The true story behind the events that inspired the major motion picture Only the Brave. A "unique and bracing" (Booklist) first-person account by the sole survivor of Arizona's disastrous 2013 Yarnell Hill Fire, which took the lives of 19 "hotshots" -- firefighters trained specifically to battle wildfires. Brendan McDonough was on the verge of becoming a hopeless, inveterate heroin addict when he, for the sake of his young daughter, decided to turn his life around. He enlisted in the Granite Mountain Hotshots, a team of elite firefighters based in Prescott, Arizona. Their leader, Eric Marsh, was in a desperate crunch after four hotshots left the unit, and perhaps seeing a glimmer of promise in the skinny would-be recruit, he took a chance on the unlikely McDonough, and the chance paid off. Despite the crew's skepticism, and thanks in large part to Marsh's firm but loving encouragement, McDonough unlocked a latent drive and dedication, going on to successfully battle a number of blazes and eventually win the confidence of the men he came to call his brothers. Then, on June 30, 2013, while McDonough -- "Donut" as he'd been dubbed by his team--served as lookout, they confronted a freak, 3,000-degree inferno in nearby Yarnell, Arizona. The relentless firestorm ultimately trapped his hotshot brothers, tragically killing all 19 of them within minutes. Nationwide, it was the greatest loss of firefighter lives since the 9/11 attacks. Granite Mountain is a gripping memoir that traces McDonough's story of finding his way out of the dead end of drugs, finding his purpose among the Granite Mountain Hotshots, and the minute-by-minute account of the fateful day he lost the very men who had saved him. A harrowing and redemptive tale of resilience in the face of tragedy, Granite Mountain is also a powerful reminder of the heroism of the people who put themselves in harm's way to protect us every day.

On June 30, 2013, Yarnell, Arizona was devastated by two tragedies. The Yarnell Hill Fire that started June 28 had grown to over 1000 acres. When the wind changed, 19 of the 20-man Granite Mountain Inter-agency Hotshot Crew from Prescott, Arizona, were trapped, overcome and killed. The fire then spread into town and destroyed 127 homes -- over one-fourth of the community. This is the story of that fire and how Yarnell is achieving a remarkable recovery.

BLACK & WHITE INTERIOR EDITION: On June 30, 2013, Yarnell, Arizona, was devastated by two tragedies. The Yarnell Hill Fire that started June 28 had grown to over 1000 acres. When the wind changed, 19 of the 20-man Granite Mountain Interagency Hotshot Crew from Prescott, Arizona, were trapped, overcome and killed. The fire then spread into town and destroyed 127 homes—over one-fourth of the community. This is the story of that fire and how Yarnell is achieving a remarkable recovery.

The definitive account of one of the deadliest wildfires in U.S. history, which killed nineteen elite firefighters of the Granite Mountain Hotshots and also inspired the major motion picture Only the Brave. “A tear-jerking classic.”—Outside • Named One of the Best Books of the Year by Men’s Journal On June 28, 2013, a single bolt of lightning sparked an inferno that devoured more than eight thousand acres in northern Arizona. Twenty elite firefighters—the Granite Mountain Hotshots—walked together into the Yarnell Hill Fire, tools in their hands and emergency fire shelters on their hips. Only one of them walked out. An award-winning journalist and former wildland firefighter, Kyle Dickman brings to the story a professional’s understanding of how wildfires ignite, how they spread, and how they are fought. He understands hotshots and their culture: the pain and glory of a rough and vital job, the brotherly bonds born of dangerous work. Drawing on dozens of interviews with officials, families of the fallen, and the lone survivor, he describes in vivid detail what it’s like to stand inside a raging fire—and shows how the increased population and decreased water supply of the American West guarantee that many more young men will step into harm’s way in the coming years. Praise for On the Burning Edge “Dickman weaves a century of fire-management history into the fully realized stories of the men’s lives—the sweat, the adrenaline, the orange glow of fire within their aluminum shelters, and the chewing gum that hotshot Scott Norris left in the shower before telling his girlfriend, Heather, ‘I’ll take care of it later. I promise.’”—Outside “Dickman offers a riveting account of a dangerous occupation and acts of nature most violent—and those who face both down.”—Library Journal

FULL COLOR EDITION. On June 30, 2013, Yarnell, Arizona, was devastated by two tragedies. The Yarnell Hill Fire that started June 28 had grown to over 1000 acres. When the wind changed, 19 of the 20-man Granite Mountain Interagency Hotshot Crew from Prescott, Arizona, were trapped, overcome and killed. The fire then spread into town and destroyed 127 homes-over one-fourth of the community. This is the story of that fire and how Yarnell is achieving a remarkable recovery.

Biography of experiences by an American living in Southeast Turkey and Northern Iraq during and after the first Gulf War.