Fire and Brimstone Audiobook By Michael Punke cover art

Fire and Brimstone

The North Butte Mining Disaster of 1917

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Fire and Brimstone

By: Michael Punke
Narrated by: Christopher Grove
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About this listen

The author of the number-one New York Times best seller The Revenant - the basis for the award-winning motion picture starring Leonardo DiCaprio - tells the remarkable story of the worst hard-rock mining disaster in American history.

The worst hard-rock mining disaster in American history began a half hour before midnight on June 8, 1917, when fire broke out in the North Butte Mining Company's Granite Mountain shaft. Sparked more than 2,000 feet below ground, the fire spewed flames, smoke, and poisonous gas through a labyrinth of underground tunnels. Within an hour more than 400 men would be locked in a battle to survive. Within three days 164 of them would be dead.

Fire and Brimstone recounts the remarkable stories of both the men below ground and their families above, focusing on two groups of miners who made the incredible decision to entomb themselves to escape the gas. While the disaster is compelling in its own right, Fire and Brimstone also tells a far broader story striking in its contemporary relevance. Butte, Montana, on the eve of the North Butte disaster, was a volatile jumble of antiwar protest, an abusive corporate master, seething labor unrest, divisive ethnic tension, and radicalism both left and right. It was a powder keg lacking only a spark, and the mine fire would ignite strikes, murder, ethnic and political witch hunts, occupation by federal troops, and ultimately a battle over presidential power.

©2013 Michael Punke (P)2016 Random House Audio
Americas History History & Culture State & Local United States Mining Upper Peninsula
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What listeners say about Fire and Brimstone

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Gripping Survival Story Compelling Historical Account Engaging Narration Vivid Descriptive Details
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Great detail

Listening to the audio of this story was amazing in great interesting information about what happened in the mine the stories inside this story.

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2 people found this helpful

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Great

Informative, Entertaining. Well read. Local history with national implications. Nothing else to add. A rating.

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1 person found this helpful

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Interesting

A well written timely book. Not just 2024 has politics been rocky. So informative about life in Montana and America from 1917 to 1945 about. I enjoyed the listen very much.

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Excellent narration. Riveting story

While one might say that history is 'dry', this story of the worst mining disaster is anything but. The surrounding details of the political situation at the time help give perspective on the day to day. The details from survivors are heroic, sobering and vivid.

The narrator is smooth and engaging.

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1 person found this helpful

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A Must Read

Exceptional book of history, human spirit, and the crushing weight of history on us all. Once you know this story you will understand all others.

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2 people found this helpful

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A must for western America and political history.

A author with experience and great research brings a miners story of struggle and survival.

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Great story and performance

Some very interesting Montana history beyond the fire in the mine. Some of the current political issues are apparently not NEW!

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

A tale of work, fire, war and politics

In 1917 an attempt to run an electric cable led to a fire that killed 163 men. That's only a small part of the story. It is hard for us to understand maze of tunnels that ran in all directions at different levels down to 2600 feet and the men who fought for life in the dark, heat and smoke of that underworld.
The story then turns to greed, corruption, WW1, unconstitutional laws, the new deal, strike breaking, labor unions, FDR and WW2. I'm not sure if these other items are needed to tell the story or if they detract from the heroism of building bulkheads to hide from gas during the fire as their air slowly ran out.

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Great history

Listened to this on our road trip through Montana. We were captivated by every detail. The details of the mining disaster was gruesome but fascinating. Really appreciate the cultural, religious, and political atmosphere of the area.

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5 people found this helpful

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History & Politics

Fire and Brimstone is a well-written summary of the event that greatly impacted 1917 Butte, America and many of the political situations surrounding it.
I rate the performance at 5 stars, although if I'm being entirely honest I may not be the most qualified to judge that. I listen to the majority of the book on 3x as I read along with a physical copy. Cramming for a book report... oops.
Still quite glad I chose this book.
Cheers! And a "thank you" to Michael Punke for sharing your research with the world.

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4 people found this helpful