The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire that Saved America is an incredible book that takes the reader back in time to one of the largest wildfires in American’s history. The book also unveiled the brave men and women who fought the fire.
The fascinating writing style of the author is going to keep readers turning pages. Historians and the active and retired men and women in the fire service are going to find this book intriguing. Even general readers will be tied to the suspense in the story and mesmerized by the blazing inferno described in the book. Every page is loaded with interesting facts that thrill readers and keep them anticipating.
The author of this historically-rich book did an excellent job of evoking raw emotions with his writing style. And that is why readers will be able to feel the heat, smell the smoke, and appreciate the political unrest that gives a new meaning to the word conservation.
The man behind this remarkable book, Timothy Egan, is a master storyteller and non-fiction writer. His work has been lauded by people from different parts of the world. His crisp and clear writing is amazing and will keep readers turning pages.
Over the years, Egan has written about nine books. A couple of these were Bestsellers and won awards. For example, his book on The Dust Bowl won a national book award. Also, his book on the renowned photographer, Edward Curtis, was awarded the Carnegie medal for non-fiction. Egan also writes bi-weekly for the New York Times. He presently lives in Seatle, Washington.
This remarkable book is more than just an account of the notorious fire that blazed through parts of Washington, Idaho, Montana, and British Colombia in 1910. It is also about the creation of the United States forest service, whose initial goal was to protect publicly owned land from the lumber barons. The author wrote in detail about Gifford Pinchot and Teddy Roosevelt who protected the forest land and created the forest service.
The descriptive skill of the author is also worth mentioning, as he did an excellent job of bringing the past to life with words. The way and manner he described the wildfire that occurred in 1910, is amazing. The brilliant way the author unveiled the damage caused by the fire, the people that lost their lives and the towns that were lost is really impressive.
The second half of the book is filled with action and suspense. Reading how men, women, and children were evacuated with trains is certainly going to touch the soft spot of readers and give them a clear picture of the fear a raging inferno can evoke.
Here is what one reader had to say about this amazing book.
” I love reading about TR. I did not know about this fire in 1910. I love Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming and our National Parks, especially Yellowstone and Glacier and the history behind them. I knew that the lumber barons and mine owners detested the idea of national parks and the formation of the Forest Rangers, but this book gives an in-depth look at the people who wanted to preserve the lands in the western part of our country. I highly recommend this book!”
This book should be on the shelf of anyone who is into history, firefighting, and the outdoors.
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Egan, Timothy (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 349 Pages - 10/19/2009 (Publication Date) - Mariner Books (Publisher)
