The Library Book by Susan Orlean

 genre: nonfiction history

Did you know that in 1986 that the Los Angeles Library experiences a devastating fire?  Because I had no idea, but as a lover of libraries as well as someone familiar with the author, Susan Orlean, I knew I wanted to give this book a try.  It was everything I'd hoped for from her - true crime, social history, library history and the current state of affairs in libraries as both repositories of information and centers of communities.  I felt a profound and surprising emotion when I thought about books burning - the thought of a library burning and all priceless treasures turning to ash hit a really tender spot.    And the section about the power of writing and the "persistence of memory" read almost like scripture to me.  It maybe went a little long and I skimmed a tiny bit but overall, it was an engaging read.  This book is not just about an event and a possible crime - it is also an homage to the power and fragility of the written word and all those who choose to spend their lives engaged with it.