Granite Mountain

The Firsthand Account of a Tragic Wildfire, Its Lone Survivor, and the Firefighters Who Made the Ultimate Sacrifice

By: Brendan McDonough, Stephan Talty - contributor

Narrated by: John Glouchevitch

Length: 7 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

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 Audio

Critic reviews

"This is a new breed of war story, of the citizen soldiers who stand between life and death, the forest and the fire. Through burnt moonscapes, in air choked with ash, they face flames as tall as towers and say, 'You shall not pass.' Powerful and lasting, this is a story of men who gave their all." (Adam Makos, New York Times best-selling author of A Higher Call)

" My Lost Brothers is a harrowing story of heroism in the face of natural disaster. It perfectly illustrates the kind of teamwork and camaraderie that informed the legendary squad of hotshots working to save - in this case - their hometown from utter destruction by fire. As perhaps the least likely guy ever to become a hotshot, Brendan McDonough more than lives up to his role after having been taken underwing by Granite Mountain leader Eric Marsh. That he has been able to keep on even keel as the Yarnell Hill Fire's lone survivor, having lost his mentor and his best friends, speaks volumes about his character and is a lasting testimony to the strength of his lost brothers." (Ed Viesturs, best-selling author of The Mountain: My Time on Everest)

"For an East Coast guy like me this book was a real education in wildfires, and the last few chapters were a terrifying lesson in how they can do the unpredictable. I was left with nothing but admiration for the Granite Mountain hotshot crew who put their lives on the line to protect the town of Yarnell." (Michael Tougias, New York Times best-selling coauthor of The Finest Hours and So Close to Home)

Gritty

Great book! A firsthand account with riveting detail and suspense. Not only was it detailed, but it was moving and had real grit. I know this book will help those with PTSD.

Amazing!!!

Truly amazing telling of heroism and sacrifice. Brendan McDonough gives it his all. A must read and listen for everyone.

Amazing Book.

I used this book for a semester in high school for book reports. It was very interesting & saddening.

Great listen.!

well written, and great audio. God bless our forest firefighters!! have a cousin who is 1

Nothing Ordinary here

Fighting fires like the Granite Mountain hotshots is something most people can’t fathom. I couldn’t imagine doing such a job. And then the unthinkable happens in a fire that expounds above and beyond comprehension. This is that story of the bravest of the brave.

Just wow

Very relatable. This book will make you feel EVERYTHING and it is impossible to put down or torn off. Such an incredible and impactful story.
Side note: my Eric’s name was Court. It paid honor to his memory to hear a story like this. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for writing this.

A brutally honest examination of a terrible loss.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would and I have. It's a book I think everyone should read.

What was one of the most memorable moments of My Lost Brothers?

...all of it? No. Seriously. There's no way to pick one.

Which scene was your favorite?

Several scenes. Mostly when Brendan discusses how working on the crew went from a job to a lifestyle, and his co-workers became his brothers. Also his decision to live after they were killed.

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

Too many times to count in both cases. I literally busted up laughing in the middle of a gas station at some of his self-deprecating comments, which the narrator dead-panned perfectly. Then I made people in Starbucks think I was having an emotional breakdown,

Any additional comments?

I have only said this about *one* other book. (Namely, Mike Massimino's "Spaceman", which is, I think, one of the best autobiographies. A retired astronaut, Mass' book makes you want to be a better person just by listening to him read it.) I believe everyone should read this book for a whole variety of reasons.

Hot Shot crews do a job that few of us could do and even fewer *would* do. It's hot, dirty, dangerous, extremely hard, and mostly thankless. Most people are unaware of them until it's their own town and their home that's in danger.

These crews make, in average, $13 an hour, and many are hired as seasonal workers - meaning no benefits. Meaning if they get killed on the job, their spouse might well have to fight for death benefits.

Brendan talks about the undeniable fact that the West is getting hotter and drier, and the fires, fed by the tinder of a hundred years of strict fire suppression, are growing bigger and harder to contain. This isn't a problem that's going to go away, nor is it limited to the western US.

There's much more to it than that. His story of being lost, finding redemption and a home among family, only to lose them again and have to start over makes it worth reading as well.

Great book

Great book of a terrible tragedy told from the survivors perspective. I would highly recommend this.

amazing

it is an amazing book on a subject I care deeply about an amazing book

The First Hand Account of the Survivor

Such an Incredible and touching story, and an amazing tribute to the 19 fallen Hotshots