As a longtime fan of the great David Halberstam, I was surprised that I didn't enjoy this book more. Given its sobering and emotional subject matter, it would have been hard for such an important writer to make a mediocre book, but it's my belief that this is mediocre Halberstam. I read the book in the fall of 2008, while it was written in 2002. History is very difficult to write in the months following important events, and this book is proof. The courage and commitment of the fireman in the book is without question, but there are better books to read on 9/11.

The losses suffered by the FDNY on 11 September 2001 make it by far the most devastating day in the history of American firefighting. The mid-town Manhattan firehouse that is the home to Engine 40 and Ladder 35 sent 13 men to the World Trade Center that morning. Only one survived. This book is a tribute to the bravery and sacrifice of the FDNY and specifically to the men of 40/35, as this firehouse is known.

This is not a detailed account of that terrible day, but instead a profile of the men who were on duty at 40/35 that day. Many were thinking about retirement, having had long, happy careers with the FDNY. Others were still rookies, just learning how to fit in. For each, being a firefighter was more than a job, it was a calling, a lifestyle. In the lives of these men, we get a rare inside look at what it is really like to be a member of the extended family of firefighters. These men knew their jobs were dangerous, and yet never did they hesitate when called.

The final chapter profiles the survivors, the wives and parents left to cope with the staggering reality that their loved ones will never come home. Here we see that the burdens of a firefighter's job and life are carried by more than just the firefighter. They extend to the entire family, and the sacrifice paid by the families is almost too much to believe.

Written with sympathy and simple clarity, this book isn't so much about the disaster at the World Trade Center as it is about the lives of the men who chose to serve the City of New York as firefighters. This is a powerful tribute to some of America's bravest men.

David Halberstam lived 3 blocks away from the 40/35 firehouse on Manhattan's West Side. He had never been in the firehouse or had met any of the firemen. He just carried that healthy respect that most NY'ers have for these men of bravery and courage. When planes flew into the WTC the 40/35 lost 12 of 13 men who had responded. This is their story. Lean prose carries their hearts and souls into ours and we will never forget them.

I don't think you will find any book in which both the author and his subjects are so evenly matched regarding the high quality of work they have put out over the years. Sadly, the firefighters met their match on that sad day where it was their job to run into the direction of tragedy while everyone justifiably were going in the opposite path. Great stories reflect the quality of these individuals and their desire to help others under the worse circumstances.

The other tragedy related to this fine piece is the premature death of the author a few months back in a car accident. If you have never read a book by David Halberstam, please do so. I have read many different books by him on various subjects. He is one of the few people who can write on a subject that I would seemingly have little interest and make it a highly entertaining event just through sheer style and talent. He will be missed.

Halberstam's lean prose is the appropriate style for this moving portrait of the men at Engine 40, Ladder 35, 12 of whom were killed in the line of duty on 9/11. Each man gets his moment; the portraits are evenhanded, the men shown as human beings rather than super heroes. The events leading up to their final call are incredibly emotional rollercoaster; the day of the disaster is recalled with a devastating clarity. As an examination of the courage of ordinary people faced with extraordinary circumstances, only its brevity keeps this from being a true masterpiece.

If you are looking for an all encompassing book that looks at the FDNY role on September 11th and the aftermath - this is not that book. (Try "Report from Ground Zero" by Dennis Smith.) If you are looking for a book that looks at 9/11 with a broad view of the significance of that day on several levels, this is not that book. (Try the 9/11 Commission Report.)

What this book represents is small tribute - a thank you, if you will - to the men who lived in David Halberstam's neighborhood, if only in 12 hour shifts. In a narrow sense, it looks at one particular firehouse and the culture of that house. You are given a glimpse of each man and how they were viewed by their "brothers" on the job and in some cases, why it is that they found the FDNY to be their calling. Think of it as a series of extended obituaries not just for each of the twelve men who died, but also for the loss of what had been the culture fostered by all the men stationed in that house.

By portraying each of these twelve men, in a broader sense I think Halberstam is offering up a glimpse of each of the 343 men who died. Each house that lost a member - and numerous houses lost multiple members - likely had someone who filled the "Sergeant Major" roles that Bruce Gary and Jimmy Giberson had within 40/35. I suspect most houses had a funny guy, or a quiet guy, or a guy who didn't easily fit the fireman stereotype. I knew several firemen who died that day (either directly or through my brother who is on the job) and I can see character traits of those I knew in the men profiled in this book.

The quality of Halberstam's writing is well known and doesn't need commentary.

If you are looking for an all encompassing book that looks at the FDNY role on September 11th and the aftermath - this is not that book. (Try "Report from Ground Zero" by Dennis Smith.) If you are looking for a book that looks at 9/11 with a broad view of the significance of that day on several levels, this is not that book. (Try the 9/11 Commission Report.)

What this book represents is small tribute - a thank you, if you will - to the men who lived in David Halberstam's neighborhood, if only in 12 hour shifts. In a narrow sense, it looks at one particular firehouse and the culture of that house. You are given a glimpse of each man and how they were viewed by their "brothers" on the job and in some cases, why it is that they found the FDNY to be their calling. Think of it as a series of extended obituaries not just for each of the twelve men who died, but also for the loss of what had been the culture fostered by all the men stationed in that house.

By portraying each of these twelve men, in a broader sense I think Halberstam is offering up a glimpse of each of the 343 men who died. Each house that lost a member - and numerous houses lost multiple members - likely had someone who filled the "Sergeant Major" roles that Bruce Gary and Jimmy Giberson had within 40/35. I suspect most houses had a funny guy, or a quiet guy, or a guy who didn't easily fit the fireman stereotype. I knew several firemen who died that day (either directly or through my brother who is on the job) and I can see character traits of a Tim McSweeney, a Jeff Walz, an Arthur Barry, a Bronco Pearsall or a Harv Harrell in those twelve men.

The quality of Halberstam's writing is well known and doesn't need commentary.

Firehouse allows the reader to experience the events and consequences of 9-11 for the firemen and families involved. It is a personal account of the crashes but does not get maudlin in its descriptions. By the time you finish the book, you feel that you know the firemen and their families intimately. It leaves you with the greatest respect and gratitude for these brave men and their families.

Firehouse allows the reader to experience the events and consequences of 9-11 for the firemen and families involved. It is a personal account of the crashes but does not get maudlin in its descriptions. By the time you finish the book, you feel that you know the firemen and their families intimately. It leaves you with the greatest respect and gratitude for these brave men and their families.

While I enjoyed reading the book at the time I must admit it left no real lasting impression on me.

As a firefighter myself I appreciated the way the microcosm of firehouse life was explained and could identify with the NYFD personnel.

Just didn't feel like I had a greater insight to the calamity that befell the NYFD and this firehouse after reading this book than I did before.

A book called "Red Watch" about the London Fire Brigade which is also about the loss of firefighters I found had much more depth to it.

While I enjoyed reading the book at the time I must admit it left no real lasting impression on me.

As a firefighter myself I appreciated the way the microcosm of firehouse life was explained and could identify with the NYFD personnel.

Just didn't feel like I had a greater insight to the calamity that befell the NYFD and this firehouse after reading this book than I did before.

A book called "Red Watch" about the London Fire Brigade which is also about the loss of firefighters I found had much more depth to it.

Part 9/11 reminiscence, part tribute and part explanation of the culture that holds these men together, "Firehouse" tells the story of the 12 men from Engine 35, Ladder 40 who died in the collapse of the World Trade Center on 9/11.

David Halberstam lovingly tells the story of these brave men, as well as of their comrades, friends and families. His firemen are a throwback to an earlier macho ago, in which loyalty, tradition and hierarchy rule. Halberstam gives us the positive side of this culture, in which men bond in a time-honored, almost primitive way that maximizes their prospects for survival. Without this atavistic and sometimes brutal culture, Halberstam implies, firefighting would be even more dangerous than it already is.

This self-reliant culture was severely tested on 9/11. Halberstam relives the tragedy of watching brave men walk into places that many sought to escape. Putting their lives on the line for utter strangers, these men walked into an inferno to which nearly all would succumb. The starkest parts of the book are the heartbreaking stories of families waiting for the loved ones to contact them, and of the guilt of having recommended the profession to them or having switched shifts with those who died.

The book is a fascinating peek inside a culture many of us could not abide, but that none of us can live without. Halberstam falls short only by painting each man in utterly heroic hues. Each is a loving father, dutiful husband, devoted friend and courageous martyr. There are no dysfunctional families here, no alcoholism and little depression that can't be lifted with pep talk from a firefighting brother, father or uncle. Be that as it may, the book allows the reader to accompany men whose daily self-giving is hard to imagine, and yet is as commonplace as the street plug on every corner.

Part 9/11 reminiscence, part tribute and part explanation of the culture that holds these men together, "Firehouse" tells the story of the 12 men from Engine 35, Ladder 40 who died in the collapse of the World Trade Center on 9/11.

David Halberstam lovingly tells the story of these brave men, as well as of their comrades, friends and families. His firemen are a throwback to an earlier macho ago, in which loyalty, tradition and hierarchy rule. Halberstam gives us the positive side of this culture, in which men bond in a time-honored, almost primitive way that maximizes their prospects for survival. Without this atavistic and sometimes brutal culture, Halberstam implies, firefighting would be even more dangerous than it already is.

This self-reliant culture was severely tested on 9/11. Halberstam relives the tragedy of watching brave men walk into places that many sought to escape. Putting their lives on the line for utter strangers, these men walked into an inferno to which nearly all would succumb. The starkest parts of the book are the heartbreaking stories of families waiting for the loved ones to contact them, and of the guilt of having recommended the profession to them or having switched shifts with those who died.

The book is a fascinating peek inside a culture many of us could not abide, but that none of us can live without. Halberstam falls short only by painting each man in utterly heroic hues. Each is a loving father, dutiful husband, devoted friend and courageous martyr. There are no dysfunctional families here, no alcoholism and little depression that can't be lifted with pep talk from a firefighting brother, father or uncle. Be that as it may, the book allows the reader to accompany men whose daily self-giving is hard to imagine, and yet is as commonplace as the street plug on every corner.

The author notes that he has always admired acts of uncommon courage of ordinary people, an admiration which comes through in this 198 page accounting of a firehouse that is situated only 3 1/2 blocks from where the author has lived for 21 years, a firehouse that sent 13 brave unselfish men into the tragedy of the Twin Towers on Sept.11: 12 of those men where killed. Halberstam is able to let the reader come to know the men as individuals, the hopes and dreams of ordinary people in an extraordinary occupation, how the monstrous loss affected their families and other fireman, the pain of having funeral services without bodies, of having fathers,husbands, sons suddenly gone forever. There is insight into the living dynamic of the firehouse, the family of fireman, the nature of a job that requires risking one's life to save the life and property of strangers. This book is about "discovering the nobility of ordinary people", and very much worth reading.

The book Firehouse is about a firehouse in New York during 9/11 and after. The book shows the effects 9/11 had on the U.S. and espesially on the fire fighters in New York. The book is written by David Halberstam.
The book has many messages.The one that was the most apealing was that we must carry on no matter how bad something can be.The book hits sensative subjects and it messages are very meaningful.
I thought the story was good and I would recommend this book to those that want a good story. The book is deep, but makes you think about the sacrifice fire fighters make. It also makes you a bit angry at the aports that didn't detect the weapons?
It's a great book. I would give this a 8.5 out of 10. It made me want to be a fire fighter.

The book Firehouse is non-fiction. The author of the book is David Halberstam. The book is centered around a firehouse in New York City in downtown Manhattan. It was an FDNY station, and it housed Engine 40, and Ladder 35. They were known as the cavemen. Firehouse focuses on the life at the firehouse atmosphere and of the guys and how they relate and act around each other and their families. It shows the chemistry between all the firemen. The book does get sad at times because it was written about the guys in the station and the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.

I bought the book for my dad who is a lieutenant at a fire dept. in Cincinnati Oh. I first heard about the book from my English teacher who said she thought the book would be interesting. Once I picked the book up it drew my attention like a little kid and cartoons, once you start you can't stop. The book is very good and once you pick it up you will have a hard time putting it back down. It is a book that I would recommend it to anyone who likes firefighting or has firefighting in their family. It is great for a gift idea.