On the morning of April 29, 1986, a disastrous fire broke out in the Los Angeles Public Library. By the time it was extinguished, the fire had destroyed or damaged more than a million books. Over thirty years later, the mystery remains: Did someone intentionally set fire to the library and, if so, who? Weaving her lifelong love of books and reading into a thrilling investigation Of the fire, award-winning New Yorker reporter Susan Orlean-hailed as a "national treasure" by the Washington Post-delivers a mesmerizing and uniquely compelling book that manages to tell the broader story of libraries and librarians in a way that has never been done before, revealing how these beloved institutions provide much more than just booksand why they remain an essential part of the heart, mind, and soul of our country.