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Diane Yannick's Reviews > The Library Book
The Library Book
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If I hadn’t read it on my Kindle, I would have considered burning this book after I finished it. Yeah, I finished it even though I was bored senseless. The author did a lot of research so I gave her 2 stars for sticking with it. I could picture her with a Rolodex of notecards with every last fact that she had uncovered about this massive fire and anything else vaguely connected. Then she didn’t stop until she had put EVERY last fact into this book.
I like libraries. I’m sorry this one burned in 1986. I’m sorry that the NYT put this on their 100 Notable Books list for 2018. I kept reading to figure out why. Never did figure it out.
I like libraries. I’m sorry this one burned in 1986. I’m sorry that the NYT put this on their 100 Notable Books list for 2018. I kept reading to figure out why. Never did figure it out.
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Reading Progress
Started Reading
November 26, 2018
–
Finished Reading
November 29, 2018
– Shelved
Comments Showing 1-50 of 52 (52 new)
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Toni
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Nov 29, 2018 12:09PM
Diane, I totally respect your opinions! I have this from my library but my time is getting short so I was just going to purchase. Not I have to give it a quick scan at least! Thanks.
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My thoughts exactly, Diane.
I agree. This book is just dragging for me and could be the first book I don’t finish. I just want it to end.
I completely agree with you!! I’m not gonna waste anymore time with it... I’m not gonna finish this. It’s pointless.
Totally agree. Very disjointed.
Totally agree. Very disjointed.
YES! I gave up after the first chapter. I enjoy watching paint dry more than this.
Glad I'm not alone! I waited so long to get this from my library, only to give up after the first chapter. Why this got on all the notable books lists baffles me.
You and I almost always agree on books! I love this book! Love it.
I could not agree with your review more.
I suffered through to the end of it. But I wish I hadn’t.
I just gave up with this one after 100 pages. So boring....I have no idea what the positive reviewers see in this book. The level of minutiae was excruciating.
I listened to the audiobook and got up disc 7 then returned it to my library. Narrating her own book was a poor choice. Nasal and grating.
It was complicated to rate the mash-up of very disparate elements of Susan Orlean's The Library Book.I started out with the audio edition, and I could not endure more than a few pages. The author makes the grave mistake of reading this book herself, and her whiny monotone is tortuous. I found it hard to believe that someone did not dissuade her from making this disastrous decision: ZERO STARS
I put a hard copy on hold at my local library, I and finally received it a month later.
Orlean's on-again-off again speculative "investigation" of Harry's Peak's involvement (or lack thereof) in the library fire (well after the fact) made little sense: ONE STAR
Orlean's inexplicable Chapter 5, where she burns a copy of Fahrenheit 451 on a hill in Los Angeles to "see how it felt" to burn a book left me shaking my head: MINUS ONE STAR (Really!)
However, there were some brilliant descriptive passages describing the fire and its aftermath: FIVE STARS
There were also some very well-written anecdotes describing the library, its history, and its dedicated librarians: FIVE STARS
There were also some deadly dull passages about the library, its history, and some of its librarians: TWO STARS
So, 0 + 1 - 1 + 5 + 5 + 2 = 12, when divided by 6 = TWO STARS overall.
Totally agree with everyone’s assessment of the author reading the audio version. She came across as so condescending! 100% agree with original poster of this thread.
It is kind of all over the place. Mostly she is chronological when speaking about the history of the library, but she throws Harry's part in haphazardly and I'm not sure why. This aspect of the book is as frustrating as the fire.
I’m listening to the book and as soon asI heard the author was reading it ... why bad choice ? I was so excited to get this from the library . So far really really boring . I’m so disappointed
Orleans ‘orchid thief� is my favorite book. This is so dullllllllllll
Me too! I was like enough of the library already!
Hilarious, concise (and accurate!) review.
This review is the best part of the book.
Couldn’t agree more. My review: There is a 4-star 150 page book hidden inside this 2-star 317 page book.
10 chapters in and I'm struggling........ probably will give up reading it
Ugh I am having a hard time with this one too, should I even bother finishing it? I feel like it’s a sin to start a book and not finish, I share the author’s sentiments about books but I was expecting it to read more like a novel not a history textbook, zzzzzzzz
Your review completely sums it up for me- so disappointed and had to slog my way through it for book club. Granted there were s few interesting things along the way, but it just didn't do it for me. To each one's own I suppose.
Don't hold back, Ben. How did you FEEL about the book? (Hope you're well, old friend!)
I could not tolerate the author’s nasal dull voice with glottal fry on audio to listen!! It was too painful 😖
I have only given up on a book maybe 4 times. Ever. I came here to read reviews to see if it was just me that finds this book so very boring. I don’t think I can continue with it, your review is validating my feelings. Thank you!
This author is not for me. I listened the audiobook of Orchid Thief for my book club, and it was awful. I thought I would give The Library Book a try because some reviewers said it was so much better, but she's still just crams way to much research into it, and she sounds like she's bored to death reading it herself.
I'm exhausted and in a bad mood after the book. Thanks for your review allowing me to just skim the 2nd half of the book. Perfect, funny review!
I thought it was just me. This book provided many moments of deadly boredom. I'm at 48% finished, and it's taken half of my life. Because it's for book club, I will persevere. And that's the only reason that I will persevere.
100% agree. I never DNF books, but this was insufferable. I made it to page 80 before I said screw this. It read like a dry list of flat, non-exciting facts. The best part of the 80 pages I read was her interviews with Harry’s family. The rest was awful.
Donna wrote: "I thought it was just me. This book provided many moments of deadly boredom. I'm at 48% finished, and it's taken half of my life. Because it's for book club, I will persevere. And that's the only r..."That was exactly my situation Donna, I had to read it for my book club, but it was just so tough to read it, so painful, especially when I looked at all the other books on my shelf that I could be reading. It was a slog to read through it.
100% agree. Completely baffled at the rave reviews. I had to force myself to keep reading.
Best review ever, and I felt the same. I will never get that time back😣
I quit after 20%. Like listening to paint dry. Horrible. I also rarely give up on books but this went on and on about nothing.
I couldn’t have said it better myself! It was so hard to get through this book.
Wow! Maybe it’s a book only for bookworms like me.
I too am completely bewildered, how this book made it to any list, unless there is a list of books to discard. Deadly dull. If you listen to the authors audible version, she succeeds in adding an extra finesse of dullness.
I thought it was just me. I love libraries and books but this was so dry and long.
I feel the complete opposite!
Accurate!! I did the audiobook and cringed every time I listened. I just couldn’t wait for it to end! The facts and painfully detailed descriptions 😵💫� I wanted to like it but it was so dull
This is my favorite review of all time!
