Book Review - Young Men and Fire
Norman Maclean reconstructs tragedy in Mann Gulch, Montana
Young Men and Fire. By Norman Maclean. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 1992; 301 pages. $19.95 (paper).
On August 10, 1949, fifteen invincible Smokejumpers exited a C-47 and jumped into Mann Gulch, located in western Montana. Within minutes of hitting the ground, they were in a foot race for their lives. Young Men & Fire is a non-fiction account of the Mann Gulch fire that would produce tragic results. Morman Maclean, an academic and accomplished author whose publications range from "A River Runs Through It" to "Manual of Instruction in Military Maps and Aerial Photographs", writes this story, which is published posthumously in 1992.
Three Sections
The first section focuses on the smokejumpers, the fire, and the events that transpired on August 10, 1949. As the fire is chasing the young men, it becomes difficult to lay down the book. Norman’s vivid word pictures demonstrate the beauty of the area, the fears and activities of the smokejumpers, and the events of that day.
The second section takes the reader on a detailed journey through the aftermath of the fire, the Forest Service’s Board of Review, and Norman’s attempt to reconstruct that fateful day. The author is very methodical in his description of the collective effort to understand this tragedy.
Norman’s editor seems to have finished the third and final section after Norman’s death. This section does not flow like the first two. It reads as if it was written to view the fire from the lens of the smokejumpers. This section does little to add to the story but does not detract from the book.
Military Similarities
The military reader should capture several lessons from this book. Junior military leaders will see individual soldier actions, leadership, followership, and training. The reader will see a small unit in a life or death situation from the safety of the armchair. Senior military leaders will be able to devise organizational lessons ranging from training plans to command and control structure. Though the author did not write Young Men with the military community in mind, it has clear parallels to military situations. Military leaders should capture these hard-learned lessons.
Creation of the backfire
Two situations are especially intriguing in this story; the first being the ingenuity of the human mind, and the second being perspective. With the recognition of impending death, the team supervisor developed a truly original escape plan, a backfire. This plan worked perfectly. Forest Service leaders have incorporated this escape technique into all future training plans. Additionally, the author recreates the tragedy from different vantage points. The reader is able to see the fire from many different eyes. Norman’s development of these situations keeps the story interesting.
Recommended Improvements
The book only contains one map, one illustration, and a few pictures. The map is very detailed. However, the story would flow much easier if the author placed several maps throughout the book. The illustration only represents a single event. Additional maps and illustrations would help the reader better visualize what the author is writing. The structure of the book is effective but minor improvements would make the book much easier to visualize.
Recommendation
Over all, Young Men and Fire is a great story and a great book. It is well written and compelling to read. I recommend this book to those interested in firefighting, leadership, or who want a good book to read.
