The Great Fire

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Summary: The Great Fire
Review: The book "The Great Fire" tells you about terrors, events, burned buildings and more. If you're someone who likes to know what has happened in the late 1800s you will find this book interesting. In the book, there are people who have been interviewed and tell what happened to them during the fire. Three people will tell actual stories about their experiences starting near the first quarter of the book. Throughout this story pictures are shown of paintings from the fire and maps of an overview of Chicago, showing building areas and where the fire had spread. This book is a fun and easy read about history.

Rating:
Summary: Oh the weather outside is frightful.....
Review: An in depth and fascinating look at the series of events that caused a tiny barn fire to be the root source of an enormous conflagration. Murphy is meticulous with his sources, and he sets up the action of the fire perfectly. Starting small, Murphy details the problems that occurred as the fire grew. The alarms weren't called in time. Firemen were repeatedly sent to the wrong areas to put out the fire. The firemen were exhausted from a different fire they'd put out the night before. The entire city of Chicago was made of wood. People, this is an amazing book. The personal accounts Murphy weaves in and out of the tale are harrowing and wonderfully done. Rather than a painful history lesson, this book makes the story personal and human. Most impressive, to my mind, is the series of chapters Murphy dedicates to the post-fire Chicago rebuilding effort. The author wins my "responsible historian" vote by repeatedly pointing out that the rich were quick to assign blame for this fire on the poor immigrant working class. The O'Learys (who owned the barn where it began) were eventually driven out of their own town by the nasty lies of the press. Chicago comes off looking wonderful after the fire (the spirit of the people was so invigorating!) and the worse for wear (the classism was absolutely ridiculous). My sole objection to this book was that we never heard a peep about the many African Americans who lived in Chicago at this time. Surely they were just as affected by the massive fire as anyone. Yet not a single mention is made of them. Beautiful endnotes follow this account. This book would be excellent read aloud to students. It builds like a novel and draws the reader in. Would pair well with other stories of American disaster (the Titanic for example).

Rating:
Summary: Oh the weather outside is frightful.....
Review: An in depth and fascinating look at the series of events that caused a tiny barn fire to be the root source of an enormous conflagration. Murphy is meticulous with his sources, and he sets up the action of the fire perfectly. Starting small, Murphy details the problems that occurred as the fire grew. The alarms weren't called in time. Firemen were repeatedly sent to the wrong areas to put out the fire. The firemen were exhausted from a different fire they'd put out the night before. The entire city of Chicago was made of wood. People, this is an amazing book. The personal accounts Murphy weaves in and out of the tale are harrowing and wonderfully done. Rather than a painful history lesson, this book makes the story personal and human. Most impressive, to my mind, is the series of chapters Murphy dedicates to the post-fire Chicago rebuilding effort. The author wins my "responsible historian" vote by repeatedly pointing out that the rich were quick to assign blame for this fire on the poor immigrant working class. The O'Learys (who owned the barn where it began) were eventually driven out of their own town by the nasty lies of the press. Chicago comes off looking wonderful after the fire (the spirit of the people was so invigorating!) and the worse for wear (the classism was absolutely ridiculous). My sole objection to this book was that we never heard a peep about the many African Americans who lived in Chicago at this time. Surely they were just as affected by the massive fire as anyone. Yet not a single mention is made of them. Beautiful endnotes follow this account. This book would be excellent read aloud to students. It builds like a novel and draws the reader in. Would pair well with other stories of American disaster (the Titanic for example).

Rating:
Summary: A young adults history of the Great Chicago Fire.
Review: I have read the other reviewers and I have to agree this is a great read for the young adult and for that matter everybody else. Murphy does not get bogged down in great details but simply tells the story from the perspective of a handful of individuals. Along with this, the author provides numerous illistrations and maps detailing the progress of the fire from its origin at O'Leary's barn. The writing is smooth and gives urgency to read just a few more pages. This is the best type of writing to urge younger people to read.
This is a great little book for readers of all ages. The author focuses on the young adult as an audience, but his writing style is better than most other authors vying for a more sophisticated reader.

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Summary: Exciting - What a Writer!!!!!
Review: Jim Murphy's books are always a favorite with my 11-year-old son, but this was one of our favorites. My husband and I read it via audio book, and it was so vivid and so interesting we stayed up until we had read (listened) to the whole thing. Next we're reading his Civil War book. Thank you, Mr. Murphy!!!

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Summary: An excellent resource on the Great Chicago Fire!
Review: On the night of October 8, 1871, a fire broke out in a barn belonging to Patrick and Catherine O'Leary. Before the fire was finally quenched, an area roughly four miles by one mile, comprising the very center of Chicago, was burned out, and some 100,000 people were left homeless. In this fascinating book, award-winning author Jim Murphy traces the events of that fateful night, lavishly using the words of actual eyewitnesses.

This is a great book, and an excellent resource on the Great Chicago Fire! The author spins his account out, giving it the feeling of a story, one that sucks you in, and transports you right into the fire. Containing stories that are both heartwarming and terribly distressing, I loved every minute of this read. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the Great Chicago Fire, or in anyone who just likes a great read.

Rating:
Summary: Exciting - What a Writer!!!!!
Review: The Great Fire of Chicago happened in 1871 on a dry Sunday. The fire began in a barn and swept throughout the city. Through the author Jim Murphy the book takes you through the lives of many people. Eventually it rains, extinguishing the fire and leaving 98,500 people homeless. The Great Fire was one of those books that starts out boring, but if you continue to read or listen to it you'll notice yourself wanting to know what happens next. This book goes through the lives of the people during the fire and shows their hardships through great detail. The Great Fire was caused by many mistakes including a tired fire department. They did all they could, but were unsuccessful because they were unprepared for such a disaster. I would recommend this book to people searching for a good historical non-fiction book.

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Summary: My students LOVED this book!
Review: This non-fiction historical book for children is the opposite of dry and boring. Murphy brings alive the excitement and terror of Chicago's Great Fire by incorporating dialogue, first-hand accounts, drawings, engravings, and newspaper reports. My ten year old son could not put this book down (and he usually reads only fiction). In the skilled writing of Jim Murphy, The Great Fire of Chicago is at once the story of a city and the story of very different people in that city reacting to sudden disastor. Maps and enticing chapter titles ("3.'The Dogs of Hell Were Upon the Housetops'") lead the reader into the story and I, for one, did not emerge from the book until I reached the end.

*The Great Fire* is an excellent introduction to reading history, as well as being a really good read. My only quandary is this: which of Murphy's books shall I order now? My ten year can't wait to consume the next one.