Fire in Paradise: An American Tragedy
- Downloads：4404
- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2021-05-04 17:31:08
- Update Date：2025-09-07
- Status：finish
- Author：Alastair Gee
- ISBN：0393542165
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
Reviews
Lauren
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This was a three-star read for me， but a four-star book。 I realized that I was much more interested in the before and the after of the mega fire in Paradise， California， but this book is very much about the during。 Had to use the skip button on the audio book a few times。 It's all on me， though。 I went into this hoping it was using Paradise as jumping off point to talk about how we are facing increasing risks of fire in this country， how this risk is only going to get worse as time goes on， and This was a three-star read for me， but a four-star book。 I realized that I was much more interested in the before and the after of the mega fire in Paradise， California， but this book is very much about the during。 Had to use the skip button on the audio book a few times。 It's all on me， though。 I went into this hoping it was using Paradise as jumping off point to talk about how we are facing increasing risks of fire in this country， how this risk is only going to get worse as time goes on， and what we can do about it。 The book certainly talks about that， but it's very much about the people who lived in Paradise and what their experiences were in escaping the fire， as well as their recovery。 。。。more
John Creighton
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A very well-written if sobering read about the worst wild land fire in California history， laying waste to an entire town and causing over $16B in damage。The authors do a good job of weaving in the horrific and heartbreaking personal accounts of individuals with the broader narrative of the fire and the history of the town。 It should be required reading for those of us who live in the Wildland-Urban Interface。 We all need to be prepared when fire strikes。
Heidi
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A Needless TragedyThe authors did a great job of reporting on this tragic event。 The information was well presented and researched。 PG&E was irresponsible in the maintenance of their infrastructure， which allowed this tragedy to occur。 Corporations such as PG&E and their management should be held accountable when incidents such as this occur。 It is unconscionable that PG&E was not stopped sooner especially in light of the fact that their lack of proper maintenance on their power lines were respo A Needless TragedyThe authors did a great job of reporting on this tragic event。 The information was well presented and researched。 PG&E was irresponsible in the maintenance of their infrastructure， which allowed this tragedy to occur。 Corporations such as PG&E and their management should be held accountable when incidents such as this occur。 It is unconscionable that PG&E was not stopped sooner especially in light of the fact that their lack of proper maintenance on their power lines were responsible for many fires。 My heart hoes out to the residents of Paradise。 。。。more
Joe
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Many personal stories; a brief Trump appearing a fool; PG&E looking bad。 Most interesting to me was how the community was changing to move into the future （ironically becoming gentrified）。
Sbwisni
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3。5 Brings up important （and currently relevant） issues， has some great moments of retelling intense events/personal stories， but still hard to get through at times for me （most of the first 1/3 to 1/2 of the book）
Sarah - All The Book Blog Names Are Taken
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I am really torn on how to rate this。 One of my good friends lives in Paradise and lived through this horrific event。 She sent so many pictures and videos， and I cried watching the video she recorded from her car as they evacuated; there really was literally fire everywhere。 It terrified me for her even after I knew she was safe。 So， this is a topic near and dear to my heart。 The fire was so massive and contains so many stories， that I expected more from the book。 It came in at 229 pages。 How is I am really torn on how to rate this。 One of my good friends lives in Paradise and lived through this horrific event。 She sent so many pictures and videos， and I cried watching the video she recorded from her car as they evacuated; there really was literally fire everywhere。 It terrified me for her even after I knew she was safe。 So， this is a topic near and dear to my heart。 The fire was so massive and contains so many stories， that I expected more from the book。 It came in at 229 pages。 How is that possible for the most devastating fire in California’s history， and the sixth worst fire in the history of the United States？ The story isn’t even over yet。 The window to file a lawsuit just closed five days ago。 I don’t understand writing a book when the story isn’t complete yet。 The fire happened two and a half years ago so it’s not like it was a rush job to make money off this big tragedy。 Why not just wait for some kind of closure to it， then tell the WHOLE story？Sidenote， my friend’s sister and brother-in-law are mentioned in the book， but some of the information about them is in accurate so I wonder what else is not correct either。 。。。more
Kelly Whitt
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A very recent tragedy brought to life。 The intensity of the fire to melt the vehicles while people sat in them is almost unimaginable。
Jennifer
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So devastating， and so important。
Don
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I found this book to be very informative and emotional。 It focuses on several people lived in and around Paradise and who were affected dramatically by this fire。
Meri
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A short， readable overview of what happened in Paradise during the fire and aftewards。 The book is mostly made up of personal narratives of people who were there。 It's haunting and reminds us that future fire season will probably be worse。 A short， readable overview of what happened in Paradise during the fire and aftewards。 The book is mostly made up of personal narratives of people who were there。 It's haunting and reminds us that future fire season will probably be worse。 。。。more
Lisa
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Audie award nomination 2021
Scott
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A good read for when you are down and feeling like life hasn't dealt with you fairly。 After reading this， I was quite content with what I have in life and thankful it had not been ripped from me in a few short hours。 A good read for when you are down and feeling like life hasn't dealt with you fairly。 After reading this， I was quite content with what I have in life and thankful it had not been ripped from me in a few short hours。 。。。more
Ellen
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A grim recap of the reckoning facing California and the wider world in the face of radical， unchecked climate change。
Jeimy
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My dislike for PG&E continues after reading this tale about the fire that destroyed Paradise， CA。 Gee created a compelling narrative and the descriptions of the fire's spread read like scenes from an action movie。 My dislike for PG&E continues after reading this tale about the fire that destroyed Paradise， CA。 Gee created a compelling narrative and the descriptions of the fire's spread read like scenes from an action movie。 。。。more
Debbie Mann
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This was so good。 I had seen the videos of the fire but this takes you there。 I got this from the library on my kindle and I didn’t finish it in time and had to put a hold again and wait but it was worth it。
Sabram
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Audiobook
Luke Johnson
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Picked this up after finding it on Hoopla's "Best Audiobooks of the Year" and yes， at first， it was highly enjoyable。 As the book leads up to， and during the fire the book had me feeling super tense and anxious for these people。 Yes， I knew people died in this fire。 Yes， I knew not everyone in this story would make it out， and thus the book was very gripping almost the cliched "edge of your seat" style suspense。 You briefly meet a lot of characters， very quickly， and the frantic pace of this add Picked this up after finding it on Hoopla's "Best Audiobooks of the Year" and yes， at first， it was highly enjoyable。 As the book leads up to， and during the fire the book had me feeling super tense and anxious for these people。 Yes， I knew people died in this fire。 Yes， I knew not everyone in this story would make it out， and thus the book was very gripping almost the cliched "edge of your seat" style suspense。 You briefly meet a lot of characters， very quickly， and the frantic pace of this adds to the books overall nervousness。But it doesn't last。 By about the 2/3 to 3/4 point the fires have moved on and the book wallows its way to a flat conclusion。 What could of been an emotional point in the book， the memorial service for the lost， becomes rather cringeworthy in it's retelling。 The book comes out short when it comes to making an argument that the energy company is to blame， it only hints at the way global warming is playing a role in these situations， and fails to give a full accounting of all the factors involved。 Trump shows up toward the end of the book， and only to once prove his narcassism and total lack of empathy for a town （whose name me forgets） full of suffering and grieving people。 A few quotes from Californian's elected leaders but the quotes are broad and seem to be more from newspaper clippings than actual interviews。Had the author narrowed the number of people whose story he relates and gone deep into there stories I think the book would of been strong。 Instead the characters are a shotgun blast onto the story， scattered and many。 I found the story of the woman who had to flee with her newborn baby hours after giving birth to have the most interesting of the stories， especially as her husband passes a few months later。 Yet， even after just finishing the book I can't remember her name。 Had the book narrowed the focus of the message it was trying to convey， and had it been able to keep that tension， this would of been a much stronger work。 。。。more
Becki
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Absolutely heartbreaking about climate change and fire in the west。
Janessa Julson
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Edge of your seat， tear-jerker tragedy。 I would recommend anyone who chooses to live in the wildland interface or those involved in wildland fire， to read this。
Thomas J。
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Paradise was burned because of the actions of greedy people。Paradise is a book that everyone who lives in the West should read。 Much of the damage could have been averted with preferential suppression。 Unfortunately， Congress and legislators aren’t willing to provide such， however， money to fight fires seems always available。 This book shows whose is in cahoots with whom， and it isn’t for the good of the people。
Mike
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very good coverage of the tragic CA fires in Paradise
Joyce Williams
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Such a well-written but heart-wrenching review of the horrific Camp Fire。
Shelle
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I lived it and wanted to love the book but just didn’t。
Mary Ellen McWhirter
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RecommendedThis book opened the Paradise fire in such detail。 Anyone who has lived through a wildfire possibility certainly will relate。
A。
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non fiction account of the fire that wiped out a town。
Sharon
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Heartbreaking， compassionate and highly detailed。 My only critique: the book at times read a bit like an extended magazine article。 Otherwise， very well-written and researched。 It was fascinating to discover some of the culture in this beautiful， essentially "off the map" community and region。 Heartbreaking， compassionate and highly detailed。 My only critique: the book at times read a bit like an extended magazine article。 Otherwise， very well-written and researched。 It was fascinating to discover some of the culture in this beautiful， essentially "off the map" community and region。 。。。more
Bruce Whitmore
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It was interesting to read of the progression of the fire and the horrific conditions and how amazingly fast the fire spread。Being a former firefighter， I could relate a little bit about the firefighting though I have never responded to any wild forest fire; several large grass fires but nothing of wildfire proportions as this Camp Fire。The book focused on a number of families and individuals from Paradise; their places in the morning of the fire， how they evacuated or did not evacuate and what It was interesting to read of the progression of the fire and the horrific conditions and how amazingly fast the fire spread。Being a former firefighter， I could relate a little bit about the firefighting though I have never responded to any wild forest fire; several large grass fires but nothing of wildfire proportions as this Camp Fire。The book focused on a number of families and individuals from Paradise; their places in the morning of the fire， how they evacuated or did not evacuate and what was the final outcome of their lives after the fires。Some material was provided on the ligations against PG&E。 。。。more
Angelina
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Good documentation I learned so much about wildfires and the specifics of the Camp Fire。 While there is some character descriptions ， I was hoping for a more character driven narrative。
Susan Olesen
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I was sucked in and finished it in 2 days。 Like any good anecdotal disaster book， it has enough people-stories to make it real and interesting， with enough background and factual information to make you understand why and how。 While climate change plays a major role in the waves of devastating California fires - extreme drought + hurricane-force winds through remote canyons and buildings that are often a hundred years old， the most consistent factor in all of these wildfires is Pacific Gas and I was sucked in and finished it in 2 days。 Like any good anecdotal disaster book， it has enough people-stories to make it real and interesting， with enough background and factual information to make you understand why and how。 While climate change plays a major role in the waves of devastating California fires - extreme drought + hurricane-force winds through remote canyons and buildings that are often a hundred years old， the most consistent factor in all of these wildfires is Pacific Gas and Electric， which， as a for-profit company， consistently puts profit over people。 They KNOW that some of their lines are over a hundred years old， and that far too many of their transmission towers are past the age of replacement， and despite hundreds of millions of dollars put aside for repairs and upgrades， five years later had done none of it - DESPITE already being on probation for horrific practices that killed and injured people。 They continually just toss their hands up and say "That's just too big a job for anyone。 We can't do it。" So， yes， while PG&e cannot control the climate or lightning， they still bear a huge brunt of the blame for many of CA's massive fires。And on the other hand， I don't get these people。 You can smell the smoke。 You know you live in a fire zone。 The sky is black。 Embers keep falling out of the sky。 You can hear your neighbor's propane tanks blowing up。 But you don't leave。 Your trees are burning。 Your porch is on fire from embers。 It's so hot the tires on your car have melted。 And NOW you suddenly think maybe you should leave， and now it's too late？ W the serious F， people？ If I lived in such a place my valuables would be kept in a grab-and-go bag and I'd be out of there the first plume of smoke I saw on the horizon。 And it brings up the very relevant question of， how is YOUR town set to handle disasters？ Does your town have a workable evacuation plan？ Okay， I don't live in a fire zone - I dont' remember a single brushfire here that ever spread to a house - but my town has two main roads in and out， for 30，000 people。 Traffic can be bumper to bumper for miles on a regular Friday rush hour。 If， for whatever reason， we needed to evacuate a town of culdesacs and twisty little roads so narrow two schoolbuses can't pass each other， you can just forget it。 We'll all die。 Go， go bug your town councils and get them thinking about that。 Know your fastest route out of town - without touching a main thoroughfare。 Be safe。 。。。more
robert lecapitaine
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