The Circus Fire by Stewart O'nan

The Circus Fire by Stewart O'nan

The acclaimed author of Emily, Alone and Henry, Himself brings all his narrative gifts to bear on this gripping account of tragedy and heroism--the great Hartford circus fire of 1944.

It was a midsummer afternoon, halfway through a Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus performance, when the big top caught fire. The tent had been waterproofed with a mixture of paraffin and gasoline; in seconds it was burning out of control. More than 8,000 people were trapped inside, and the ensuing disaster would eventually take 167 lives.

Steward O'Nan brings all his narrative gifts to bear on this gripping account of the great Hartford circus fire of 1944. Drawing on interviews with hundreds of survivors, O'Nan skillfully re-creates the horrific events and illuminates the psychological oddities of human behavior under stress: the mad scramble for the exits; the perilous effort to maneuver animals out of danger; the hero who tossed dozens of children to safety before being trampled to death. Brilliantly constructed and exceptionally moving, The Circus Fire is history at its most compelling.

Last Night at the Lobster, The Night Country, and Prayer for the Dying are among Stewart O'Nan's works. Snow Angels, based on his story, was adapted into a film in 2007. He's also the co-author of the nonfiction books The Circus Fire and Loyal, which he co-wrote with Stephen King. He was designated one of the Twenty Best Young American Novelists by Granta magazine. He currently resides in Pittsburgh.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780385496858
ISBN 10	0385496850
Title	The Circus Fire
Author	Stewart O'nan
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Random House USA Inc
Year published	2001-06-12
Number of pages	384
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.