Omni Daily Crush: "Young Men and Fire"
"When it comes to racing with death, all men are not created equal."
On August 5, 1949, a team of young, tough, and apparently (if not actually) fearless firefighters called the Smokejumpers parachuted into what seemed a minor lightning-struck wildfire in Mann Gulch, an arid ravine on the Missouri River, just north of Missoula, Montana. Sixteen men leapt from the plane, but within an hour all but three were dead or dying, overrun by a "blowup," a nearly instantaneous fireball that scorched the valley to its head.
Young Men and Fire is Norman Maclean's meticulously researched recreation of the tragic events--and a gracious homage to the men who perished and those who helped--told in language as pragmatic and awe-inspiring as the Big Sky country it represents. The story deserves as much, and Maclean's direct approach delivers.
Ok, so I know I'm late to this party; as a National Book Critics Circle Award winner, it's not exactly a secret. I've been meaning to pick up Maclean's book for about 15 years, and decided that it was the perfect time to give it whirl (while I wait for a copy of Timothy Egan's The Big Burn). Why did I wait so long?* This is simply one of the best pieces of nonfiction that I've read--a essential American book--and my book of the year, if the year happens to be 1992. Better late than never.
--Jon
Recommended for fans of The Worst Hard Time and A River Runs Through It.
* Apart from the obvious answer: I am an idiot.
topbroker on June 12, 2009 at 05:25 PM
I couldn't agree more -- this is one of the best non-fiction books in all of American literature. No matter that it took you a while to get to it -- like all masterpieces, it will keep! Anyone discovering this book for the first time is one lucky reader.
Donna on June 15, 2009 at 03:02 PM
With so many books and so little time I am always looking for recommendations that appeal to "my taste" (as opposed to someone with different tastes). I like the suspense, thriller, action nonfiction work and I respect the source.
Andrew Hazlett on June 17, 2009 at 06:15 PM
I love that book. It just builds quietly to a heart-breaking crescendo.
I recommend this rendition of a folk song about the Mann Gulch fire: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgQNeGPJdcQ