LONGLISTEDFORTHEANDREWCARNEGIEMEDALFOREXCELLENCE-ANEWYORKERBESTBOOKOFTHEYEAR-The“illuminating“(NewYorker)storyoftheGreatChicagoFire:araginginferno,aharrowingfightforsurvival,andthestruggleforthesoulofacity--toldwiththe“theclarity--andtension--ofawell-wroughtmilitarynarrative“(WallStreetJournal)Inthefallof1871,Chicagoansknewtheyweredueforthe“bigone“--amassive,uncontrollablefirethatwoulddecimatethecity.Ithadbeenbone-dryformonths,andarecentstringofblazeshadnearlyoutstrippedthefiredepartment’salreadyscantresources.Then,onOctober8,aminorfirebrokeoutinthebarnofIrishwomanKateLeary.Aseriesofunfortunatemishapsandmisunderstandingsalongwithinsufficientpreparationandahighsouth-westerlywindcombinedtosetthestageforanunmitigatedcatastrophe.TheconflagrationthatspreadfromtheLearys’propertyquicklyovertooktheneighborhood,andbeforelongthefloatingembershadbeencasttothefarreachesofthecity.Nothingtothenortheastwassafe.Familiestooktothestreetswitheverypossessiontheycouldcarry.Powerfulgustswhippedtheflamesintoaterrifyingfirestorm.TheChicagoRiverboiled.Overthenextforty-eighthours,ChicagofellvictimtothelargestandmostdestructivenaturaldisastertheUnitedStateshadyetendured.TheeffectsoftheGreatFireweredevastating.Buttheywerealsotransforming.Outoftheashes,fasterthanseemedpossible,rosenewhomes,tenements,hotels,andcivicbuildings,aswellasanewpoliticalorder.Theeliteseizedthereconstructiontocrackdownonvice,controlthedisbursementofvastcharitablefunds,andrebuildthecityintheirimage.Butthecity’sworkingclassrecognizedonlyanakedpowergrabthatwouldchallengetheirtraditions,hurttheirchancestokeeptheirhard-earnedproperty,andmovepoweroutofthehandsofelectedofficialsandintoprivateinterests.Assoonasthebattleagainstthefireended,anotherbattleforthefutureofthecityeruptedbetweenitsentrenchedbusinessestablishmentanditspoorandimmigrantlaborersandshopkeepers.Anenrapturingaccountofthefire’sinexorablemarchandaneye-openinglookatitsaftermath,TheBurningoftheWorldtellsthestoryofoneofthemostinfamouscalamitiesinhistoryandthenewChicagoitprecipitated--adisasterthatstillshapesAmericancitiestothisday.
