Overview
"A useful and relentless reminder of the scourge of fire—a weapon of terror long before 2001—and the routine heroism of the city's firefighters." — New York TimesIn the first history of the New York Fire Department—FDNY—in over sixty years, journalist Terry Golway weaves together stories of heroic firefighters and extraordinary fires to create a moving and original account of New York as seen through the eyes and actions of the city's firefighters. From the eighteenth century's most ambitious public-works project—the building of aqueducts from upstate to help control fires—to firefighter-turned-politician Boss Tweed's backroom politics, fire and firefighters have played an integral part in the life of New York. So Others Might Live also offers a new view of the building of modern urban America and the social turbulence of New York from the 1700s to the present day.
Author Biography: Terry Golway, columnist and City Editor of The New York Observer, is a frequent contributor to the Irish Echo, American Heritage, the Boston Globe, and the New York Times. He is the co-author of The Irish in America, and the author of For the Cause of Liberty: A Thousand Years of Ireland's Heroes, and Irish Rebel: John Devoy and America's Fight for Ireland's Freedom. He lives in Maplewood, New Jersey.
Editorials
From The Critics
Gutsy, emotional and detailed history.KLIATT
September 11, 2001 triggered much reflection on American heroism, especially that of the people closest to the death and tragedy that unfolded in New York City. This is a fitting tribute to the organization that made the rescue efforts at the World Trade Center a possibility. Golway has detailed the history of the Fire Department of New York from the 1647 arrival of Peter Stuyvesant as director of New Amsterdam Colony to the early months of 2002. Golway's background may have destined him to become a firefighter, but he chose journalism instead; among his many other works is this compelling accounting of the FDNY. He does not hesitate to incorporate some colorful characters and irresponsible attitudes that influenced how the organization developed and matured into what we know today. Included are tragic stories alongside the daring rescues and achievements of the department's members. You will learn about bucket brigades, how cholera cured the resistance to horses, the department's role in the worst riot in America, and the politics of professional vs. volunteer forces as the FDNY struggled to play the part of protecting a city that constantly outgrew their resources. The book is organized chronologically, for the most part, and includes in the source notes over 30 people who were interviewed by the author. The well-footnoted and indexed text is interspersed with photos and line drawings. A timely and comprehensible volume. KLIATT Codes: JSA—Recommended for junior and senior high school students, advanced students, and adults. 2002, Basic Books, 368p. illus. notes. bibliog. index., Ages 12 to adult.—Ann Hart