{"product_id":"the-circus-fire-9780385496858","title":"The Circus Fire","description":"\u003cb\u003eThe acclaimed author of \u003ci\u003eEmily, Alone \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003eHenry, Himself\u003c\/i\u003e brings all his narrative gifts to bear on this gripping account of tragedy and heroism--the great Hartford circus fire of 1944.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIt was a midsummer afternoon, halfway through a Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus performance, when the big top caught fire. The tent had been waterproofed with a mixture of paraffin and gasoline; in seconds it was burning out of control. More than 8,000 people were trapped inside, and the ensuing disaster would eventually take 167 lives. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eSteward O'Nan brings all his narrative gifts to bear on this gripping account of the great Hartford circus fire of 1944. Drawing on interviews with hundreds of survivors, O'Nan skillfully re-creates the horrific events and illuminates the psychological oddities of human behavior under stress: the mad scramble for the exits; the perilous effort to maneuver animals out of danger; the hero who tossed dozens of children to safety before being trampled to death. Brilliantly constructed and exceptionally moving, \u003cb\u003eThe Circus Fire\u003c\/b\u003e is history at its most compelling.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Anchor Books\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 06\/12\/2001\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780385496858\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 384\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.81lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.04h x 5.30w x 0.78d","brand":"Stewart O'Nan","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43084094046389,"sku":"9780385496858","price":14.41,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0473\/0804\/6492\/files\/img_a5748f6c-7759-484f-9a7c-2baf5562026b.jpg?v=1692110211","url":"https:\/\/pastforward.org\/products\/the-circus-fire-9780385496858","provider":"Past Forward","version":"1.0","type":"link"}