Customer Reviews

Cocoanut Grove

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

 

 

Edward Keyes really paints a scenario of what Boston --and the world -- was like in the early 1940s. I am a baby boomer and have always relished my elders' stories of "the good old days", but he describes the ethical mores of the time, the fact that mail was delivered twice a day, that no woman EVER went out on the street without gloves and a hat, etc. And with that intro, he leads us into the tragic story of the Cocoanut Grove fire. I couldn't put it down.

....but this book is basically a rehash of the only other [and the BEST] book written about the fire, "Fire in Boston's Cocoanut Grove;: Holocaust!" by Paul Benzequin.
Personally, I'd save my money, and check the Benzequin book out of the library.

As far as I know, there are only two books on this subject and this is the better one. It's fascinating to learn the changes in medical care, emergency response and building codes that it brought about, but I was hoping for more detailed information on that. Someone could have written it better and more excitingly, but no one did.

This is an excellent book. It's just a tiny bit on the dry side, but that's not a criticism. The book sets the scene by creating an excellent picture of life in the early 1940's, and describes the events and people involved in what is certainly the best-known fire disaster in American History. Mr. Keyes certainly did his research well. For those are interested in history, you won't find a better book.

A reasonably well-written account of one of the most diasterous nights in Boston's history. One of only two books available on this topic. There are no pictures.

As far as I know, there are only two books on this subject and this is the better one. It's fascinating to learn the changes in medical care, emergency response and building codes that it brought about, but I was hoping for more detailed information on that. Someone could have written it better and more excitingly, but no one did.