If you are a book lover, you will find this book sad because Susan Orlean covers, not only the L.A. library fire, but when books were destroyed whether by an accidental fire, arson, or during a war. War destruction often occurs during the bombing of a city but also the senseless destruction of books by the Nazis in WWII. A huge number have been irreplaceable.
Like Susan Orlean, I've always felt the public libraries are such a privilege and feel awe when I walk into a library - I have access to any book on the shelf and even more that I can order from other libraries. There's nothing like the feeling and smell of opening a crisp page of a new book and I cringe when I see someone fold back pages and damage the spine, let alone destroy one.
