The Circus Fire

A True Story of an American Tragedy

By: Stewart O'Nan

Narrated by: Dick Hill

Length: 11 hrs and 15 mins

Publisher's summary

One of America's most acclaimed novelists turns to nonfiction in this powerful re-creation of the great Hartford circus fire, which took the lives of 167 people and forever changed the city and its people.

On July 6, 1944, in Hartford, Connecticut, the big top of Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus caught fire during the middle of the afternoon performance. Nine thousand people were inside. The canvas of the big tent had been waterproofed with a mixture of paraffin and gasoline. In seconds, the big top was burning out of control. Bleacher seats were fronted by steel railings with narrow openings; the main exits were blocked by caged chutes in which leopards and lions were maddened by the fire.

In re-creating the horrific events of one of America's most cataclysmic civic tragedies, Stewart O'Nan has fashioned both an incomparably gripping narrative and a profound, measured glimpse into the extremes of human behavior under duress. In the madness of the inferno, some, like animal trainer May Kovar and the tragic Bill Curlee (who tossed dozens of children to safety over the lion's chute), would act with superhuman bravery. Others, like the sailor who broke a woman's jaw to get past her, would become beasts. The toll of the fire, and its circumstances, haunt Hartford to the present day - the identity of one young victim, known only as Little Miss 1565, remains an enduring mystery and a source of conflict in the city.

But it is the intense, detailed narrative - before, after, and especially during the panic under the burning tent - that will remain with listeners long after they finish this exceptional book.

©2001 Stewart O'Nan (P)2004 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"This moving elegy does tribute both to the terrible tragedy and to O'Nan's talent as a writer." ( Publishers Weekly)

Horrid fire

Narration: clear but a bit too enthusiastic, almost as though narrator enjoys reporting this tragedy. A more somber tone would be more appropriate.

Story: necessarily grim story about the most devastating fire in circus history, with honored identification and description of the heroic actions taken by employees and citizens alike.

Those pitiful animals, not to mention people of all ages.

And to think circus fires were once that common!

Conclusion: recommended for those keen to learn about this particular Americana, heartbreaking for all others.

Brilliant but too distressing

It is very hard to give this book a star rating because my feelings about it are too mixed. It is fascinating, brilliantly researched and very detailed, but I cannot recommend it. The scene is set so clearly you can imagine in quite a lot of detail what is described - and therein lies the problem. I found I could not get more than half way through listening to it. The details of the deaths and injuries, the state of the corpses and the agonies the victims would have experience were so harrowing I found myself in tears a number of times and haunted by the descriptions for a long time. It is a good book, but be warned as to its content.

Would have made a better movie

Is there anything you would change about this book?

Definitely. If the author had stuck with one story line at a time instead of jumping around so much, it might have been less confusing. I found myself wishing it were a movie, so I could put a face with all the different names and visualize the layout of the circus. A lot of superfluous details could have been left out. I would have preferred an abridged version.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

Sorry to say, I have not been able to finish the book. The beginning held my interest, but the longer it goes on, the less I care to know.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

The only suggestion I can think of is to read with a little less emotion. The story is compelling enough in itself without trying to add any drama to narration.

Do you think The Circus Fire needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

No. There is almost too much information in this one book.

Any additional comments?

My review may be tainted by the fact that, prior to "The Circus Fire", I had just listened to "To Sleep With the Angels." While the subject matter is very similar, the story of the school fire was presented in a more cohesive fashion and was a superior listening experience for me.

Compelling true life crime book

I thought this was going to be a novel but was pleasantly surprised by how exciting the story was, anyway. Be warned-- some parts are very graphic. A part of US history I never even knew had happened!

Electrifying

An intriguing rendering of a truly horrific American tragedy. I couldn't stop listening to it.

One of My Favorites

This is going to be one of my favorite audiobooks, along with Angelas Ashes and Assasination Vacation. The author wrote the book because he moved to Hartford and wanted to read about the fire, but found no book really chronicled it objectively. It isnt for the squeamish, the stories are detailed and the experiences of the victims, survivors, and rescuers are detailed, but I found it a facinating discussion of human behavior under disaster, and a good portrait of the times and the average people who lived in it. What I might be most impressed by, was the preparedness state of Hartford because of other fires, floods, and WW2, and how those plans were put into action in reaction to the circus fire. I doubt that now, even in an age of war and terrorism, that Americans would be prepared like this, and have plans and contingincy plans on all levels, including individual store owners who rushed to turn their delivery trucks into herses and ambulances at a moments notice. Not all the stories are victriolic, there are some selfish villians here, but it does show generally the self sacrificing bravery of Americans, as well as the sensationalism of the press and the bogging down of the judicial system in the aftermath. The narrator is fantastic, giving voices character but not silliness in his presentation. It is a great vocal interpretation of a facinating book.

Clear and tender recounting

This book has two faces: the first is a clear, comprehensive discussion of the infamous Circus Fire that struck Hartford in the 1940's; the second is a sensitive accounting of the victims, living and dead, who experienced such a terrifying few minutes, without being maudlin or sensationalist. I must say, I didn't expect the book to be so compelling -- I've just downloaded it to listen to it again.

Tragic event. Great telling.

If you could sum up The Circus Fire in three words, what would they be?

Tragic. Powerful. Heartbreaking.

What did you like best about this story?

It was thorough, and linear. A lot of books seem to jump around in the timeline for dramatic effect (which sometimes works and sometimes doesn't) but this one doesn't do that.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

The story of Little Miss 1565 broke my heart. Afterwards I decided to do a search online and easily found her picture. Seeing it and knowing that was a real, dead little girl made everything hit home for me. After I was done with the book I just kept wondering how on Earth she hadn't been claimed. It's possible someone claimed the wrong body, but how? She was (one would think) the most identifiable of all the victims. Her story stuck with me.

Some good history on a bigone era

I had just visited the Ringling Museum in Sarasota and was looking for further info on it's circus. Whereas this story has some interesting historical information, there was a little too much descriptions of the burned victims and those who didn't make it.

Very Interesting

The author does a great job of telling this tragic story. Of course it's full of details that aren't exactly easy listening. But it's factual and not sensationalized at all. The narrator does a great job as well.