Firehouse
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Overview
“If you have tears, prepare to shed them.”
—Frank McCourt
"In the firehouse, the men not only live and eat with each other, they play sports together, go off to drink together, help repair one another's houses, and, most important, share terrifying risks; their loyalties to each other must, by the demands of the dangers they face, be instinctive and absolute."
So writes David Halberstam, one of America’s most distinguished reporters and historians, in this stunning New York Times bestselling book about Engine 40, Ladder 35, located on the West Side of Manhattan near Lincoln Center. On the morning of September 11, 2001, two rigs carrying thirteen men set out from this firehouse: twelve of them would never return.
Firehouse takes us to the epicenter of the tragedy. Through the kind of intimate portraits that are Halberstam’s trademark, we watch the day unfold—the men called to duty while their families wait anxiously for news of them. In addition, we come to understand the culture of the firehouse itself: why gifted men do this; why, in so many instances, they are eager to follow in their fathers’ footsteps and serve in so dangerous a profession; and why, more than anything else, it is not just a job, but a calling.
This is journalism-as-history at its best, the story of what happens when one small institution gets caught in an apocalyptic day. Firehouse is a book that will move readers as few others have in our time.
Synopsis
"In the firehouse the men not only live and eat with each other, they play sports together, go off to drink together, help repair one another's houses and, most importantly, share terrifying risks; their loyalties to each other must, by the demands of the dangers they face, be instinctive and absolute." So writes David Halberstam, one of America's most distinguished reporters and historians in this stunning book about Engine 40, Ladder 35 - one of the firehouses hardest hit in the aftermath of the terrorist attack on the World Trade Towers. On the morning of September 11, 2001, two rigs carrying 13 men set out from this firehouse, located on the west side of Manhattan near Lincoln Center; twelve of the men would never return.
Firehouse takes us to the very epicenter of the tragedy. We watch the day unfold, the men called to duty, while their families wait anxiously for news of them. In addition we come to understand the culture of the firehouse itself, why gifted men do this and why in so many instances they are anxious to follow in their fathers' footsteps and serve in so dangerous a profession - why more than anything else, it is not just a job, but a calling as well.
Firehouse is journalism-as-history at its best. The story of what happens when one small institution gets caught in apocalyptic day, it is a book that will move readers as few others have in our time.
Bookpage
[Halberstam's] special contribution is to anatomize the culture that incubated and nourished these remarkable public servants.
Editorials
From Barnes & Noble
Acclaimed historian David Halberstam takes a look at the brave firefighters who operate out of the Engine 40, Ladder 35 firehouse in his Manhattan neighborhood. How did the terrible -- and heroic -- events of September 11, 2001, affect those who answered the call for help? Halberstam brings the reader right into the action as only he can.Onion
It re-forms and endures.Bookpage
[Halberstam's] special contribution is to anatomize the culture that incubated and nourished these remarkable public servants.Newsweek
Halberstam writes in this always clear-eyed but affecting group portrait.James Traub
Graceful and moving.—New York Times Book Review
Bob Minzesheimer
Richly detailed . . . in structure and tone, it resembles John Hersey's 1946 classic Hiroshima.—USA Today
Malcolm Jones
A clear-eyed but affecting group portrait.—Newsweek
Joe Heim
A poignant remembrance . . . Halberstam's achievement is remembering these men not just for how they died . . . for how they lived.—People
Peter Lewis
Firehouse leaves one feeling . . . personally touched . . . and grateful that there are ordinary people who possess such uncommon courage.—San Francisco Chronicle
Publishers Weekly
Halberstam's gripping chronicle of a company of Manhattan firemen on September 11 is moving without ever becoming grossly sentimental an impressive achievement, though readers have come to expect as much from the veteran historian and journalist (author, most recently, of War in a Time of Peace). Engine 40, Ladder 35, a firehouse near Lincoln Center, sent 13 men to the World Trade Center, 12 of whom died. Through interviews with surviving colleagues and family members, Halberstam pieces together the day's events and offers portraits of the men who perished from rookie Mike D'Auria, a former chef who liked to read about Native American culture, to Captain Frank Callahan, greatly respected by the men for his dedication and exacting standards, even if he was rather distant and laconic (when someone performed badly at a fire he would call them into his office and simply give him "The Look," a long, excruciating stare: "Nothing needed to be said the offender was supposed to know exactly how he had transgressed, and he always did"). The book also reveals much about firehouse culture the staunch code of ethics, the good-natured teasing, the men's loyalty to each other in matters large and small (one widow recalls that when she and her husband were planning home renovations, his colleagues somehow found out and showed up unasked to help, finishing the job in record time). Though he doesn't go into much detail about the technical challenges facing the fire department that day, Halberstam does convey the sheer chaos at the site and, above all, the immensity of the loss for fellow firefighters. (May 29) Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.KLIATT
In the developing bibliography of titles on 9/11, David Halberstam has crafted a poignant, journalistic tale about the experiences of Engine 40, Ladder 35, from the West Side of Manhattan. In a direct, concise style, the reader is intimately treated to the heart and soul of this unit, which lost 12 out of 13 firefighters. We meet the individuals, we understand their devotion to their work, and we contemplate the grave danger that they face each time their trucks race to a fire. The details of the morning of September 11th are familiar, but the personal stories humanize the trauma and loss. The aftermath of searching Ground Zero, the funeral services and the strength of the firefighters' families are a tribute to America. This slim, powerful volume should be required reading for incoming high school students. KLIATT Codes: JSA*; Exceptional book, recommended for junior and senior high school students, advanced students, and adults. 2002, Hyperion, 201p.,— Nancy Zachary