The Library Book

Largest Library Fire in History: The 1986 Los Angeles Central Library fire was the largest library fire in American history. It reached temperatures of 2,000 degrees and burned for more than seven hours. Four hundred thousand books were completely destroyed, and seven hundred thousand more were damaged.

Chernobyl Stole the Spotlight: The fire occurred on April 29, 1986, the same week as the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. Because the world was focused on the potential nuclear catastrophe, the library fire received minimal national media coverage. The New York Times ran only brief stories about it that week.

A Son's School Assignment Sparked Everything: Susan Orlean began researching this book after her son had a school assignment to interview a city employee. He chose a librarian. Their visit together to a Los Angeles library branch reignited Orlean's childhood passion for libraries and led to this entire project.

Five Years in the Making: Orlean spent three years researching the Central Library and two years writing the book. She even hired a fact checker to ensure accuracy, explaining she didn't want substantial errors or even silly mistakes.

Orlean Actually Tried Burning a Book: As part of her research into arson, Susan Orlean attempted to burn a copy of a book herself. She wanted to understand the physics of combustion and how difficult it actually is to set books on fire.

The Mystery Suspect Was a Chronic Liar: Harry Peak, the main suspect in the arson case, was a blond haired aspiring actor who was arrested but never formally charged. Friends said he couldn't recall ever seeing Harry read a book and couldn't picture him at a library. He was known for telling exaggerated stories to gain attention.

Peak Died Before the Book: One of Orlean's biggest research challenges was that Harry Peak had died in 1993 from complications of HIV/AIDS. She never anticipated writing the book without being able to interview him. She had to work around this absence creatively.

Librarians Needed Therapy After the Fire: The Central Library was closed for seven years after the fire. Many librarians suffered terrible anxiety and depression over no longer serving their patrons. The city hired a psychologist to meet with them because they were genuinely traumatized by the loss.

Thousands of Volunteers Rescued Books: After the fire, a call went out for volunteers to help save the damaged books. Thousands of people responded, forming what became known as the hard hat brigade. They worked to retrieve books and pack them onto trucks for treatment. Some volunteers even listed their address as Pershing Square, indicating they were homeless individuals who considered the library their home.

Books Were Frozen for Two Years: The damaged books were placed in freezers for two years as part of the restoration process. They were then pressed to remove the water. You can still see smoke and water stains on rehabilitated books at the Central Library today, and if you inhale deeply, you can still smell the smoke in their bindings.

Mary Foy Made History at Eighteen: In 1880, Mary Foy became head of the Los Angeles Public Library at just eighteen years old. This was at a time when men still dominated the role. She's one of the many colorful characters Orlean profiles in the book.

The Book Became a Bestseller: The Library Book received strongly favorable reviews and became a New York Times bestseller. It was also selected as a Reese's Book Club Pick and named a New York Times Notable Book.

Personal Loss Mirrored the Story: While writing about the library fire and loss of memory, Orlean's own mother was diagnosed with dementia. Her mother stopped recognizing her and passed away before the book was finished. This painful irony added a deeply personal layer to the book's themes about memory and preservation.