Granite Mountain
The Firsthand Account of a Tragic Wildfire, Its Lone Survivor, and the Firefighters Who Made the Ultimate Sacrifice
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Narrated by:
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John Glouchevitch
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Written by:
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Brendan McDonough
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Stephan Talty - contributor
About this listen
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.
©2016 Brendan McDonough (P)2016 Hachette AudioYou may also enjoy...
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What the critics say
What listeners say about Granite Mountain
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Nana
- 2022-09-03
Honest, stunning & beautiful story telling
Stunningly beautiful story of heroism, love and resilience. The true story honours the brothers memories while being open and honest. My house burned down 11 yrs ago. My family & 1 pet escaped, 2 pets succumbed to the smoke. It wasn’t a wildfire but I know the emotional toil & economic devastation it has. Watching the firefighters climb through the windows was terrifying. They tried hard to save my things while putting their lives in danger. I kept thinking if their families then granite mountain tragedy happened a year later. Made me put loss into perspective of how lucky we were. Thank you for all you did, your brothers did and all the ones fighting today and in the future. Bless all the loved ones of these heroes.
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