"On the morning of April 29\, 1986\, a fir e alarm sounded in the Los Angeles Public Library. As the moments passed\, the patrons and staff who had been cleared out of the building realized t his was not the usual false alarm. As one fireman recounted later\, "Once that first stack got going\, it was Goodbye\, Charlie." The fire was disas trous: 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 over thirty year s later\, the mystery remains: Did someone purposefully set fire to the li brary--and if so\, who? Susan Orlean investigates the legendary Los Angele s Public Library fire to showcase the larger\, crucial role that libraries play in our lives. To truly understand what happens behind the stacks\, O rlean visits the different departments of the LAPL\, encountering an engag ing cast of employees and patrons and experiencing alongside them the vict ories 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 m etropolitan charitable initiative to a cornerstone of national identity. S he reflects on her childhood experiences in libraries\; studies arson and the long history of library fires\; attempts to burn a copy of a book hers elf\; and she re-examines the case of Harry Peak\, the blond-haired actor long suspected of setting fire to the library over thirty years ago. Along the way\, she reveals how these buildings provide much more than just boo ks--and that they are needed now more than ever."
\n&mdash\;From Cat alog.
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