Granite Mountain: The Firsthand Account of a Tragic Wildfire, Its Lone Survivor, and the Firefighters Who Made the Ultimate Sacrifice is a powerful book that will humble you and make you appreciate the sacrifices made by firefighters as they risk their lives to put out wild and structural fires. The authors’ goal when writing this book is to help readers understand the sacrifices firemen make each time they go out there to put out fires. Veteran and new firefighters who read this book will be able to relate on a personal level with the author’s story. They will feel his doubts, fears, and losses.
The book is also perfect for people who aren’t in the fire service. The author used meticulously chosen words to explain what drives firemen to do what they do. The authors also did an excellent job of showing readers not only the dark and tragic times, but also the fun, bond, and friendship among firefighters.
The renowned authors of this eye-opening book, which are Brendan McDonough and Stephan Talty did an awesome job in telling readers about the 2013 Arizona fire that claimed the lives of 19 firemen.
Brendan McDonough is a brave soul, a hero, and the only survivor of the notorious 2013 fire at Yarnell. During his illustrious career as a firefighter, he helped save lives and put out wildfires with his crew. He forged a solid brotherhood among his firefighting brothers as they put out fires each grueling fire season. It definitely must have taken courage for Brendan to write this book because he lost a lot of close friends to that fire.
Presently, Brendan is a public speaker. He also works with a lot of non-profits organizations for police, veterans, emergency medical service, and firefighters.
Stephan Talty, the co-author of this book, is a remarkable writer. His work has been lauded by a lot of people from different parts of the world. He lives in Montclair, New Jersey.
This book is about the nineteen brave firefighters who died while putting out a raging wildfire at Yarnell, Arizona. These heroes left behind loved ones who cared deeply about them. Even if everyone who lives in the non-urban areas of west America knows the dangers of wildfires, the authors were able to bring to light how terrifying wild fires really are.
The book sheds light on what really happened during that gloomy day. As you read through it, you will see what happened that afternoon from the point of view of Brendan McDonogh.
The book starts with how Brenden, who was a heroin addict and drug dealer turned his life around and enlisted in the Granite Mountain Hotshot team. Brendan worked really hard to gain the respect and confidence of the other hotshots he came to call brothers in the Unit.
On the day of the fire, Brendan and his team went out to do their job, but the raging fire spiral out of control and forced Brendan to take a different route. For some reason, his teammate didn’t take the route they planned to take, which was a fatal mistake. They were eventually trapped in a fire canyon filled with shrubs. They attempted to clear a path through the shrubs in hope that the fire would burn passed them, but it didn’t. They all died in the end.
Here is what one reader of this touching book said.
“This was a really personal account of Brendan’s life leading up to getting on with a shot crew, and the subsequent relationships that formed thereafter. I found myself laughing and choking up throughout the book. I commend him for having the strength to put it all out there, the account of not only the tragic Yarnell Hill fire, but of the Brotherhood that was forged in blood, sweat, and tears over the course of a few grueling fire seasons, and how it transformed his life for the better.”
This book is a must-read for the men and women in the fire service, as well as for anyone who is living in the wild/urban interface.
- McDonough, Brendan (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 296 Pages - 04/18/2017 (Publication Date) - Hachette Books (Publisher)
