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To Sleep with the Angels  By  cover art

To Sleep with the Angels

By: David Cowan,John Kuenster
Narrated by: Sean Runnette
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Publisher's summary

If burying a child has a special poignancy, the tragedy at a Catholic elementary school in Chicago more than 50 years ago was an extraordinary moment of grief. One of the deadliest fires in American history, it took the lives of 92 children and three nuns at Our Lady of the Angels School, left many families physically and psychologically scarred for life, and destroyed a close-knit working-class neighborhood.

This is the moving story of that fire and its consequences, written by two journalists who have been obsessed with the events of that terrible day in December 1958. It is a story of ordinary people caught up in a disaster that shocked the nation. In gripping detail, those who were there - children, teachers, firefighters - describe the fear, desperation, and panic that prevailed in and around the stricken school building on that cold Monday afternoon. But beyond the flames, the story of the fire at Our Lady of the Angels became an enigma whose mystery has deepened with time: Its cause was never officially explained despite evidence that it had been intentionally set by a troubled student at the school.

©1996 David Cowan and John Kuenster (P)2017 Tantor

What listeners say about To Sleep with the Angels

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amazingly gripping

let us not forget about the mistakes made in one of the worst fires in our country's history. some parts were hard to listen to but necessary.

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One of the saddest stories

This book, is one of the saddest stories I've ever read/listened to.
I listen or seek out this kind of book in an effort to get the story behind the headlines, beyond the sound bite. The personal stories mixed with the factual information was very well done.
I remember hearing about this fire when I was growing up but I certainly didn't know the whole story, and it's probably a good thing that I did not. I recommend this book though I have to say be prepared...

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Cant put it down

This book made me weep for the families who lost and the families who were destroyed

You felt like you were there at each step of the way

The history from the day of the fire to present is astonishing

Sad read but the triumph of all involved fire law dr and nurses make this proud to be of the human race

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Love this book!

I loved this book and the story although it was very sad it was very intense and great!

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Riveting and Informative

Brilliant account of the tragic school fire. I was riveted to the book the whole time.

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My First Study of This Event

This story was very well – written, and narrated. I think that the mixture of recollections from witnesses, firefighters, school staff, police and victims really brought home to you just how terrible this was. Another thing that really surprised me was the story about the fire’s origin. Suffice to say that it was rather terrible in its own right.

I agree with an earlier reviewer, who said that diagrams would have been helpful. I grew up in one of the western suburbs of Chicago, but it would’ve been nice to see exactly where the Parish, the school, and the nearest fire stations were located, as well as a diagram of the second floor.

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Gripping and very well written

Horrifying but a story that needs to be told and not forgotten. The authors bring this story to vivid life and I couldn’t stop listening.

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Educational

This was actually a pretty good story overall, many different accounts from firsthand of what happened. It did go into the investigation a bit and a little with lawsuits. I just wish that there would have been one additional chapter to describe the overall fire activity better, with possible diagrams, in order to get a better idea of the fire to go with the accounts of the incident.

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Gripping, true story

My family moved from the area surrounding this school in 1967. We lived on Springfield, one block down from the boy who confessed. This was a horrific event and my heart aches for the victims and survivors.

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Very moving but well written.

As a retired firefighter with almost 40 years on the job, I was at times moved to tears. This book helped to memorialize and honor the young children, nuns, firefighters and families. Not an upbeat book by any means, but it was a story that needed to be told. Hold tight to your emotions while reading this book, not for the faint of heart. I was glad to relive this story in book form... grateful I did not have to live it personally.

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