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Chicago's Great Fire

The Destruction and Resurrection of an Iconic American City
By Carl Smith
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Chicago's Great Fire offers a definitive chronicle of the devastating 1871 fire that swept through Chicago. Carl Smith presents the event through vivid memories of those who lived it, weaving the tale of a rapidly growing city torn apart by flames that crossed the Chicago River and left a third of its residents homeless. The narrative captures both the horror and the remarkable rebirth of Chicago, highlighting key figures and the broader social and political backdrop of post-Civil War America.
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Format: Hardback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

Ideal for readers interested in history, especially urban and American history aficionados, as well as those fascinated by dramatic historical events and their social impact.

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From an acclaimed historian, the full and authoritative story of one of the most iconic disasters in American history, told through the vivid memories of those who experienced it

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

A definitive chronicle of the 1871 Chicago Fire as remembered by those who experienced it—from the author of Chicago and the American Literary Imagination.

Over three days in October 1871, much of Chicago, Illinois, was destroyed by one of the most legendary urban fires in history. Incorporated as a city in 1837, Chicago had grown at a breathtaking pace in the intervening decades, and much of the hastily-built city was made of wood. Starting in Catherine and Patrick O'Leary's barn, the fire quickly grew out of control, twice jumping branches of the Chicago River on its relentless path through the city's three divisions. While the death toll was miraculously low, nearly a third of Chicago residents were left homeless and many were instantly unemployed.

This popular history of the Great Chicago Fire approaches the subject through the memories of those who experienced it. Chicago historian Carl Smith builds the story around memorable characters, both known to history and unknown, including the likes of General Philip Sheridan and Robert Todd Lincoln. Smith chronicles the city's rapid growth and its place in America's post-Civil War expansion. The dramatic story of the fire—revealing human nature in all its guises—became one of equally remarkable renewal, as Chicago quickly rose back up from the ashes thanks to local determination and the world's generosity.

As we approach the fire's 150th anniversary, Carl Smith's compelling narrative at last gives this epic event its full and proper place in our national chronicle.

"The best book ever written about the fire, a work of deep scholarship by Carl Smith that reads with the forceful narrative of a fine novel. It puts the fire and its aftermath in historical, political and social context. It's a revelatory pleasure to read." -Chicago Tribune

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780802148100

Publisher: Grove Press / Atlantic Monthly Press

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 19 November 2020

Country: United States

Imprint: Grove Press / Atlantic Monthly Press

Illustration: Illustrations

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 152.0mm

Height: 228.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 352

Collections

American & Canadian History Carl Smith History & Archaeology History & Military Non-Fiction

About the Author

CARL SMITH is Franklyn Bliss Snyder Professor of English and American Studies and Professor of History, Emeritus, at Northwestern University. His books include Chicago and the American Literary Imagination, 1880-1920; Urban Disorder and the Shape of Belief: The Great Chicago Fire, the Haymarket Bomb, and the Model Town of Pullman; The Plan of Chicago: Daniel Burnham and the Remaking of the American City; and City Water, City Life: Water and the Infrastructure of Ideas in Urbanizing Philadelphia, Boston, and Chicago.

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