Sarah:
Very interesting and well written
United States on Feb 23, 2024
mark ring:
Well written, historically accurate, and exciting
United States on Feb 16, 2024
Good Chaim:
used - good condition ex public library
Very good book if you can get hold of a copy
United Kingdom on Jan 16, 2018
Terry Bone:
sometimes it gets into more detail than the narrative warrants but this perhaps adds to the authority of the accuracy of the story - i.e. due to the evident abundance of research
Canada on Nov 05, 2016
AltaBerg:
Excellent book and very engaging.
Canada on Oct 19, 2016
Roger:
Well written, well organized and went well beyond my expectation with clear detail of the fire, the history of the forest service and many of the people and politicians behind the American national parks. I highly recommend this book and Tim Egan.
Canada on Jul 30, 2016
Mary Pitchford:
Excellent book. I read this because I heard Ken Burns during an NPR interview mention that it was a source of research for his Roosevelt's series. I learned so much about TR, conservation and the start of the US Forest Service. I highly recommend this book.
Canada on Oct 09, 2014
J. Hughes:
I must confess that I had my doubts about this book when I bought it, as I was uncertain how a book about a wildfire would be engaging enough for 300 pages of reading. I was pleasantly surprised at how accessible and interesting this book really is. The characters, specifically Teddy Roosevelt and Gifford Pinchot are very well described and analyzed. Of course, as I discovered the book was not so much about the wildfire itself as about the struggles and triumphs of the conservationist movement. Egan's mastery of the material demonstrates how meticulously researched it was; his skill at taking all that material, reining it in so he could make a cohesive and gripping narrative is commendable. As a young historian I can appreciate his ability to really bring history to life. Here are a few thoughts about this book which hopefully will assist you in deciding whether to buy this work or not.
As one reviewer said, this book starts slow and increases in speed and velocity. Through most of the book it moves at a good clip. The story has some dry moments, some of which were due more to the material than the writer. There were also a few moments I was not sure what...
United States on Jan 06, 2013
Hyytekk:
Perhaps the most profound value in reviewing history is to see that while the background scenery may change, the basic themes and struggles remain the same. Thomas Carlyle wrote in the 1840's that, "The history of the world is but the biography of great men." In his book The Big Burn ..." author Timothy Egan reviews the vision of Teddy Roosevelt, with the aid of Gifford Pinchot in preserving huge areas of American forests, wilderness and stages of profound beauty, for the American people in perpetuity for future generations. As such, though a Republican president, he railed against his own party and the unbridled development of natural resources for the benefit of mainly a few super wealthy captains of industry who controlled fortunes that made Bill Gates' pale by comparison. Before National Parks existed or the government agency that controls them, huge tracts of land were given to commercial concerns like the railroads, as incentives to build the rail system that would develop and unite a growing nation that was largely disconnected. "In an eyeblink, the great bounty had been exhausted; more than a billion acres had been given away to corporations, states or...
United States on Feb 17, 2011
| Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire that Shaped the Nation: The Story of the Big Burn | Uncovering the Splendor of Oaks: Exploring the Complex Ecology of Our Most Vital Native Trees | Granite Mountain: An Eyewitness Account of the Devastating Wildfire | |
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| B2B Rating |
93
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98
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96
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| Sale off | $7 OFF | $7 OFF | |
| Total Reviews | 49 reviews | 77 reviews | 42 reviews |
| Paperback | 352 pages | 296 pages | |
| ISBN-10 | 0547394608 | 1643260448 | 031630817X |
| ISBN-13 | 978-0547394602 | 978-1643260440 | 978-0316308175 |
| Natural Disasters (Books) | Natural Disasters | Natural Disasters | |
| Reading age | 14 years and up | ||
| Language | English | English | English |
| U.S. State & Local History | U.S. State & Local History | U.S. State & Local History | |
| Publisher | Mariner Books; Reprint edition | Timber Press | Hachette Books; Illustrated edition |
| Item Weight | 10 ounces | 2.31 pounds | 8 ounces |
| Best Sellers Rank | #8 in Natural Disasters #24 in Environmentalism #139 in U.S. State & Local History | #6 in Forests & Forestry #13 in Trees in Biological Sciences #24 in Ecology | #21 in Firefighting & Prevention #40 in Natural Disasters #731 in U.S. State & Local History |
| Customer Reviews | 4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 2,856 ratings var dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction; P.when.execute { if { dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction = true; A.declarative { if { ue.count || 0) + 1); } } ); } }); P.when.execute { A.declarative{ if { ue.count || 0) + 1); } }); }); | 4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 880 ratings var dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction; P.when.execute { if { dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction = true; A.declarative { if { ue.count || 0) + 1); } } ); } }); P.when.execute { A.declarative{ if { ue.count || 0) + 1); } }); }); | 4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 1,639 ratings var dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction; P.when.execute { if { dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction = true; A.declarative { if { ue.count || 0) + 1); } } ); } }); P.when.execute { A.declarative{ if { ue.count || 0) + 1); } }); }); |
| Environmentalism | Environmentalism | ||
| Dimensions | 5.31 x 0.81 x 8 inches | 6.38 x 0.88 x 9.38 inches | 5.25 x 0.74 x 8 inches |
Timothy Egan writes history by writing about people. Not just high profile people like Theodore Roosevelt and Gifford Pinchot (1st head of the Forrest Service). But also the rank and file rangers and fire fighters. Roosevelt and Pinchot championed the National Forrest Service and the creation and protection of National Lands. They were fought by Lumber Barons, Railroad Tycoons, Mining Conglomerates and the corrupt political politicians of their payroll. As a result, Congress cut funding so severely that the roads, trails and manpower necessary to fight forrest fires was unavailable. They also refused to fund medical and burial costs of those injured or died in the 1910 fire. Heros like Ranger Ed Pulaski was left partially blind, disfigured, crippled and paying his own medical bills.
United States on Mar 23, 2024