Module 11: Informational Books

The Great Fire by Jim Murphy 

Summary: On October 8, 1871, a fire began on DeKoven street which would eventually consume a large portion of Chicago and come to be known as The Great Fire.  This book documents what is known about the fire from its origins to the aftermath of beginning to rebuild the city.  The author takes eye witness accounts and weaves them into a narrative that follows the path of the fire as it rampaged through Chicago.

My Impressions: I thought that this was an interesting and informative book.  Many times it’s difficult to achieve both in one book, but Mr. Murphy succeeded.  The book is full of photographs and illustrations from the time period, as well as a map that precedes each chapter to show how the fire spread.  I like that the book continued after the fire was under control and talked about the beginning of the rebuilding effort.  The book is written in simple language, but it is not an overly simplified account of the fire.  Instead, the eye witness accounts help bring to life the information in the book.  Overall, I think this is a highly effective resource book for anyone interested in learning about the Chicago fire.

Review: Vivid firsthand descriptions by persons who lived through the 1871 Chicago fire are woven into a gripping account of this famous disaster. Jim Murphy draws skillfully on personal letters and journals and a wide range of published accounts in re-creating the intensity of the fire's destruction during thirty-one hours of rampant burning. Newspaper lithographs and a few historical photographs convey the magnitude of human suffering and confusion. "The great, mounting light, the crash and roar of the conflagration, and the desperate flight of the crowd … combined to make a scene of which no intelligent idea can be conveyed in words." In his effort to give a human face to the catastrophe, Murphy follows the experiences of several individuals. His accounts of the harrowing hours spent by twelve-year-old Claire Innes, whose family had only recently moved to Chicago, and by a New Yorker visiting relatives are riveting. In addition to the chronology of events, Murphy examines the origins of the fire, the many errors of judgment that delayed effective response, the organizational problems of the city's firefighters, and the post-fire efforts to rebuild the city. He comes to the reflective conclusion that blame fell unjustly on the O'Learys, the firefighters, and the city's lower classes. The energy and depth of the presentation, along with the inherent drama of the fire, make this thought-provoking history lesson absorbing reading. Bibliography, maps, and index are included.

References:

Bush, M. (1995) [Book Review of The Great Fire by J. Murphy] 71,(3) Retrieved from http://archive.hbook.com/magazine/

Murphy, J. (1995). The great fire. New York, NY: Scholastic Books