Customer Reviews

One Foot In The Black: A Wildland Firefighter's Story

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Kurt Kamm may be new to the published writing field but his initial entry, ONE FOOT IN THE BLACK, is a solid one. Kamm manages to give insight into the dangerous field of firefighting in the notorious hot bed of California's 'other disaster' while at the same time carefully exploring the influence of parental imprinting and lasting psychic injury from distant or abusive fathers. The melding of these two topics makes Kamm's first novel a strong entry into the literary arena.

Kamm's choice of location for this story - California, the land of beautiful landscapes and vistas chewed almost every year by cruel wildfires fanned by the ever-threatening Santana winds- provides an apt background for his tale of a young graduate - Greg Kowalski - from a Saginaw, Michigan high school who flees his emotionally abusive firefighter father to prove himself a worthy man as a firefighter in California. The journey toward manhood includes thwarted love relationships, the fragile discovery of true family life, the rigors of militaristic firefighter training, the physically challenging aspects of facing the powerful terror of firestorms, the bonding and camaraderie with his fellow firefighters (as well as the fraternity hazing incidents that help mold Greg's maturing response toward becoming an adult), and the agony of facing the bitter consequences of losing his best friend to the fire monster he fights. In a manner of 240 pages Kamm creates a dramatic story of one man's struggle for finding his identity as well as writing an informative and obviously well researched examination of the art and danger of firefighting.

Kamm has the gift to tell a story well: his grace in writing will doubtless move into a more sophisticated realm as he moves to his next book. The flaws here are those of pacing and disruption of story flow, a factor the author elects to overcome by naming each chapter with the names of towns that reference his character's development - not a bad technique but one that prevents steady growth of character development in favor of episodic asides that slow the momentum of the story. This is a minor, fixable flaw, and one that in the end does not detract from the fact that Kurt Kamm obviously has the talent to write exciting, stimulating, and instructive novels. Grady Harp, May 08

"Wildfires have personalities. Some of them creep around in the brush and try to lull you into a sense of overconfidence. They hide until they gain strength and then overwhelm you when you least expect it . . ." I learned this from the author on page two. On page 241, I realized I could almost write the same verbal illustration for the personalities of the book itself.

One Foot In The Black, the book, begins in an anchor point, that place from which firefighters start building a fire line, or in this case, the story. A gripping presentation of subject and plot and the two main characters comes in the `anchor point' prologue with ". . . a year ago, I saw a man go up in flames."

Then, the personalities, the "spot fires, those flashes outside the perimeter that will ignite the main fire", start creeping in. They flare up in a back and forth accounting of past and present; chopping through the brush and strengthening and developing the two main characters: Greg Kowalski, an emotionally beaten down, but driven, young firefighter trainee on a mission to prove himself to his abusive firefighter father. And a massive wildfire named Pozo. Both young Greg and Pozo grow into another fire personality . . . "they come right at you, no tricks, nothing fancy, just all-out assault."

My deep admiration for the courage of the firefighters who risk their own lives to save other lives, to save the forests and the flatlands, the structures, that are the fodder of the flames was already built-in. I have a recently retired Battalion Chief in my own family. I witnessed the majestic Tetons and Yellowstone on fire in 2001. But in One Foot In The Black, author Kurt L. Kamm took me right into the belly of the beast and revealed the very guts and personalities of the `Fire' and the men that go up against them in battle. I guarantee you; I'll never view a wild land fire or a firefighter in quite the same way ever again. One Foot In The Black is as compelling and timely a book as any you could read. With the changing climate, I'd venture to say, as you need to read.

Susan Haley, Author
RAINY DAY PEOPLE - A Novel
FIBERS IN THE WEB

Most of the books I now read are from Christian authors and the perspectives are different. We live in the "real world" as firefighters and see people at the worst of times. It was good to read non-sugar coated material. I liked the accuracy of the fire service lingo, events. I've got the 18 "watch outs" right here on my desk.

One of the younger guys who saw me reading the book has already taken my copy to read. It's going to be good for us because I see the anger in him. You have reopened my eyes to look for the signs of the angry young men and I will try on my part to be a "TB" to them. Thank you for the book.

D. - firefighter/emt - North Carolina

Kurt Kamm was, through his excellent ability to artistically use words, able to keep me totally awake while I read his fascinating book. I was brought right into the story and felt each disappointment in the Greggie's young life. Then I travelled right along with Greg through each adventure. As a father of an L.A. County Firefighter and the grandfather of a Laguna Vista, Texas, Firefighter, I highly recommend this written painting of a firefighter's life.
Sincerely,
Rex Wagoner

Once I started reading One Foot in the Black I didn't want to put it down. The story kept moving and kept you wanting to know what was happening next. Following Greg's Journey from living with an abusive father to becoming a wildland fire fighter sets an example for all young men and women. Kurt shares a good picture of what it takes and what it is like to be a wildland fire fighter.

I didn't want the story to end. I want to know more about how Greg's career grows and how he deals with his past.

I heard about this book from others in my EMT class. After reading it, I have to say that I have a whole new respect for not only the fire fighters themselves, but for the element of fire. Mr. Kamm revealed to me the ever changing nature of a wildfire's personality. Being 20 years of age, I had no idea of the sheer bravery and danger firefighters are potentially faced with. I'm not sure if firefighting is what my destiny will be, but for some of my fellow classmates who are considering this field, this is a must read. "

A great insight into the lives and challenges of America' brave men and women who risk their lives (and sometime give those lives) to protect us and our property. Well researched and written. I couldn't put this book down. I read it in one day!

This is a phenomenal book. As a firefighter I was a little unsure how someone outside the firefighter family could possibly present our world fairly. However, author Kurt L. Kamm has done an incredible job of showing not only the rough and ready lives of firefighters, but the close knit ties that develop among firefighters.

Anyone who is considering becoming a firefighter, especially in the West, I highly recommend this book.

The book also takes a gritty look at a young man who has grown up in an abusive home and the incredibly painful impact abuse has on families, and the scars children carry as they struggle to find their own way into adult hood.

Anyone who thinks they are doing their children a good turn by "sticking it out" and staying married "for the sake of the children", needs to not only read this book, but take it to heart, especially Chapter 33.

This book is a novel, but it hits real issues in life head-on.

"One Foot in the Black" is one very good read... and one you will not forget.

Personally, I'm a firefighter's wife and we live on the East Coast so I couldn't see how this book was going to pertain to me in anyway. But once I started reading it, I was soaked in. Between the great descriptions of a wildland firefighter's training and the depth of the main character, I was finding myself more connected than I thought. I highly recommend this book for BOTH firefighters AND their significant others. It's dramatic without being cliche, but most of all, it's true-to-life. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author!!!

One Foot In The Black is a fascinating story of one man's journey from an abused childhood through his success as a wildland firefighter. Captivated from the opening prologue this story will keep your attention and never let it go.

Told through the eyes of Greg the main character, you learn about his troubled childhood at the hands of an abusive father. During the course of Greg's training in the fire service you are taken back periodically to his childhood. This masterfully written style lends meaning without taking away from the current events.

The story ends with you holding your breath wanting more. You will laugh, cry and root for the underdog as you are immediately engrossed inside the world of wildland firefighters and Greg's personal struggle to be more.