Customer Reviews

The Fireman's Wife: A Memoir

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I am a fireman's wife and for the first time in 10 years, I understand that I am not alone with my feelings. This book allowed me to cry, laugh and nod my head as Susan explained the trials and tribulations of being a part of the firefighter family. Thank you to Susan for honoring our husbands for the important job they do and for their wives who sacrifice so much to enable our husbands to be there for our communities in their time of need. I recommend this easy-to-read, heartfelt memoir to all friends and families of safety personnel.-You don't have to feel alone.

As a former paramedic, I've read just about every memoir written by people involved in emergency services. Some obviously aren't written with much honesty so it's really refreshing when an author like Susan Farren tells her story with so much candor and respect for both her subject and her audience. I highly recommend this book. The life she describes with her firefighter/paramedic husband Dan and their children is at once accessible and at the same time extraordinary. Her description of her husband's injury at a fire and his recovery and the associated challenges faced by the family is a testament to their courage and devotion to their "calling." I'm looking forward to her next book.

Susan Farren wrote an amazing, detailed, funny, heartfelt description of a fireman's family. As the daughter of a fireman, I remember visits to the station, crawling on the engines and trucks,dad being gone on "OT", and how much he looked forward to his 4-days, so we could all spend time together. Seeing the life of a fireman's wife described so well makes me appreciate so much more what my own mom went through when I was little.

This is a fantastic book!! I fell in love with the fireman's wife and their relationship right from the start. It's a story of true love, devotion and strong family values from which all people can benefit.

This is one of the easiest books I've ever read and I can't wait for more from her. Tears streamed from my eyes both from sadness and wholehearted laughter.

Since 9-11, we are ever more aware of how much our firefighters and police officers do to serve us, selflessly. Dan's story is wonderful and pure and likely indicative of so many of our nation's civil servants. The unique perspective from which this story is told reflects the strong women and men who support them from behind the scenes. What a gift. I am so glad that she shared their wonderful story with the world! Truly, this is a must read:)

I am married to a fireman and though it is not always an easy journey, I found the author's viewpoint to be very negative and pessimistic. From the first pages, she discusses how she did not want her husband to be a firefighter, did not want him to work in the town he ended up working in, etc, etc. She is very quick to point out the frustrations and ruminate on them, yet quickly glosses over the positive aspects. Some aspects I have found to be extremely beneficial about being a part of the fire service, such as the support system and camaraderie, the author seems to feel are intrusive and take her husband away from her. The book seemed to focus solely on the difficulties of raising children without her husband present. It was their choice to have all those kids, so perhaps she should not complain so much. Having a spouse who is on shift is difficult, but there are people with loved ones serving overseas that are, in my opinion, facing a much greater hardship. The author somewhat acknowledges that point, but then quickly goes back to whining about doing things alone, her husband being the good guy in the kids' view, and being under a microscope because she is the wife of a fireman.
Furthermore, I felt that some the unsavory aspects of her personal story were somewhat downplayed. This book is billed as a memoir after all, so if you are going to write about your life for others to read, why not really write an honest story? She discusses not wanting to live in the town where her husband is able to find employment as she had lived there previously and had some difficult times there. However, those issues she faced there are never mentioned again or truly explained. Perhaps she would not have such a negative view of her husband's job and the fire service were it not for her personal bias against the town. The reader will never know. Additionally, she mentions her husband's issue with pain pills after his accident. The addiction is referred to very cryptically, as in "Something the doctors warned us about" or other strange euphemisms. If she is really writing this book for other women like us, whose husbands risk their lives every day and could potentially face some of these problems, why gloss over or allude to it but never truly fill us in? Overall, I feel this book would give women involved with a firefighter a very negative view of what is actually a very wonderful life.

My uncle was a Fireman in San Francisco for over 30 years and the realization of his job hit home to me as I read this book I have recommended it to everyone its an awesome story of Love Courage and family and Gods promise to see us through any trial even a fiery one .Lynnette Davis

I am the wife of a Fire Captain and I could relate to so much that Susan writes about. Thank you Susan for telling such a wonderful story! I read this book over a 24 hour period, no easy task with a 7 week old baby and a 3 year old, and with my husband at the fire station. I could not put the book down and didn't want it to end, I laughed and cried and totally enjoyed every page. This is a must read for any wife, or family, of a fireman.

Loved this book. It was past around for the wives of the fire academy to read. With my brother on for a few years, I thought I knew a lot about what this journey would entail. But this book was insight, funny, heart wrenching. It was a easy, quick read. I will know give this to all the new wives entering this department. It really opens you eyes on what to expect, from the shift to your husband's second family. Worth your time.

This is one of the best books that I have read! Susan really knows how to express what all fire wives feel. This book made me laugh, cry, and say "yep, I've seen (heard, felt, done) that!" so many times. I think anyone married to a fireman would love this book. I really appreciate the awareness it has given me. I only wish I read it sooner. As a 9-year fireman's wife myself, I highly recommend it!

This book was given to me by my firefighter fiancee soon after he proposed. What a Godsend! I consider this my "bible". Susan summed up the feelings we as wives have about our firemen husbands and does it in a funny, thoughtful and wonderful way. I recommend this be required literature for every fireman to hand out when they decide to propose!! LOL. Thanks Susan for sharing our side of the story!