Five Floors Up: The Heroic Family Story of Four Generations in the FDNY
- Downloads：7048
- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2022-09-20 17:21:36
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Brian McDonald
- ISBN：1538753200
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
Reviews
Natalie
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3。5 starsThis one is definitely for the history buffs。 It’s the true story of service and bravery from one family who has spent four generations in the Fire Department of New York。 The history of the Feehan family’s involvement in the FDNY is impressive and Five Floors Up tells it in full。 From the 1920s to today， four generations of Feehans have been putting out fires all across New York City。 I am by no means a history buff， so it sometimes felt like it dragged on a bit， but I think those that 3。5 starsThis one is definitely for the history buffs。 It’s the true story of service and bravery from one family who has spent four generations in the Fire Department of New York。 The history of the Feehan family’s involvement in the FDNY is impressive and Five Floors Up tells it in full。 From the 1920s to today， four generations of Feehans have been putting out fires all across New York City。 I am by no means a history buff， so it sometimes felt like it dragged on a bit， but I think those that enjoy history will likely enjoy it。 Plus the 9/11 content is gripping， as expected。 Thank you to Grand Central Publishing for sharing this with me！ 。。。more
Tom Link
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An excellent read！ Chief Feehan was truly an American hero。 I would have rated the book 5 stars if the author could have kept his thinly vailed political views to himself。
Beth
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I didn’t really care for this book。 I didn’t find it to be what it advertised it was。 It was not a book about the Feehan family as much as it was a lame attempt by this author to push ahead a lot of convoluted examples of race relations in the FDNY and in general New York history。 Also touted as a 9/11 book， which Bill Feehan the commissioner was killed，I found 9/11 details to be very general and nothing I haven’t seen in many other well done books。 This was frankly amateurish writing。 If I was I didn’t really care for this book。 I didn’t find it to be what it advertised it was。 It was not a book about the Feehan family as much as it was a lame attempt by this author to push ahead a lot of convoluted examples of race relations in the FDNY and in general New York history。 Also touted as a 9/11 book， which Bill Feehan the commissioner was killed，I found 9/11 details to be very general and nothing I haven’t seen in many other well done books。 This was frankly amateurish writing。 If I was a Feehan I would wonder what I was thinking trusting this author with this story。 The author is OBSESSED with race and I find that subject exhausting and frankly am over absolutely everything having to come down to racism。 Even 9/11 memories。 Yuck。 。。。more
Terri
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✨BOOK REVIEW✨Five Floors UpBy Brian McDonaldPowerful。 Informative。 Emotional。That is how I would describe this book。 When I saw this book as an option to request， I just knew it was one I needed to read。As the wife of a Firefighter for the last 16 years， I have had an intimate look at this profession。Five Floors Up shares the story of one Family in the FDNY for Four Generations。 Through this book， you get to witness highs and lows， watch the department evolve into what it now is， and experience ✨BOOK REVIEW✨Five Floors UpBy Brian McDonaldPowerful。 Informative。 Emotional。That is how I would describe this book。 When I saw this book as an option to request， I just knew it was one I needed to read。As the wife of a Firefighter for the last 16 years， I have had an intimate look at this profession。Five Floors Up shares the story of one Family in the FDNY for Four Generations。 Through this book， you get to witness highs and lows， watch the department evolve into what it now is， and experience the love， loss， and pain of true heroes。I know from experience， it is tough to be the partner of a Firefighter or First responder。 You never know what can happen the minute they walk out that door， and head to shift。 It takes a certain type of person to do this， and also for the ones who support those that do。It’s more than a profession， it’s an entity。McDonald does a beautiful job of delivering that in this story of the Feehan/Davan family， not just through the Fire members themselves， but by also diving into the people who love and support them on a daily basis。 This was amazing to see。Today， of all days， my heart sits heavy。 Take a moment and remember。 Take a moment and hug your loved ones。This book is out now。 Please pick up a copy and read it You won’t be sorry that you did。 Rating: 🚒🚒🚒🚒🚒/5Many thanks to @grandcentralpub for the copy of this book in exchange for my honest review。 。。。more
Michelle Kidwell
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Five Floors UpThe Heroic Family Story of Four Generations in the FDNYby Brian McDonaldPub Date 06 Sep 2022 Grand Central Publishing Biographies & MemoirsI am reviewing a copy of Five Floors Up through Grand Central Publishing and Netgalley:If you are a fan of Rescue Me or Blue Bloods， I think you will enjoy this riveting history of the New York City Fire Department as told by from the perspective of the Feehan family， who served in the FDNY for four generations and counting。Five Floors Ups com Five Floors UpThe Heroic Family Story of Four Generations in the FDNYby Brian McDonaldPub Date 06 Sep 2022 Grand Central Publishing Biographies & MemoirsI am reviewing a copy of Five Floors Up through Grand Central Publishing and Netgalley:If you are a fan of Rescue Me or Blue Bloods， I think you will enjoy this riveting history of the New York City Fire Department as told by from the perspective of the Feehan family， who served in the FDNY for four generations and counting。Five Floors Ups comes from the eyes of four generations of a firefighter family， Five Floors Up the story of the modern New York City Fire Department。 From the days just after the horse-drawn firetruck， to the devastation of the 1970s when the Bronx was Burning， to the unspeakable tragedy of 9/11， to the culture-busting department of today， a Feehan has worn the shoulder patch of the FDNY。 This book shines the spotlight on on the career of William M。 Feehan。 “Chief” Feehan is the only person to have held every rank in the FDNY including New York City’s 28th Fire Commissioner。 William Fehan died in the twin towers on 9’11 but Five Floors Up is at root an intimate look at a firefighter clan， the selflessness and bravery of not only those who face the flames， but the family members who stand by their sides。 This book is both humorous and harrowing。I give Five Floors Up five out of five stars！Happy Reading！ 。。。more
Thomas Ryan
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Last year， 2021， the ‘big’ 9/11 anniversary book release was Joseph Pfeifer’s “Ordinary Heroes” and many found that book disappointing and lacking depth and honest insight。 This year’s ‘big’ 9/11 2022 release is “Five Floors Up” by Brian McDonald and while the writing is far better （despite a number of small errors — John Feehan has an M。S。 in Fire Protection Management， not “Protective Management and Kevin Kane died in Ladder 110， not “the engine”）， and the subject of the book — Bill Feehan， an Last year， 2021， the ‘big’ 9/11 anniversary book release was Joseph Pfeifer’s “Ordinary Heroes” and many found that book disappointing and lacking depth and honest insight。 This year’s ‘big’ 9/11 2022 release is “Five Floors Up” by Brian McDonald and while the writing is far better （despite a number of small errors — John Feehan has an M。S。 in Fire Protection Management， not “Protective Management and Kevin Kane died in Ladder 110， not “the engine”）， and the subject of the book — Bill Feehan， an All American life long FDNY member who truly loved the department despite its shortcomings， and who was a poster child for the department despite his own shortcomings， is in his complexity the ideal canvas for painting a portrait of the FDNY in all its black and white and most importantly， grey areas。 Unfortunately， McDonald works too hard to see the glass as only half full and never half empty and his inclusion of the 9/11 FDNY executive staff as being on par with Bill Feehan and his love of the FDNY is simply untrue and their involvement in the 9/11 uniformed response led to many needless deaths， including perhaps Feehan’s as well。 Of course， true history needs time to unpack the grey areas and hopefully we’re moving in the direction of a true reckoning of the FDNY on that day sometime in the near future。 。。。more
Jenna
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𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘵𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 This is the story of the Freehans and the four generations of NYC firefighters who have come from within their family。 It starts with their immigration from Ireland and ends with 9-11。 There’s a lot to unpack here as you feel like you’re sitting down for coffee with them all… and just like with most large families， there’s loss， pain， friendships and tender moments。 It’s a spotlight on one family of civil servants and the veil being pulled back on the heart of NYC firef 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘵𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 This is the story of the Freehans and the four generations of NYC firefighters who have come from within their family。 It starts with their immigration from Ireland and ends with 9-11。 There’s a lot to unpack here as you feel like you’re sitting down for coffee with them all… and just like with most large families， there’s loss， pain， friendships and tender moments。 It’s a spotlight on one family of civil servants and the veil being pulled back on the heart of NYC firefighting。 I really enjoyed this biography。 It had the feelings of a family fiction but with the facts of the firehouse。 It showcased the family （and generations） of Freehans but also the family that happens within the firehouse。 If you are hesitant to ever pick up a non-fiction or biography then maybe this is the one for you as it reads more like family fiction with the backdrop of events that many of us remember well （9-11）。 。。。more
Kelly
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How do I put this into words？ It’s a read that is heartbreaking， funny， informative， emotional， touching and so much more。 Brian McDonald wrote a beautiful story about the Feehan family - who had 4 generations of firefighters in FDNY。 The eldest Feehan had been a firefighter in NYC dating back to 19th century。 While I was reading this， it was like the firefighter version of my favorite NYC police drama TV show， ‘Blue Bloods’。 The Feehan were an Irish Catholic family。 Many Feehan men grew up watc How do I put this into words？ It’s a read that is heartbreaking， funny， informative， emotional， touching and so much more。 Brian McDonald wrote a beautiful story about the Feehan family - who had 4 generations of firefighters in FDNY。 The eldest Feehan had been a firefighter in NYC dating back to 19th century。 While I was reading this， it was like the firefighter version of my favorite NYC police drama TV show， ‘Blue Bloods’。 The Feehan were an Irish Catholic family。 Many Feehan men grew up watching their elder fighting fires then going on to join the FDNY。 We learn about the stories of each men， I felt admiration and respect for each of them。 We also learn about their wives and children - they stories made me care for them。 This was particularly tough when I read the last two chapters。 It covered the events of Sept 11th， I felt like I was re-living the experiences of the first responders on that day。 Despite the last two chapters being raw and emotional， it was also heartwarming and funny。 This was a book where I laughed and cried！ The author did a nice job of including some historical information about New York City and FDNY。 I learned a lot that I hadn’t learned before。 It was intriguing to read about how some things changed over the years within FDNY/firefighting。 Some facts were surprising！ I highly recommend this read - it was one of the best biography books I’ve read。 The Feehan family pulled me in from page one， so they will stay with me！ I could relate to many aspects as I grew up in an Irish Catholic family and have a brother who is a firefighter。 Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC for a honest feedback。 。。。more
Chet
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