First Chapter ~ First Paragraph

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph

 It's Tuesday . . . time for . . . 

. . . First Chapter ~ First Paragraph Tuesday Intros . . . now hosted by Yvonne at Socrates' Book Reviews, where bloggers share excerpts from a book they have read, are currently reading, or are planning to read.

Today I'm featuring my current "listen," The Library Book by Susan Orlean.  The excerpt shared is from my Audible library.

Beginning:  Even in Los Angeles, where there is no shortage of remarkable hairdos, Harry Peak attracted attention.  "He was very blond. Very, very blond," his lawyer said to me, and then he fluttered his hand across his forehead, performing a pantomime of Peak's heavy swoop of bangs.  Another lawyer, who questioned Peak in a deposition, remembered his hair very well.  "He had a lot of it," she said.  "And he was very definitely blond."  An arson investigator I met described Peak entering the courtroom "with all that hair," as if his hair existed independently.

What do you think?  Would you continue reading?

In recognition of the anniversary of my eighth year of blogging this past Sunday (10.11.12), I wanted to feature a book related to libraries.  In that spirit, I have been enjoying the audio version of The Library Book, which is read by the author, on my walks. 

The main focus of this true story is the fire at Los Angeles Central Library in 1986 that destroyed or damaged over one million books.  Was it deliberately set--a likely suspect was identified and pursued--or was it the caused by overloaded faulty wiring?  While this incident is interesting on its own, Orlean enriches the book with the interviews she conducted with librarians across the country about their work, and highlights the importance of libraries through the ages as the guardians of history, culture, and community.

The Library Book chronicles the fascinating evolution of library systems-- their history, adaptation to changing times, and continued relevance to society.

 

 

 

 

This First Chapter~First Paragraph post was originally composed and/or compiled by Catherine for the Book Club Librarian blog.  It cannot be republished without attribution.