This is a very interesting book. I'm not much for a history book, but it reads more like a novel. Hard to believe that all these events actually happened - the fire chief making such awful decisions in blowing up buildings and scattering the sparks to buildings not yet on fire. The writing helps you to see the people trying to flee ahead of the fire with possessions piled high, and rejoice with the banker who got his bank's savings to safety. I feel for all the horses in the stables - right there in the middle of the city. Very interesting to read this snapshot and learn about what life was like in the early 1900's.