Book Review: The Library Book

Occasionally, an audio book cannot convey the whole meaning of a book. Each chapter of The Library Book by Susan Orlean starts with a list of titles, authors, and call numbers. The lists include books about topics springing up in the chapter. Since I wanted to see these listings, I went back to the library to check out the hard copy and discovered it also offered photos. If "a picture speaks a thousand words," I was missing out on plenty. My recommendation: read the hard copy instead of listening to the audio book. Plus, they should have selected someone with a wider language background to narrate the book (the author stumbled through pronunciations of German and other languages).

That consideration aside, I relished this book about the 1986 fire at the Los Angeles Public Library. As the Booklist review declared, it was "A riveting mix of true crime, history, biography, and immersion journalism." The author describes each individual in great detail. Orlean's physical descriptions were vivid and her personality descriptions delightful. As a book-lover, her homage for books resonated. Although the subject could have netted a much shorter book, Orlean expands on the topic to present a multi-faceted tale. The reader not only considers books, libraries, and librarians, but also tackles the emotional aspects of burning books and the wider functions of public libraries.

Perhaps my favorite chapter of all focused on Ray Bradbury. Orlean introduced Bradbury, who considered himself "library-educated." His fondness for books led to his novel Fahrenheit 451, another book about burning books. I not only dashed off to the library to pick up the hard copy of Orlean's text, but also snagged a library copy of Fahrenheit 451. Orlean appropriately sums up that section by revealing that all of Bradbury's books burned in the L.A. library fire. Ironic! 

This is a love song to books and those who keep them. The importance and power of books is emphasized again and again. She writes: "You don't need to take a book off a shelf to know there is a voice inside that is waiting to speak to you, and behind that was someone who truly believed that if he or she spoke, someone would listen.... Even the oddest, most particular book was written with that kind of crazy courage - the writer's belief that someone would find his or her book important to read. I was struck by how precious and foolish and brave that belief is, and how necessary, and how full of hope it is to collect these books and manuscripts and preserve them." Books and libraries are essential. They will endure no matter what technological advances threaten to displace them.