"The library is a gathering pool of narratives and of the people who come to find them. It is where we can glimpse immortality; in the library, we can live forever."

This is a weird book to rate, because the book’s blurb indicates it’s about the Los Angeles Public Library fire in 1986, and while that’s certainly covered, there’s also quite a bit of other stuff in here that may or may not interest the average reader. I, however, loved it all, because it spoke to all the reasons why I work in a library and spent the (considerable) time and money to get a degree in the field. If you want to read about a crazy library fire and also the history of libraries and the many different ways libraries have evolved over the years, you will find the same pleasure in this book that I did.

Interspersed with the chapters about the leadup to the fire, the firefighters battling the fire, and the aftermath and the impacts it had on the librarians and the community, you’ll get a profile of a man who was the prime arson suspect, the history of libraries in general and the history of Los Angeles Public Library in specific, and the author’s experiences with visiting the library today. It hops around a ton and covers a lot of ground, but I don’t think any of it ever bored me. I especially liked the discussion around homeless/displaced people in the library, because it’s a tough topic without an easy answer.

If you’re looking for a book strictly about the fire though, this one may not be for you. While the chapters on the fire itself were fascinating, it doesn’t feel like there was enough material there for a full book experience. The topics covered were interesting, but I can see how some of the material may be boring or dry for anyone not already in the library field or interested in how libraries have evolved over the years.

Support your local libraries. Even if you don’t think you need their services, vote locally and ensure they receive the funding they so desperately need to serve the ones who depend on them.