Uncovering the Devastation of the Great Hinckley Firestorm of 1894: Daniel Brown's Under a Flaming Sky

Jill C. Stanford: The horrors described in this true account will stay with you for a long time. Ordinary beings who lived through the nightmare with courage. Deeply researched.

United States on Feb 23, 2024

Pauline: There are truly terrifying events that happen throughout this story which takes place over a very short period of time. Even with the hour by hour telling, it is definitely a page turner. What the people went through in this story is horrifying but a lot was learned by the tragedy that be felled them.

Canada on Feb 17, 2024

Scott: This a little known tragedy in America. Daniel Brown gives history the detail these subjects deserve. He plucks at your heartstrings with the agony of lives destroyed by wildfire. As a reader, you will be changed forever. If you have read Brown's "Boys in the Boat" be prepared for a similar literary treat!

United States on Nov 23, 2023

Amazon Customer: I cannot say enough good things about this author. Daniel James Brown teaches you things you didn’t even think you needed to know. His history books read like a story, drawing you in, making you wanna flip page after page until you explored every gruesome detail, until your tears honour every heartbreaking moment.

Canada on Aug 07, 2023

Les: A great piece of historical fiction, fiction only in that the details wouldn't be known for some of the responses of the people, they would have been ascertained by forensics, but the author has truly given this horrible true event a life of its own, you can almost feel the heat, hear the cries and it is all brought back to reality of the horrors these people lived through and the herculean task undertaken to help the survivors

Canada on Aug 15, 2019

Learn’d Astronomer: Before reading this book, I simply hadn’t realized the unbelievable weather patterns and sheer power contained within a firestorm. I would recommend this book to anyone with a heartbeat.

Just as in “The Indifferent Stars Above” and the “Boys in the Boat,” Daniel Brown’s skill lays in seamlessly transporting the reader to the same day and time as those experiencing the tragedy of the Hinckley Firestorm firsthand.

Brown gently turns up the sound until you too can hear the firestorm’s fury roaring through the small town’s streets, its multicolored flames just moments away from engulfing the house you built with your own two hands; the pride you’d felt when presenting the American Dream to your wife and children still fresh in your mind.

As the book continues, Brown subtlety increases the feeling of impending doom until a victim’s terror becomes your own. You feel a sick dread once you’ve seen just how fast the wall of fire is speeding towards you, its fierce winds whipping several layers of heavy skirts up and around your body. Although you’re running faster than you ever thought possible, the wailing newborn clutched to your breast and...

United States on Oct 15, 2017

Christine Paris: I read this book, lent it to someone, never saw it again and just bought and re read it. It is so astonishing that I followed my husband around all Saturday, reading bits to him while he tried to mow, clean the truck and pay bills. He was even interested after awhile, even though the subject matter is so grim. Just the facts about how people react to disasters that take place during their daily life, leading them to make deadly mistakes because the emergency doesn't fit into their "script", is worth the price of the book right there.

These small towns, with no way to communicate with each other, no experience in dealing with a disastrous fire of the size it became, and the heroism shown by a few that risked their lives is heartstopping.

I was mostly shocked by the chapter that deals with the train the engineer roared through the fire, attempting to get people out of their burning towns to uncertain safety. Even though he took a risk in stopping the train in each small town, and the entire train was partly on fire, with all the passengers screaming and imploring people to get on and save their own lives, ALL of the townspeople in each place they halted, only stared at...

United States on Dec 29, 2016

PB: I read this book quite a while back so the details have faded, but I found it to be a very enjoyable read. I like to have a variety of books on the shelf to choose from, and I bought this for an entertaining, easy read. I had never heard the story before so it was all new to me and am now surprised it isn't more well known. The story moves fast and gives you insight into the ordinary lives of the people involved. He did a good job of piecing together the accounts into a very fluid story. It really helps you to appreciate the benefits of living in the modern age where we never even consider the threats people back then faced. Having lived most of my life in the Southeast, I've never had much concern over wild fires. But after reading this I went out and did a quick survey of my property to identify any threats that could be removed. I'm a Certified Wildland Firefighter and have experience with controlled burns, but this book gave me a whole new appreciation for how terrifying an out of control fire can be. I recommend this book simply because you'll find yourself thankful at the end and glad to have the protection that they were missing.

United States on Mar 13, 2016

Gordie Rowe: The book is typical of other books that provide much more information about the culture of the era than one would expect. Great detail. It's reminds us of the power of a large fire and the way that it creates its own weather system.

Canada on Feb 14, 2015

james b micheli: Brilliant read, makes one wonder how people survived all the hardship and sorrow.You can certainly understand post traumatic stress disorder is after reading this book.!

United Kingdom on Aug 17, 2013