfortable.
And you can adjust the font so you don’t have to dig for your readers!
I love books in all kinds of formats. Ebooks are so convenient to have with you. Our public library has Overdrive which has made borrowing books so easy that I usually start there first when I hear about a book that sounds good. For this book, I checked out the audiobook which was available to download immediately and put the ebook on hold. I found the description of the fire to be particularly riveting in audio, as it forced me to listen to each word and not skip ahead/speed read as I might have been tempted to do with the written version.
What stood out to me the most was when the flame was described as being "colorless". You could sense the intensity of the heat behind that one word.
I too just started the book. I too dod not realise it is non-fiction. I thought it was historical fiction an was trying to seperate her life story with the factual events. I am interested to see the book to the end to see her story also.
My mom, dad, I and eventually my younger brother would all go to the library every other Saturday morning after breakfast to return books and sign out new ones. It was a ritual of sorts that was maintained until I was in high school and got my drivers license and 1st job. The thing I remember most about this is that when we got home everyone would excitedly tell each other about the books they got while we ate lunch.
If you mean stories like the Rubik's Cube mosaic with Prince Harry's face on it that broke a Guinness record, the World Rugby Cup is in full swing or that the cast of SNL this season is the weakest in ages (Can Eddie Murphy host the whole season?!) than yes an important news event in the Ukraine has overshadowed stories I wish got more attention.
Irish you crack me up!
Yes Chernobyl exploded, but I think we still wouldn't have heard that much about it unless you lived on the West Coast, especially back then during the pre-OJ 24 hour news coverage. Even today there's still an East Coast bias of sorts. Just ask the Pac 12 or Dodgers & Giants fans.
In today’s environment it would be at best a below the fold over page 1 type of story that would get only a bit of additional coverage in print ... barely any on cable TV. I’m thinking of Flint as an example. It got coverage but slowly and barely.
This is a really smart take, I think you’re right and the comparison with Flint seems really apt.
Not sure about the Flint comparison. Things like Flint sadly never get that Headline News wall to wall coverage or anything even close. Thinking live Headline News coverage of the fire and all that day. Even some special interest stories about the lost books and such. Maybe someone like that City Librarian guy who threw his chili dog out the window gets a spinoff story of sorts. I will hold of judgement on how much staying power this story would have until we get further into the book about the investigation and arsonist (?).
This is an interesting thought! I have always lived in the middle of the country so hadn’t looked at news coverage in this way. Chernobyl was like Our introduction of a non-war global event that reminded us all the first priority is that we all live on planet earth together. Fascinating that the history and lessons of Chernobyl are now “safely” kept in libraries including no doubt the LA Library.
I tend to agree Irish Twilight. On a slow news day it might have made headline news nationally, but maybe not.
I agree about national coverage in the NYT. It’s great for world news, but seems to cover mostly Washington and the East Coast after that. From a West Coast perspective, it’s a surprisingly provincial paper.
The description of the fire itself was captivating. I lived in D.C. and remember both this and Chernobyl, but the latter was much bigger news. The fire disappeared from my mind, perhaps because of prolonged Chernobyl coverage combined with SNL’s great comedy skit about it. No one parodied the library fire.
My favourite chapter by far is the one on the history of book burning. The calculated viciousness with which the history of entire societies and civilizations has been obliterated really puts the Library Fire into perspective. Yes, it’s devastating and heart breaking that over one million books were lost or damaged. But when one considers that there are maybe a dozen Mayan codices left in existence, the loss of the written word feels even more impactful. It made me wonder what ancient (and not so ancient) thinkers have been wiped off the face of the earth and how our world have been depleted by what is missing. What civilizations could have existed that we know nothing about. There is no way to ever regain that knowledge, there is no way to ever remember those people. What are we missing? That chapter really made me see how powerful the tool of book burning really is and how with one sweep history can be entirely rewritten.
Did anyone else find the description of the stacks confusing? I mentally pictured something like wide cylindrical chimneys with bookshelves rising up within but I wish I could see an actual photo. I’ll do some googling...
Also any idea how other large library systems store their “stacks”? I’ve occasionally put holds on stuff listed as being in the stacks and I always imagined something like the scene at the end of Indiana Jones where they file away the Ark.
Yes, I found the description confusing as well. I looked online for a drawing or photo but found nothing.
Exactly what I did! I only found a single photo by looking through photo archives, but that was only a partial view of a stack. The way Orleans described it ...I think was "hollow concrete tube"? That could potentially be misleading since we are so accustomed to imagining tubes as cylindrical. I believe the purpose of this was to put emphasis on the word "hollow". A fire would (only) be able to follow along this path with heat, oxygen and paper present as fuel.
I was a little confused by it too. I pictured it like this bookstore I go to in the French Quarter in New Orleans where it’s floor to ceiling books in a kind of organized chaos. I ended up googling “public library stacks 1980’s”. There is a photo of one of the burned stacks in LA. Their stacks are floor to ceiling bookshelves. My sister works at one of the branches of our metro library in OKC, I’ll ask her if she know how all of their extra books are stored now.
This is stunningly evocative! It brought back forgotten memories of how I loved the library as a kid - I checked out every book in the scool library at least once. And then I was barely breathing thru the fire until it was controlled.
I definitely thought the whole building would come down, and was surprised that nobody died, considering the intensity of the fire. The description was gripping, and I was particularly impressed with Orleans’ style of mixing in facts about the building, the city, and fire itself. I think it definitely built tension, but in a natural, not artificial way.
I thought the building would come down too! I think the picture of the fire was fascinating. Not to go too off the rails, but I know people like this. Burning to ashes inside and appear almost perfectly fine on the outside
Chilling beginning of the book when we are first introduced to the arsonist. Also the attention to detail and build up to the fire was tremendous. I'm hooked!
Is he the arsonist?? Or was he just handy and stupid? Can’t wait to learn more about that.
Lively prose that put me in the moments being described. My first trip to the library, when I was 8 years old, led me into a new world full of wonder. I went home with a number of books about the west, Zane Grey, Max Brand and others. The writing was over my head but my Dad ate them up. Looking forward to the next 81 pages of THE LIBRARY BOOK.
There was quite a bit to unpack in these first pages: The role libraries paid in the author's life; glimpses of how libraries function; lack of public funding for anything in the '80's; the timeline of the fire itself; the coverage, or lack thereof, of the fire by the national media. I enjoy well-crafted narrative non-fiction and so far this one is keeping me engaged. Libraries and books have played a large role in my life and I share many of the author's experiences. I like that she has brought those memories to the forefront.
Sue- your comment captured exactly how I felt! I loved how Ms. Orlean was able to make it not just a historical recounting of the facts, but brought to life the individuals involved with all facets of the institution. I'm glad the group picked this book because it's not one that I would think to pick up myself, but I have really enjoyed it so far!
As well, while I wasn't alive during the fire- I'm surprised it's not something that I'd ever heard about in a history class or something. What a tragic loss.
I did not know about the fire and I searched to see if it had been covered by any of our local papers. The New York Times didn’t bother to mention it until the day after it had been extinguished, and only then as an aside, on Page A14. I picked up a hard copy of the book after calling 3 libraries. I now have a mini I-Pad which I received as a no-occasion surprise gift & was told that I could download books from the library. I could feel myself becoming tense as the discussion begins about the fire and, as the horrifying details were described, I thought I was not breathing. The description of the employees was beyond sad. The loss was so overwhelming. I do not believe that anyone was ever arrested for a such a horrifying event.
I do know that it took several years for the library to be renovated and I keenly look forward to reading how that was accomplished.
I am amazed at how the author was able to use language to evoke my experiences 74 years ago at the Albina Branch of the Multnomah County Library in Portland, Oregon. I could actually feel and see what the library was like. My mother was a Volga German immigrant from Russia, who had a lifelong love of books. We didn’t have money to buy books but we had access to a library, which enabled me to eventually get a BA then a JD. Without the educational supplement of the library which enlarged my experiences beyond my narrow background, I would not have been able to achieve what I have. Like the author, in college I became addicted to buying books. My granddaughter told her husband that I had a book on every available surface. But what she didn’t know is that I also have an extensive library on my iPad. Which is better?
Mary, don’t know if there is a better. I am trying to be a better global citizen and read more digitally - stopped the physical paper, etc. I think for some of us older folks Libraries might be a place we can go to enjoy our old lifestyle of “gobbling resources” without embarrassment.
I find that I use mainly e-books for novels many of which I skim or at least read very quickly, which my I pad allows me to do. But for non-fiction, I prefer using paper that I can peruse at my leisure and make notes in the margins If I so choose or underline with a marker. The digital equivalents don’t seem to stick in my brain the way using real implements do. (An old fashioned ay of learning involving muscle memory.) I read an article on Apple news yesterday from The Atlantic by Alia Wong titled “College Students Just Want Normal Libraries” that offer a quiet place to study or do group projects with access to the skills of librarians to help with their research. In several surveys the students overwhelmingly chose paper over e-books and were not impressed by glitzy offerings libraries in order to be relevant. The article also mentioned research that showed students retained more from paper books. Do you think that this is more of a function necessary for student libraries than general public libraries whose clientele have different interest or needs.
"Goodbye Charlie"! The description of the fire was extraordinary. High tension at it's finest. I couldn't read fast enough to find out what happens. Who knew a book about libraries would have me on the edge of my seat?! Besides a bit shaken and sad about the library it left me with so many questions like How was nobody killed? How did the whole building not come down? Can't wait to find out about the who, what, when, why and how of this fateful day at the library.
Just had an opportunity to start this book. The writing of the fire was truly gut wrenching. I did not know about this major event. I still love the smell of libraries and old books. I have book cases in almost every room, and enjoy reviewing their titles. I so enjoy a book that starts off strong. Hate to wade through 50 pages before it gets interesting. Looking forward to the rest of the story.
Initial impression: I like the story telling a lot so far. I was on the edge of my seat too when it came to the fire. I'm also very curious about Harry Peak and excited for his part of the story to return.
I'm not a huge fan of the memoir components. The library ritual was a perfectly fine intro to set the stage, but I'm not super invested in Orlean (yet anyway). However, I am veeeeeerry curious if this is Orlean's usual style. I love the movie Adaptation (based on Orlean's The Orchid Thief). If Orlean typically inserts herself into the narrative (arguably more than is essential), then I have a whole new appreciation for Adaptation as a film. Has anyone read The Orchid Thief or another work and can confirm whether Orlean is frequently an active participant in the narrative?
Her description of going to the library as a child definitely provoked vivid memories of going to the Green Township branch of the Cincinnati Public Library as a kid. My mom always took us to sign up for the summer reading program, which I was way too competitive about. I loved filling up every line of my worksheet with what books I read that summer. At least a few lines were usually filled with Redwall books. I often read 50 library books during the summer break. Now I'm lucky if I read 50 in a year. I rarely set foot in the library anymore, because I borrow all of my books through Libby and read them on my tablet.
I too, was on the edge of my seat during the description of the fire. I'm pretty sure my mouth was actually hanging open when she described how the fire was so hot you could barely see the flames. I learned more about libraries and the physics of fire from that one chapter than I did in multiple decades of schooling.
The destruction of a library seems to me to be a kind of social or community form of Alzheimers. Memories in the form of documents are lost forever. Sure, most books can be replaced, but, as others have pointed out, not the local archives. While reading of this tragedy, I could not help but think of the burning of the great library of Alexandria. The fire started by Julius Caesar was said to have accidentally burned 40,000 scrolls. The library survived, but continued to decline over the centuries. Eventually all the scrolls were destroyed and the library disappeared. Then when a scroll or book burned, it was quite possible that it was the only copy. I got shivers when I read the author’s experiment in burning a book.
I’ve been thinking about the list of books at the beginning of each chapter. It’s a cute hook. Unfortunately some are dated post-fire — I was secretly hoping they were books/knowledge that were lost in the first.
So far I am really enjoying this book! The first chapter reminded me of how much I loved our library trips, although I remember there being a cost involved - having to decide which books to check out and which to leave for next time. I could only check out 5 books at a time but I don't remember if the rule was my mom's or the library's. All I know was that it was never enough and I would ponder my decision with great seriousness.
The book describing the library fire itself was suspenseful and heartbreaking as well. It was evocative of the fire at Notre Dame with the same sinking horror as the story of the fire spread. Hope the next section is as captivating. I remember enjoying The Orchid Thief so I suspect it will be.
I find her storytelling riveting. Her description of the fire was so vivid. I've never been in that library but I could picture those shelves of books being destroyed. What hit me most were the historical works and first editions lost. The books make me sad but those irreplaceable works are what really got me. I think the fire would be covered more thoroughly now with our penchant for live news all the time. Libraries are different now and are thought of as more of a community center than back then. They're not just a place for books and research, they offer a wealth of information, access to the outside world, and offer a wide variety of programs.
I'll be that guy... Every single day lately, there's a Ukraine story that overshadows everything else happening locally and around the world. A couple of days later, I find mention of something closer to home that would have been good to know about when it actually happened. It's still more immediate than the library fire coverage was.
I think the first two chapters help set the stakes involved and a sense of the loss.
I have the same memory of going into libraries and just having a joy in finding a set of books to check out (but probably only casually review, but not fully read). As a full grown adult I find myself doing the same at Barnes and Noble now but I am a lot better in actually reading most of the books.
I do enjoy the fact that almost immediately you know who did it (or do we?).
Let’s see where this goes ...
I have no idea where this book is going, but I'm all in. I certainly relate to the family trips to the library as a kid. I remember when I was finally allowed to check out books from the adult section -- a rite of passage! In our small town, we as teens would congregate there to work on our school projects, or at least pretend to, between gossiping and flirting with each other. Now as a city person, I still go to the library, and it is still packed after school with students gossiping and flirting. Details from this book just stick with me -- the firefighters unable to get the larger hoses through the stacks, the librarian tossing his chili dog out the window to dash back, the volunteers sending the books to the fish freezers. And yes, as noted below, the cookbooks "roasting". Loved that line.
This is the first time I've read one of Susan Orlean's works. The first two chapters of the book revealed a detailed and informative story telling style that felt really immersive. It got me hooked and I couldn't put down the book. I'm really looking forward to reading through to chapter 11.
And I love the more or less relevent card catalog items listed at the beginning of the chapters.
The popcorn cooking book before Chapter 3. LOL.
Fire! The Library Is Burning (1988)
I'm a bit late to the party (doing some catch up reading), but the description of the events of the fire was almost sickening.
I honestly can't imagine how I'd feel if that had happened to the library I grew up with.
Don’t feel bad at all for being late, that’s one reason I think this medium is fun, you’re all good!
Looking back at one of the notes I had written down for Chapter 2, Page 31. There was one particular piece of information that I was curious about and I forgot to mention:
"It had required 1,400 tanks of air; 13,440 square feet of salvage covers; [...] ninety bales of sawdust " before the fire was extinguished.
It's clear what the other stuff was used for, but the "sawdust"? To my understanding sawdust is considered fuel for fires— as such was the cause for many of the warehouse or factory fires that show up in the local news.
It's interesting, and I never realized it until I read the authors description of her family's desire to not own any books when they can be borrowed, I followed a similar trajectory. She also said that when she left to college she started to OWN books. Looking back, I certainly entered a strained relationship time with the library when I left for school. Being a culinary school the library was a place for research, but to own those cook books, write notes and recipe corrections and not be held accountable for staining the pages, I neglected my old friend. It was not until I had kids that we reconciled and the relationship was renewed. It was renewed with a feeling of rediscovery and excitement.
The telling of the fire was tragic. The feel of the book weaves between fiction and non-fiction. Though I only read the first 30 pages (and bought the book) I intend to read the rest in the library.
I never thought I would like a book about libraries but I really liked this book. It is surprising, it has information that I would not have sought out but relevant to me. Author does seem to be changing subjects in a way that I could not understand the flow but I don't mind it. Interestingly, this was in Numlock news today:
College Libraries
While colleges throw fortunes at ramping up their library offerings to include the latest in education technology and electronic book access, overwhelmingly kids still prefer physical texts. A 2015 survey found 92 percent of college students preferred paper books to electronic versions. New evidence leads researchers to believe that physical books are better at conveying information than digital formats, and a 2016 survey of Webster University students found that just 18 percent of students accessed ebooks with any degree of frequency while 42 percent never used them at all. And sure, 3-D printers are cool and VR headsets are neat, but a Duke University survey found that students were mainly interested in solid Wi-Fi.
really enjoyed the details and descriptions about the fire. Also fascinating learning the magnitude of the library system. Looking forward to the future chapters.
I'm really enjoying the book and glad I joined in the book club. What a horrible thing to have experienced. I felt so sorry for the employees there.