The Library Book
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The Library Book
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Narrateur(s):
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Susan Orlean
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Auteur(s):
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Susan Orlean
À propos de cet audio
Susan Orlean, hailed as a “national treasure” by The Washington Post and the acclaimed best-selling author of Rin Tin Tin and The Orchid Thief, reopens the unsolved mystery of the most catastrophic library fire in American history and delivers a dazzling love letter to a beloved institution - our libraries.
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 cleared out of the building realized this was not the usual false alarm. As one fireman recounted later, “Once that first stack got going, it was good-bye, Charlie.” The fire was disastrous: It reached 2,000 degrees and burned for more than seven hours. By the time it was extinguished, it had consumed 400,000 books and damaged 700,000 more. Investigators descended on the scene, but more than 30 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 with the fascinating history of libraries and the sometimes eccentric characters who run them, award-winning journalist and New York Times best-selling author Susan Orlean presents a mesmerizing and uniquely compelling story as only she can. With her signature wit, insight, compassion, and talent for deep research, she investigates the legendary Los Angeles Public Library fire to showcase the larger, crucial role that libraries play in our lives.
To truly understand what happens behind the stacks, Orlean visits the different departments of the LAPL, encountering an engaging cast of employees and patrons and experiencing alongside them the victories and struggles they face in today’s climate. She also delves into the evolution of libraries across the country and around the world, from a metropolitan charitable initiative to a cornerstone of national identity. She reflects on her childhood experiences in libraries; studies fire and attempts to burn a copy of a book herself; and reexamines the case of Harry Peak, the blond-haired actor long suspected of setting fire to the library more than 30 years ago. Along the way, she reveals how these buildings provide much more than just books - and that they are needed now more than ever.
Filled with heart, passion, and unforgettable characters, The Library Book is classic Susan Orlean and an homage to a beloved institution that remains a vital part of the heart, mind, and soul of our country and culture.
©2018 Susan Orlean (P)2018 Simon & SchusterVous pourriez aussi aimer...
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4 out of 5 stars
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Beautiful writing style.
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Au global4.5 out of 5 stars 5
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2 out of 5 stars
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didn’t need to know the author’s story too
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Featured Article: The Ultimate Audiobook Gift Guide for Everyone on Your Holiday List
Take the stress out of holiday shopping by giving the gift of audiobooks. Audiobooks don’t weigh down your tote bag, you don’t need to spend hours in the bookshop, and there’s no need for a bookmark! You can treat a book lover to an Audible membership or give them a perfectly picked new book that is ready for your listening pleasure. On each book's page, select the give as a gift option.
Ce que les auditeurs disent de The Library Book
Moyenne des évaluations de clientsÉvaluations – Cliquez sur les onglets pour changer la source des évaluations.
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Au global5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Histoire5 out of 5 stars
- Karen
- 2024-02-15
Fantastic story and narration
Excellent book! The author recounts the 1986 fire at the Los Angeles Public Library and simultaneously explores the true crime angle (was the fire an act of arson?) while giving us a history on libraries, the lending of books, the recovery of books, the users of libraries etc.
Do you know that, if you can't freeze a book within 48 hrs of it becoming soaked with water, then the book cannot be recovered? And there was a period of time, in the beginning of libraries, when women were forbidden from becoming librarians. Really! Also, today, libraries outnumber retail bookstores 2 to 1. Lots of facts here, for those who are interested in the topic. The author narrates the audiobook and she's excellent.
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Au global3 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Histoire4 out of 5 stars
- Mistaya Langridge
- 2019-07-11
Beautiful story, painful narration
The book:
What an interesting ode to libraries. I believe my expectations may have dampened my enthusiasm for this book however: going in, I was expecting a true crime-like story of the arson investigation into the LA library fire, but instead received a history of the LA Central Library, woven together by the narrative of the Great Fire. With that being said, it is an absolutely wonderful book, and if you had asked me my opinion after 10 chapters, I would have said it was one of my favourites of all time. However, between then and now I have learned more about Charles Lummis than I ever wanted to. A lot of this book seemed to basically be demonstrating the amount of research Susan Orlean did into the LA Library. Even with this, it was still wonderfully written and has resparked my appreciation for libraries, and is absolutely worth a read.
The narration:
Honestly, I have never disliked the narration of an audible book so much before. Generally books read by the author add to the story-- ESPECIALLY ones like this where some of it is from the author's perspective. Definitely not in this case!
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3 les gens ont trouvé cela utile
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Au global5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Histoire5 out of 5 stars
- Tee Darling
- 2021-09-18
What a journey!
I went from liking this book to loving this book as the chapters progressed. I’m actually going to start a little mini book club around this book. It speaks to me on many levels and is full of so much fascinating information.There are so many funny moments delivered expertly by Susan. The gamut of emotion is covered in this book plus it is stuffed with historical information. I loved it and highly recommend. I can’t believe I didn’t know about it either.
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1 personne a trouvé cela utile
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Au global5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Histoire5 out of 5 stars
- Brenda S.
- 2020-11-23
Nostalgia
This book brought back fond memories of the all the time I spent in libraries as a child.
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1 personne a trouvé cela utile
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Au global5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Histoire4 out of 5 stars
- Utilisateur anonyme
- 2021-08-08
Great book if you like her (I do)
I loved the snippets of stories and the narration. If you don't like vignettes or the author's voice, you won't like this book. It weaves all over the place with libraries being the touchstone and I happily followed along.
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2 les gens ont trouvé cela utile
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Au global5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Histoire5 out of 5 stars
- Roberta W
- 2022-12-20
Great book
A combination of a mysterious (and as yet still unsolved) fire - and the tragedy of all those lost books! - and a history of the LA library, and libraries in general. The book did jump around quite a bit, but it didn’t seem to negatively impact my ability to follow the threads of the various storylines. Well researched.
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1 personne a trouvé cela utile
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Au global5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Histoire5 out of 5 stars
- M Gomes
- 2022-05-20
Beautiful and Sombre Sweet
What an unexpected and informative read. A delight, and the narration, one of my favorite tonalities for a female voice, endlessly listenable and endearing.
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Au global3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Histoire3 out of 5 stars
- Frodo
- 2024-06-07
An interesting story buried in too much minutia. 
The three core storylines, regarding the development and role of public libraries worldwide, the development of the Los Angeles Central library, and the great fire at said library, are all interesting.  however, I found the story got buried in excessive detail and minutia. It would’ve been a great book two-thirds the length. I also found the slow nasal tone of the narrator to become annoying as the book progressed.
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Au global2 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Histoire1 out of 5 stars
- cathryne mullowney
- 2019-03-02
I just could do it.......
I had to give up. By chapter two I wished it was already over. It is so slow and boring. The most disappointing Reese Witherspoon book pick.
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3 les gens ont trouvé cela utile
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Au global2 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Histoire2 out of 5 stars
- Utilisateur anonyme
- 2019-03-28
Sparkes a love for my library but the book ran flat
I’m struggling to review this book and how to describe the listening experience. I chose this book for my book club based on the recommendation from Reese Witherspoon’s book club; I expected it to be really good. But the best word I can think of to describe the book is ‘flat’. I found it interesting to listen to the history of the library in Los Angeles and the head librarians that ran it but now that the book is over, non of it was memorable. I don’t remember anything specific about any of them. It didn’t leave a lasting impression on me. I also enjoyed hearing the history of libraries in general; however I don’t think it needed to be a novel. It was drawn out and made it a bit boring.
after reading the book I did my own research in my own library in my small town and learned we had a fire in the early 1900’s! Listening to this book did respark a love for my library and reflect on the importance of books and the library in my community.
Overall, the book ran flat for me. The story of Harry Peak was not very exciting And the stories throughout the book were not memorable.
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1 personne a trouvé cela utile