CHICAGO'S GREAT FIRE The Destruction and Resurrection of an Iconic American City

We all know the story of the Chicago Fire (Oct 8-10, 1871), which began when Mrs. O'Leary's cow kicked over a lantern. The entire city burned. In a somber voice, David DeVries narrates this authoritative and informative history of the fire, which documents the late and inadequate response by the fire departments and the loss of much of the city. Throughout this sweeping and exhaustive story, DeVries's steady, no-nonsense delivery explains the growth of this city, the minute details of the fire, the subsequent feeding and rehousing of survivors, and the extensive rebuilding of "the Big Windy." DeVries denotes newspaper reports by shifting his tone, contrasting that part of the account with the barely emotional narrative. On the sesquicentennial of the fire, Smith's detailed history celebrates the rebirth of this key Midwestern city. M.B.K. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2021]