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.

Fantastic

What a great story. After seeing the movie that is based upon this book, I had to listen to the Audible version. I would have loved it that much more if the narration was from Brendan but overall I was very pleased with how it was portrayed. The story gives you a behind the scenes look at what it's like to work as a team to fight incredible fires with little reward. It also portrays how a person's life can change dramatically for the good given the opportunity and support of good, caring people.

Well done Brendan.

Great story.

Loved this audio book. I could not stop listening. Narrated beautifully. I liked that it gave great insight into the fraternity of fire fighting.

Great lessons to be learned!

The events of June 30, 2013 at Yarnell have effected the lives of so many people in the fire world. Brendan has amazing courage to share the story with us.

I found myself thinking many times during the book, that he is so young, and he has carried the burden of old men.

Thanks for sharing your life dude!

Emotional book. Thank you Brendan.

Super emotional in the last chapters, what really hit me was Brendan talking about his depression and PTSD. I’d seen the movie multiple times but Brendan’s greave was new insight, which I could relate to from the tragic losses in my life. The feeling that everyone you love leaves and feeling alone in the pain, really hit my heart. Brendan got his finger tattoo in our shop in Chino but I sadly missed meeting him that day. Thank you Brendan for telling this story, as hard as it was. ♥️