Support for LAist comes from
Become a sponsor
Audience-funded nonprofit news
Donate
Stay Connected

LAist is part of Southern California Public Radio, a member-supported public media network.

Audience-funded nonprofit news
Listen
Donate
Podcasts Take Two
Susan Orlean: The story behind LA Central Library's arson investigators
solid orange rectangular banner
()
Take Two Logo
May 28, 2014
Listen • 10:12
Susan Orlean: The story behind LA Central Library's arson investigators
Writer Susan Orlean's next book focuses on the mystery surrounding the fire that ravaged the Los Angeles Central Library back in April 29, 1986.
The murals in the L.A. Central Library rotunda represent four eras of California history, including discovery, mission building, Americanization and the founding of Los Angeles.
The murals in the L.A. Central Library rotunda represent four eras of California history, including discovery, mission building, Americanization and the founding of Los Angeles. Writer Susan Orlean's next book focuses on the mystery surrounding the fire that ravaged the Los Angeles Central Library back in April 29, 1986.
(
Todd Johnson/KPCC
)

Writer Susan Orlean's next book focuses on the mystery surrounding the fire that ravaged the Los Angeles Central Library back in April 29, 1986.

Writer Susan Orlean made a name for herself with books like "The Orchid Thief," "Rin Tin Tin" and "Saturday Night."

Her new book is of a different sort, it's all about a mysterious character who lives in downtown Los Angeles: the Central Library. We’ve been checking in with Orlean from time to time as she researches the fire an arsonist set in the library book stacks in the 1980s.

Host Alex Cohen sits down with her again to talk about the role arson investigators play in the story.