Could an entire city really burn to the ground? Oscar Starling never wanted to come to Chicago. But then Oscar finds himself not just in the heart of the big city, but in the middle of a terrible fire! No one knows exactly how it began, but one thing is clear: Chicago is like a giant powder keg about to explode.An army of firemen is trying to help, but this fire is a ferocious beast that wants to devour everything in its path, including Oscar! Will Oscar survive one of the most famous and devastating fires in history? Lauren Tarshis brings history's most exciting and terrifying events to life in this New York Times-bestselling series. Readers will be transported by stories of amazing kids and how they survived!

A detailed tour, inside and out, of Chicago's distinctive towers from an earlier age For more than a century, Chicago's skyline has included some of the world's most distinctive and inspiring buildings. This history of the Windy City's skyscrapers begins in the key period of reconstruction after the Great Fire of 1871 and concludes in 1934 with the onset of the Great Depression, which brought architectural progress to a standstill. During this time, such iconic landmarks as the Chicago Tribune Tower, the Wrigley Building, the Marshall Field and Company Building, the Chicago Stock Exchange, the Palmolive Building, the Masonic Temple, the City Opera, Merchandise Mart, and many others rose to impressive new heights, thanks to innovations in building methods and materials. Solid, earthbound edifices of iron, brick, and stone made way for towers of steel and plate glass, imparting a striking new look to Chicago's growing urban landscape. Thomas Leslie reveals the daily struggles, technical breakthroughs, and negotiations that produced these magnificent buildings. He also considers how the city's infamous political climate contributed to its architecture, as building and zoning codes were often disputed by shifting networks of rivals, labor unions, professional organizations, and municipal bodies. Featuring more than a hundred photographs and illustrations of the city's physically impressive and beautifully diverse architecture, Chicago Skyscrapers, 1871–1934 highlights an exceptionally dynamic, energetic period of architectural progress in Chicago.

The first authoritative study of Chicago's city houses, portraying a private world of midwestern splendor.

Examines the various debates the city faced after the Chicago fire in dealing with homelessness, the care and feeding of much of the population and the problem of rebuilding amidst political chaos and people working at cross purposes. Explains the events that led up to the Chicago fire: intensely dry conditions, a 20-m.p.h. southwest wind, and an unfortunate spark at 10 o"clock on the night of Oct. 8 all combined to turn Chicago into a "vast ocean of flame". The rift between the immigrant working class and the wealthy 'native-born' Chicagoans made Catherine O'Leary (and her famous cow) a perfect scapegoat for anti-Irish, anti-working class invective. Provides historical maps, plates and engravings, with an epilogue and notes.

The Great Fire of 1871 was one of most colossal disasters in American history. Overnight, the flourshing city of Chicago was transformed into a smoldering wasteland. The damage was so profound that few people believed the city could ever rise again.By weaving personal accounts of actual survivors together with the carefully researched history of Chicago and the disaster, Jim Murphy constructs a riveting narrative that recreates the event with drama and immediacy. And finally, he reveals how, even in a time of deepest dispair, the human spirit triumphed, as the people of Chicago found the courage and strength to build their city once again.

What if you had the chance to go back in time and change history? Firefighter John Kirk is living his dreams when a freak incident sends him 147 years into the past. when he awakes, he's in a Chicago hospital and discovers its September 25, 1871, just two weeks before the disaster known in history as the Great Chicago Fire. What people are saying 5.0 out of 5 stars A great book! James, I finished your book last night and I want to tell you how much I enjoyed the read and how nicely you portrayed Nicholas DuBach (my Great Grandfather) and all those Chicago firefighters. My Dad, Nicholas' grandson, told me many stories about what he knew of Nicholas' history. Now you have put all those Nicholas memories into your book. You portrayed him just as I remember my dad telling me. And how brave the Chicago firefighters were battling that horrific fire. Well done James. --Jim DuBach 5.0 out of 5 stars excellent book. This was a very good read. Kept me intrigued from start to finish. Recommended for all that like to be taken back in time with suspense and romance. --Y.B 5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Read I'm a retired firefighter turned history professor, so I'm always interested in books about fire service history. Chicago 1871 is chock full of well-researched details about 19th Century firefighting. It's a great story and a bit of a history lesson. Anyone interested in how they fought fires back in the day will appreciate this book. -- Lee Hutch 5.0 out of 5 stars Great Story! This story was really good! It was fast-paced and easy to read. I especially liked the humor and action scenes. It made me laugh, and cry, and the fire scenes were intense. I surely hope there will be a sequel. --Sara V. 5.0 out of 5 stars Great book! This was an amazing book, filled with just enough suspense, mystery, romance, and historical fiction to keep you fully engrossed. I can't wait for a second book! --JoyL.Vath 5.0 out of 5 stars WOW! A well thought out and emotional journey! Five stars don't do the story justice. --David Fogg

While spreading flames threaten to cut off all possibility of escape from the Chicago fire of 1871, twelve-year-old Nate attempts to save a wealthy young girl and to return home safely.