Firehouse - Hardcover

Halberstam, David

4.03

1,511 ratings by Goodreads

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1587242605 ISBN 13: 9781587242601

Publisher: Wheeler Pub Inc, 2002

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In a tribute to the firefighters who lost their lives following the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, the author explores the lives of members of FDNY Engine 40 Ladder 25, offering a portrait of everyday life in a firehouse and their courageous efforts to preserve life.

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Review:

Thirteen men from Engine 40, Ladder 35 firehouse initially responded to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001; only one survived. Located near Lincoln Center on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, the firehouse was known for its rich tradition and strong leadership. This gripping book details the actions of the 13 men on that horrific day and the heartbreaking aftermath--the search for the bodies, the efforts of their families to deal with overwhelming grief, and the guilt and conflicting emotions of the surviving members of the firehouse. The book is also about the men themselves and the tight bond and sense of duty and honor that held them together. David Halberstam does a masterful job of illustrating the inner workings of a firehouse, with its traditions, routines, and complex social structure that in many ways resembles a "vast extended second family--rich, warm, joyous, and supportive, but on occasion quite edgy as well, with all the inevitable tensions brought on by so many forceful men living so closely together over so long a period of time." He also explains why so many men choose this life despite the high risk, relatively low pay, and physical and emotional demands of the job.

Halberstam and his family live three and a half blocks from Engine 40, Ladder 35, and he writes of these 13 men in such a loving and precise way that he could be describing members of his own clan. Deeply felt and emotional, Firehouse is a tribute to these decent, honorable, and heroic men and a celebration of their selflessness not only as firefighters but also as husbands, fathers, sons, brothers, and friends. --Shawn Carkonen

About the Author:

David Halberstam is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and the bestselling author of The Powers That Be, The Best And the Brightest, and Summer of 49.

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