Customer Reviews

20,000 Alarms: The Memoirs of New York's Most Decorated Fireman

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I read this book, when I was in college. This is a very well written testament about the careers and experiences on New York City Fire Fighters. Ten years later, I am still trying to locate copies of this book, to give to my friends, who now work for the FDNY.

Many years ago, I lost my copy of 20,000 ALARMS, and now find it is out of print! This makes finding a copy tricky. What a blow! Fortunately I've read it so many times that most of has stayed with me over the years. I recently found a copy in another cities public libary and read it overnight. I think that this should sum up my review. If YOU have a spare copy, I'd love to hear from you! E-mail: p.jay@pei.sympatico.ca

This is the book to find. Like one of the other reviewers, I had this book many years ago, and read it until it literally fell apart. I found it again at a public library about two years ago, and I long to once again have it in my collection.

I read this book a number of years ago and remember it clearly. Lt. Hamilton earned all his many decorations. Mr. Hamilton seems honest and sincre in how he see's himself and his rescues, sometimes arrogant,and others humble. He clearly was the right man in the tough places at the right time. If you have ever eaten smoke, and faced the red devil fire, this book is for you.

I realize this book is out of print but I was a little disappointed with the condition this paperback was in when I rec'd it. My son is a firefighter and wanted to add this book to his collection so it was purchased as a Christmas gift. The book was really in pretty poor condition and I paid a lot of money for a paperback (over $60). If he didn't want it so much I definitely would have returned it.

I knew nothing about this book when it came across my way. I don't know that it's Shakespeare or literarily great. However, it is an excellent story and for that reason I feel strongly it should receive all 5 stars for it's particular niche within autobiography.

The book is about the career of one of NY's finest, most highly decorated fire fighters. Aside from providing solid advice that I would expect any young firefighter would want to know from a seasoned veteran of the craft, it also gives a very real depiction of a man throughout the various stages of his career, his hopes, his fears, his uncertainties, etc. Despite all of the heroic deeds, you get the sense this is a very relate-able person. That is pretty amazing to accomplish given the nature of the work.

So many other books of American heroes read as a resume of all the positive. There is a truthful, humility to this piece as the author points out where he made mistakes, miscalculations, had questions of his own judgment, and even realized he was being stubborn against the evidence. That really take a lot of character.

I recommend to everyone who likes reading about personal greatness in the biography or autobiography category, regardless of their proximity to this profession. Truly inspirational.

I saw this book on Amazon and purchased this book as a gift for a friend who is a fire fighter. He couldn't put it down. He said it is an excellent, well-written book and a must read for every fire fighter out there! While the average person, who is not a fire fighter, would not probably identify with the characters and stories in this book, the person who is a fire fighter will identify with them, because of their experiences on the job. This book is out of print and hard to find, but highly recommended

I too read this book some 25 years ago while in high school. My dad was in the fire department, read it and passed it along to me, saying if I wanted to read what his work was really like, this book said it all perfectly.

If you can find this book, buy it and pass along to anyone who wants to know what being a firefighter is really all about. Descriptive, accurate and pulls no punches in the job-warts and all.

Highly recommend it, even if only to read true adventure which novelists can't match.