Good evening and welcome to another edition of Inside the Cover.

Do you ever think about how and why a book comes into your world?

There are so many ways to learn about new reading opportunities.

For tonight's book, it was strolling through the Ford Rockwell branch of the Wichita Public Library and coming across a displa of books with one word titles.

It is now time to go inside the cover.

Tonight we feature Firehouse by David Halberstam.

It was copyrighted in 2002, and it was an offshoot of a writing assignment for Vanity Fair magazine after the tragedy of 9/11.

It tells the story of Firehouse Engine 40, Ladder 35, located at 66th Street and Amsterdam Avenue.

Halberstam long ago earned a spot in my pantheon of preferred writers.

I so enjoyed The Best and Brightest, Summer of 49, The Fifties which we featured on this show, and October 1964, one of my all time favorite reads.

When Firehouse was written, Halberstam lived some three and one half blocks from Firehouse Engine 40, Ladder 35.

Prior to the tragedy of September 11th, He had never been inside the building.

12 men from the firehouse perished at the Twin Towers and one fireman was severely injured.

Halberstam first visited the firehouse in mid-October of 2001, and he spent most of the next two and one half months there.

This book is about bravery, sacrifice, family, heroes, and the nobility of ordinary people.

It is about the profession of firefighting.

Halberstam clearly approached this book with respect and humility, and I found great dignity in his approach and in his writing.

He provides us insight into how and why people decide to be a firefighter, and how friends and family can influence and direct those decisions.

He takes the reader to lower Manhatta and the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center, and shares in vivid detail what it was like on that fateful day.

He addresses the great pride and professionalism of those who choose to become a New York City firefighter.

And perhaps most poignantly, he shares the pain of thos fellow firefighters and family who were left behind in the aftermath of this tragedy.

Of course, we were all impacted by this bright Tuesday morning in New York City but certainly not in any manner, such as those who lost a son, brother, husband, friend, uncle or fellow firefighter.

As Halberstam so appropriately wrote: ‘There are very few stories that I have writte in my 50 years as a journalist that have been so personally rewarding.

Though I was an outside who knew no one at the firehouse and was dealing with great many people, at the time when they were in considerable pain, I was treated with remarkable grace, generosity of spirit, and finally good humor by everyone there.

From the start, the families of the men from 40/35 who died on September 11th granted me the most important thing they had: their trust.” This book was on my list of top ten read for 2025.

It tells the story of Kevi Bracken, Captain Frank Callahan, Michael DAuria, Bruce Gary, Jimmy Giberson, Lieutenant John Ginley, Michael Lynch, Dan Marshall, Steve Mercado, Vincent Morello, Michael Otten, and Michael Roberts.

Gentlemen, you will always be remembered for your professionalism and your selfless sacrifice and unflinching bravery.

I am better off for learning a bit about your individual and collective stories.

That's our show.

Tonight, We have feature Firehouse by David Halberstam.

Good night and I look forward to our next discussion.

Until then, keep reading and keep thinking.