The Library Book by Susan Orlean is a clever title just ripe with pun opportunities. It has several stories under one roof. Check it out!

Puns aside, whether you have a love for libraries like I do or just for reading – which I am assuming because you are read a book review – you will like this book. It tells two tales at the same time.

First, Orlean walks the reader through the 1986 fire in the Los Angeles Public Library. You feel her anguish over the hundreds of thousands of books destroyed or damaged as well as the millions of dollars of damage and loss of irreplaceable documents, manuscripts, photos and more.

Intertwined in this pyromaniac mystery story she gives a history of libraries. Sounds boring right? Actually, this was some of the most interesting information. The Library Book makes a case not only for libraries as an equalizer in terms of access to information and freedom of speech, but contends their importance in democracy and civilization.

If you value libraries 1/10th as much as I do, you will like this book. Seriously, check this one out.

by Chris Doelle