In The Library Book, Susan Orlean deftly maneuvers between the origins of the Los Angeles Public Library in 1872 and its growth, and the events and aftermath of the day of the humongous fire that could have destroyed the Central Library in downtown LA in 1986. Orlean includes a strong characterization of Harry Peak, the enigmatic story-changer who was considered an arson suspect, with interviews of police, firefighters, library staff, and Peak's family and friends. The book is part history, part mystery, and part commentary on the modern library as it adapts to meet the needs of its patrons.Additionally, we learn much about the old library and its fragility before the fire, and how many books were damaged (700,00) and destroyed (400,000) by the fire, and how a great number of the damaged books could be frozen and later restored. This was a library book that was hard to put down!
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