This book gets 5 stars because I am a librarian and Orlean's book is a glorious celebration of libraries. The story of the Los Angeles Central Library fire in 1986 provides the structure for the book, and it is interwoven with stories about the history of the library, and stories about the people and patrons who work and visit there today. It is absolutely riveting, and the author's love for libraries shines through. She provides a convincing argument for the relevance of libraries, even in our digital age, as information and cultural centers--places for communities to assemble, connect, and learn.