Young Men and Fire

By: Norman Maclean

Narrated by: John MacLean

National Book Critics Circle, Nonfiction, 1993

On August 5, 1949, a crew of 15 of the U.S. Forest Service's elite airborne firefighters, the Smokejumpers, stepped into the sky above a remote forest fire in the Montana wilderness. Less than one hour later, all but three were dead or fatally burned in a "blowup," an explosive 2,000-degree firestorm 300 feet tall. Norman MacLean spent the last 14 years of his life determined to sift through grief and controversy in search of the truth behind the Mann Gulch tragedy, one of the worst disasters in the history of the Forest Service. Young Men and Fire is the culmination of his investigations. It is a story about honor, death, compassion, and the human spirit.

©1992 The University of Chicago (P)16 9; 2000 HighBridge Company; 1993 HighBridge Company

Critic reviews

"[MacLean]...remains true to the power of his own language and his own heart." (New York Times Book Review)
"A sort of pilgrimage - sometimes poetic, often earthy, and full of asides that connect the fire to experiences we all share." (Audubon)

Good information

The information brought forward was very good, and recommended read for anyone planning to go into wildland firefighting. Narrator did make it hard to keep attention to the information coming forth.

informative story

i like the story. the audio has alot of background static. and i didnt care for the music that played over the voice between chapters. the last chapter was verging on preaching also.

A stunning (and true) tale!

I read the book, and found it to be beautiful and compelling. It's also a very informative tale. You'll learn how fires are fought, and how men are lost fighting them. Norm Maclean wrote two books, and in my opinion, this one is better than "A River Runs Through It."

Another masterpiece!

The Maclean’s have teamed up to write and read a magnificent tribute to smokejumper’s that crackles!

Facinating story of tragedy and detective work

I found this book by way of the song "Cold Missouri Waters" by James Keelaghan. This is a ballad told in the voice of Dodge, the foreman. It brings tears to my eyes each time. I recommend this as well.

Young Men and Fire is a story of tregedy in the Greek sense. MacLean tells a great story and shows he is a master of words as well. He is a stickler for details and pacing. His son reads clearly and effectively - and the sound quality of the recording is superb. My only gripe is that I felt the last 45 minutes could have been condensed. Otherwise, an excellent read/listen!

One of the best books I've ever read

There are those books that you come across that are so moving that you end up giving the book as a gift over and over again. This is such a book. I've listened to this book countless times and have read it at least 5 times. There is something so dear about Norman Maclean's son narrating the chronicle. When you hear about the young men dying in the Mann Gulch fire, the true dignity and frailty of human life is evident and clear. Highly recommend.

Good read

Very interesting and well written. Never heard of this fire before. Or the men who died there

Could have been great

I've never written a book. I've never spent 14 years gather information for a book.

But if I did and people as renowned as Frank Delaney thought it was good, I sure as heck would be picky about who narrated the audio version.

The narrator's voice never gets out of the back of his nose. Terribly irritating.

Great read, very good listen!!

Would you listen to Young Men and Fire again? Why?

Yes, this is a beautiful book about firefighting, smokejumpers, and the tragedy of the Mann Gulch fire. The recording does a good job of bringing out the highest quality of nonfictional "story" telling done by the author Norman Maclean.

What other book might you compare Young Men and Fire to and why?

A River Runs Through It, is by the same author and about the same time period and of growing up in Montana.

Which character – as performed by John MacLean – was your favorite?

I don't think that the book was looking to portray any of the characters as favorites. The book was looking to tell of what happened when a group of the nations elite firefighters encountered the Mann Gulch fire in 1949, and to show the strength of character of these brave young men.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, it is a book that should be read first. After reading the book, then listening to the audio version helps to recall the harsh, rugged beauty of the story.

Any additional comments?

Robert Redford did a great job in making A River Runs Through It into a movie. This story and the men that lost their life on Mann Gulch deserve the same.

Important read

This story is a combination of science and tale concerning not only fire and how it takes life in the woods but also about life- the living and dying of it all. Truly one of the great works of the 20th century.