Firehouse

Rating:
Summary: A lasting memorial to those brave firefighters
Review: Expecting a well-composed book from a popular and proficient historian, it was no surprise that it was memorable! Every word, every page was profoundly interesting, whether details were sadly moving or funny, the message was clear! This is a short and meaningful read.

As a person who was geographically distant, Colorado, from the tragedy, the horror effected the nation and me emotionally. When I learned that Pulitizer Prize winner and author Halberstam had written a book about that specific firehouse that lost 12 men, I wanted to read it.

Once you begin reading, you easily learn who the firemen were, their decisions to become firemen, their odd quirks, their funny moments, their other jobs, their passions, and of course their family. What is moving is the strong sincere bond they share, unique friendships, caring people willing to give their time to help each other out.

It was the talk that Joseph Ginley, whose firefighter son John Ginley died that made a profound impression. The father told them firefighting was a good life, you lived with other men in genuine camaraderie, and you ended up, almost without realizing it, having the rarest kind of friendships, ones with men who were willing to die for one another.

I came with a strong understanding of how a firefighter truly becomes this spirit of humanity and someone willing to give up their life for you.

On the inside cover is a memorial, the original blackboard with the names and their assignments. It's eerie. And as Halberstam begins, he shares just enough facts about the firehouse in Manhattan, it's origin and renovation. We learn the dynamics of highrise firehouses versus suburban firehouses and its firemen.

Then, you are immersed into a personal portrayal of each firefighter. And it isn't just an account of each man, the details offer more than you bargained for. The information is weaved strategically and suttle. It's very clear that Halberstam conducted a serious number of interviews, because he got such remarkable information that doesn't come with one or two interviews, it comes for a volume of detail about a person. Upon reading these intimate details, as you delve deeper into what made this fireman, his values, friendships, faith, family, etc., you can't help but keep looking at the pictures, putting a face with the name.

Clearly, the writing is what really made this a special account. What a warm feeling I get from these men who are strangers to me, but I learned about a "true fireman" and am reminded by what veteran fireman Ray Pfeifer said, "People think they know what we do, but they really don't know what we do." I say..people..... educate yourself here, because those faces on the back are real people, real firemen, the firemen we really don't know or understand. And when you finish this book, you will look at firemen differently..... ...MZ RIZZ

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Book
Review: Firehouse by David Halberstam was the first book dealing with September 11th that I read. I really felt like this book did a good job of letting you into the personal lives of these firemen. I really felt like I had known each man my whole life. It gave me a sense of who they were, and I saw the ordinary part of their lives. Everyone knows that Emergency Personal prove everyday that they are heroes. This book puts a different perspective to a few of these heroes and I absolutely loved it.

Rating:
Summary: Great tribute
Review: Firehouse is a wonderful moving tribute to 13 of the firefighters who responded to the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. Of the 13 who responded that day, only 1 survived, and this is the story of their lives.

Writing about the fire service can be a difficult thing, especially for those who have no connection to firefighters or the culture. Here, David Halberstam has been able to get the feeling of one of New York's fire stations, in this case Engine 40 and Ladder 35, and bring the outside world into this little seen world where few ever enter. The only other book I have read which even comes to getting the sense of what it is like in the fire station was with Dennis Smith's "Report from Engine Company 82", and Mr. Smith was a firefighter to boot. I certainly tip my helmet to Mr. Halberstam for getting it right. If you have been a firefighter for 1 day or 30 years, or someone who just wants to read a great book which offers incredible insight into the FDNY and fire service at large, then buy "Firehouse".

Rating:
Summary: A fire fighter's job is too save lives and this makes heros
Review: Firehouse

Usually David Halberstam books are not characterized with brevity, however, "Firehouse" is a precious assemble of insightful pieces of information about the men of Engine 40, Ladder 35. Halberstam takes into the firehouse and it culture by introducing us to the team of 35/40. The word "calm" describes a seasoned fire fighter and its the highest praise given veteren. Panic is dangerous and can spread quickly through the team. Rules of the fire house are following with exactness, rules keep the men from getting lazy and soft, and rules save lives. Men eat, sleep, and work from the fire house. The environment was be rich, friendly, and support; but inevitable tensions brought on by so many forceful men living together can create edginess. The fire house culture is careful woven and the men hand selected. Credentials don't come with a college diploma but from tests of character. The numerous adjustments result so they can love one another.

A fire fighter job is too save lives and this makes them heros, but it doesn't come with out risks: tremendous heat, collasping structures, arriving to late to save a life, toxic chemicals, explosions, and high rise buildings. The men and women learn to watch each other, their survival depends on performance. Weakness is soon observed. "Probie" is a probationary or apprentice firefighter. When he joins a firehouse, he must adjust to the firehouse culture, rather than the firehouse adjusting to him. He must learn the rules and traditions.

Cooperation in the fire house requires mandatory: cooking, cleaning, and entertainment. The firehouse manages disputes in much the same way a dispute is handled in the military through contests of opinion, "speak your mind" but make sure your support. A firehouse pivots around the fire chief and Captain Callahan represented a quite, reserved, and humble style of leadership; but when faced with bureacratic nonsense - stood up to the hyprocrisy - winning the admiration of his men, "now we've have us a captain, A great captain."

Fire fighting in Manhattan required the best fire fighters. Fire fighting in high rise structures is extremely dangerous and demanding. The heat depletes oxygen supplies quickly requiring constant switch of oxygen supplies and many fire fighter quickly relocated after their first experiences in these situations. Panic is the enemy and the senior fire fighters showed the young fighter show to stand calm in the face of danger. Tradition and family recruited the best fire fighters. Careers in Fire fighting usually started with young boys admiring their fire fighting dads. The crisp uniforms, ribbons, and professional image endeared these young boys to want to become fire fighters themselves. Many families cultured reputations and transferred family knowledge and skills from father to son. Legendary fire fighters ran in the family. These men knew how to fight fire, they knew how to read a fire, and they knew how to escape. If a man was lost to a fire a memorial event focused the men around his memory. In the case of engine 40 a memorial race focused the men around a lost colleque. The fire house was looking for its fifth victory in the race. Little rituals kept the men sane and ready to respond. The fire fighters never had reservations to respond to a fire or disaster. 343 men would respond and would go forward into the worst disaster of their lives.

The call to respond to 9/11 was no different and their sacrifices will not go unnoticed. The pain of losing a complete firehouse goes beyond description. The pain would be felt through each generation of previous fire fighters. One touching story Halberstam shares is a mother waiting for her son to return home who remains determined to believe her son is still alive, leaving his meal on the table until he returns. Another powerful narrative is the message, to John Morello retired fire department battalion chief, his son is dead. The only surviver was chea. Chea was in the act of helping other escape the South Tower. When it collasped the implosion threw him a block resulting in a broken neck and unconsciousness. He was transported by ambulence, lowered to a boat, and delivered to a hospital. He never completely recovered.
.

Rating:
Summary: A fire fighter's job is too save lives and this makes heros
Review: Firehouse

Usually David Halberstam books are not characterized with brevity, however, "Firehouse" is a precious assemble of insightful pieces of information about the men of Engine 40, Ladder 35. Halberstam takes into the firehouse and it culture by introducing us to the team of 35/40. The word "calm" describes a seasoned fire fighter and its the highest praise given veteren. Panic is dangerous and can spread quickly through the team. Rules of the fire house are following with exactness, rules keep the men from getting lazy and soft, and rules save lives. Men eat, sleep, and work from the fire house. The environment was be rich, friendly, and support; but inevitable tensions brought on by so many forceful men living together can create edginess. The fire house culture is careful woven and the men hand selected. Credentials don't come with a college diploma but from tests of character. The numerous adjustments result so they can love one another.

A fire fighter job is too save lives and this makes them heros, but it doesn't come with out risks: tremendous heat, collasping structures, arriving to late to save a life, toxic chemicals, explosions, and high rise buildings. The men and women learn to watch each other, their survival depends on performance. Weakness is soon observed. "Probie" is a probationary or apprentice firefighter. When he joins a firehouse, he must adjust to the firehouse culture, rather than the firehouse adjusting to him. He must learn the rules and traditions.

Cooperation in the fire house requires mandatory: cooking, cleaning, and entertainment. The firehouse manages disputes in much the same way a dispute is handled in the military through contests of opinion, "speak your mind" but make sure your support. A firehouse pivots around the fire chief and Captain Callahan represented a quite, reserved, and humble style of leadership; but when faced with bureacratic nonsense - stood up to the hyprocrisy - winning the admiration of his men, "now we've have us a captain, A great captain."

Fire fighting in Manhattan required the best fire fighters. Fire fighting in high rise structures is extremely dangerous and demanding. The heat depletes oxygen supplies quickly requiring constant switch of oxygen supplies and many fire fighter quickly relocated after their first experiences in these situations. Panic is the enemy and the senior fire fighters showed the young fighter show to stand calm in the face of danger. Tradition and family recruited the best fire fighters. Careers in Fire fighting usually started with young boys admiring their fire fighting dads. The crisp uniforms, ribbons, and professional image endeared these young boys to want to become fire fighters themselves. Many families cultured reputations and transferred family knowledge and skills from father to son. Legendary fire fighters ran in the family. These men knew how to fight fire, they knew how to read a fire, and they knew how to escape. If a man was lost to a fire a memorial event focused the men around his memory. In the case of engine 40 a memorial race focused the men around a lost colleque. The fire house was looking for its fifth victory in the race. Little rituals kept the men sane and ready to respond. The fire fighters never had reservations to respond to a fire or disaster. 343 men would respond and would go forward into the worst disaster of their lives.

The call to respond to 9/11 was no different and their sacrifices will not go unnoticed. The pain of losing a complete firehouse goes beyond description. The pain would be felt through each generation of previous fire fighters. One touching story Halberstam shares is a mother waiting for her son to return home who remains determined to believe her son is still alive, leaving his meal on the table until he returns. Another powerful narrative is the message, to John Morello retired fire department battalion chief, his son is dead. The only surviver was chea. Chea was in the act of helping other escape the South Tower. When it collasped the implosion threw him a block resulting in a broken neck and unconsciousness. He was transported by ambulence, lowered to a boat, and delivered to a hospital. He never completely recovered.
.

Rating:
Summary: A tribute to thirteen brave firefighters.
Review: Halberstam does a great job of personalizing the September 11, 2001 tragedy by the portrayal of 13 brave New York firefighters of Engine 40, Ladder 35. Twelve of these men died on that day, along with many employees of the World Trade Center and countless other firemen. Halberstam gives a short biography of these thirteen along with a history of this particular firehouse.
This is a touching tribute to these firemen. All of them were male and most were white. Halberstam paints the positive side of all these men and makes them heroes.
The one small criticism I have of this book is that it makes these men larger than life. They are certainly heroes for going into a dangerous area with less than good prospects of returning.
These were men performing a dangerous job, but they were still human and had all the frailities of humans. What of the other hundreds of firemen who did not return that day? The tragedy of those other hundreds are lost in this story. This is a good book to read, but the reader has to bear in mind the other losses on that tragic day.

Rating:
Summary: A tribute to thirteen brave firefighters.
Review: Halberstam does a great job of personalizing the September 11, 2001 tragedy by the portrayal of 13 brave New York firefighters of Engine 40, Ladder 35. Twelve of these men died on that day, along with many employees of the World Trade Center and countless other firemen. Halberstam gives a short biography of these thirteen along with a history of this particular firehouse.
This is a touching tribute to these firemen. All of them were male and most were white. Halberstam paints the positive side of all these men and makes them heroes.
The one small criticism I have of this book is that it makes these men larger than life. They are certainly heroes for going into a dangerous area with less than good prospects of returning.
These were men performing a dangerous job, but they were still human and had all the frailities of humans. What of the other hundreds of firemen who did not return that day? The tragedy of those other hundreds are lost in this story. This is a good book to read, but the reader has to bear in mind the other losses on that tragic day.

Rating:
Summary: Halberstam's fascination with men under pressure continues
Review: Halberstam seems to have a young boy's crush on older, more masculine men. Like his sports books ("October 1964" and "Summer '49" about the world of baseball, and "The Amateurs" about the unnoted world of rowing), "Firehouse" is about a group of men who live in an insular world (an eviable subculture, almost). These are brave men who look after one another, test and tease one another, have trouble expressing their feelings (though Halberstam assures us they feel deeply), and do it all by some sort of finely-tuned Hemingwavian code of honor. What he presents is a sort of northern male version of "Steel Magnolias." If you work in an academic institution or office setting where daily sniping, political intrigue, and constant back-biting are de rigueur, it's hard not to be seduced by the comraderie revealed in these pages.

The stories of the thirteen firefighters from a single FDNY firehouse that lost their lives in the collapse of the World Trade Center towers on September 11, 2001 are carefully intertwined, a structural device that reinforces the sense of intimacy and interdependence that Halberstam so strongly evokes. Do not expect a dramatic depiction of what actually occurred on that tragic date, Halberstam is honest enough not to try and create details that can no more be recovered from the chaos of that day than most victims' bodies are likely to be found among the rubble. The story is in the simplicity of the firefighters' mission and training. We witness survivors wondering at their "luck," the odd circumstances that put them somewhere else when their company was called to action. It is to Halberstam's credit that he does not presume to understand or explain these painful ironies.

If you read the article Halberstam wrote for Vanity Fair on the same subject, you will be hard pressed to find additional details in this "expanded" version. But that's not a reason to dismiss the book. Halberstam gives us a glance at a world most of us assumed disappeared years ago. A world where honest, unpretentious people care deeply for their comrades, take their responsibilties seriously, and give of themselves sacrificially.

The book is a "keeper" and is going on my shelf with other gender studies titles, like E. Anthony Rotundo's "American Manhood" and Clifford Putney's "Muscular Christianity."

Rating:
Summary: Highly emotional and quite gripping book
Review: Halberstam's gripping chronicle of a company of Manhattan firemen on September 11 is moving without ever becoming grossly sentimental an impressive achievement, though readers have come to expect as much from the veteran historian and journalist (author, most recently, of War in a Time of Peace). Engine 40, Ladder 35, a firehouse near Lincoln Center, sent 13 men to the World Trade Center, 12 of whom died. Through interviews with surviving colleagues and family members, Halberstam pieces together the day's events and offers portraits of the men who perished from rookie Mike D'Auria, a former chef who liked to read about Native American culture, to Captain Frank Callahan, greatly respected by the men for his dedication and exacting standards, even if he was rather distant and laconic (when someone performed badly at a fire he would call them into his office and simply give him "The Look," a long, excruciating stare: "Nothing needed to be said the offender was supposed to know exactly how he had transgressed, and he always did"). The book also reveals much about firehouse culture the staunch code of ethics, the good-natured teasing, the men's loyalty to each other in matters large and small (one widow recalls that when she and her husband were planning home renovations, his colleagues somehow found out and showed up unasked to help, finishing the job in record time). Though he doesn't go into much detail about the technical challenges facing the fire department that day, Halberstam does convey the sheer chaos at the site and, above all, the immensity of the loss for fellow firefighters.

Rating:
Summary: Not impressed
Review: I bought this book based on the reviews I read here. Unlike "Last Man Down" I found this book 90% boring. I am generally interested in people's lives but the author had a way of putting me to sleep. I found the profiles of WTC victims in the New York Times much more interesting.

Is is not politically correct to not put 5 stars on this review, if your interest is in 9/11 "Last Man Down" is far better