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The Library Book
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The Library Book Paperback - 2019

by Susan Orlean


From the publisher

Susan Orlean's bestseller and New York Times Notable Book is "a sheer delight...as rich in insight and as varied as the treasures contained on the shelves in any local library" (USA TODAY)--a dazzling love letter to a beloved institution and an investigation into one of its greatest mysteries. "Everybody who loves books should check out The Library Book" (The Washington Post). On the morning of April 28, 1986, a fire alarm sounded in the Los Angeles Public Library. The fire was disastrous: it reached two thousand degrees and burned for more than seven hours. By the time it was extinguished, it had consumed four hundred thousand books and damaged seven hundred thousand more. Investigators descended on the scene, but more than thirty 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 into an investigation of the fire, award-winning New Yorker reporter and New York Times bestselling author Susan Orlean delivers a "delightful...reflection on the past, present, and future of libraries in America" (New York magazine) that manages to tell the broader story of libraries and librarians in a way that has never been done before. In the "exquisitely written, consistently entertaining" (The New York Times) The Library Book, Orlean chronicles the LAPL fire and its aftermath to showcase the larger, crucial role that libraries play in our lives; delves into the evolution of libraries; brings each department of the library to vivid life; studies arson 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 LAPL more than thirty years ago. "A book lover's dream...an ambitiously researched, elegantly written book that serves as a portal into a place of history, drama, culture, and stories" (Star Tribune, Minneapolis), Susan Orlean's thrilling journey through the stacks reveals how these beloved institutions provide much more than just books--and why they remain an essential part of the heart, mind, and soul of our country.

Details

  • Title The Library Book
  • Author Susan Orlean
  • Binding Paperback
  • Pages 336
  • Volumes 1
  • Language ENG
  • Publisher Simon & Schuster
  • Date 2019-10-01
  • ISBN 9781476740195 / 1476740194
  • Weight 0.62 lbs (0.28 kg)
  • Dimensions 8.3 x 5.7 x 1 in (21.08 x 14.48 x 2.54 cm)
  • Themes
    • Chronological Period: 1980's
    • Chronological Period: 20th Century
    • Cultural Region: Southern California
    • Cultural Region: Western U.S.
    • Geographic Orientation: California
    • Locality: Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA
    • Topical: Library Reads
  • Library of Congress subjects Los Angeles Public Library - History, Public libraries - California - Los Angeles
  • Library of Congress Catalog Number 2019457451
  • Dewey Decimal Code 027.009

About the author

Susan Orlean has been a staff writer at The New Yorker since 1992. She is the New York Times bestselling author of seven books, including The Library Book, Rin Tin Tin, Saturday Night, and The Orchid Thief, which was made into the Academy Award-winning film Adaptation. She lives with her family and her animals in Los Angeles and may be reached at SusanOrlean.com and on Twitter @SusanOrlean.
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The Library Book
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The Library Book

by Orlean, Susan

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Paperback
ISBN 13
9781476740195
ISBN 10
1476740194
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The Library Book
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The Library Book

by Susan Orlean

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  • Paperback
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Binding
Paperback
ISBN 13
9781476740195
ISBN 10
1476740194
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The Library Book
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The Library Book

by Susan Orlean

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The Library Book
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The Library Book

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The Library Book
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The Library Book

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The Library Book
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The Library Book

by Orlean, Susan

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ISBN 13
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The Library Book

The Library Book

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ISBN 13
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The Library Book
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

The Library Book

by Susan Orlean

  • Used
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  • Paperback
Condition
Used - Good
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 13
9781476740195
ISBN 10
1476740194
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Simon & Schuster, 2019. Paperback. Good. Missing dust jacket; Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
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The Library Book

The Library Book

by Susan Orlean

  • Used
  • good
  • Paperback
Condition
Used - Good
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 13
9781476740195
ISBN 10
1476740194
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Seattle, Washington, United States
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Simon & Schuster, 2019. Paperback. Good. Disclaimer:Former library book; Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
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The Library Book

The Library Book

by Susan Orlean

  • Used
  • Acceptable
  • Paperback
Condition
Used - Acceptable
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 13
9781476740195
ISBN 10
1476740194
Quantity Available
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Seattle, Washington, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 4 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
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Description:
Simon & Schuster, 2019. Paperback. Acceptable. Disclaimer:Former library book; Readable copy. Pages may have considerable notes/highlighting. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
Item Price
NZ$10.14
FREE shipping to USA