One Foot in the Black by Kurt Kamm Search Amazon for other books by or about Kurt Kamm. Rating: Reviewed by: Kelly Davis

When I first received this book to review I thought it was an autobiography. When I read the liner notes I realized it was written by a fellow whose home was nearly burned down by one of last year's devastating wildfires - so at first I read it with a somewhat jaded eye. However, it's clear that author Kamm has really done his homework and, as you can see by the acknowledgments in the back of the book, he interviewed many firefighters who provided him with a myriad of inside information. I already appreciate firefighters but now I do so even more.

The story focuses on Greg Kowalski, one of the best, most sympathetic protagonists I've ever read in a novel. Growing up in an abusive household in Saginaw, Michigan, by a father who would make The Great Santini seem like Father Christmas. Greg's family of orgin is about as dysfunctional and abusive as I've ever read. One year, during a Christmas party, his father's boss introduced him to the idea of being a California Department of Forestry and Wildfire Protection firefighter. Being 19 and ready to escape his brutal father, he takes the challenge--partly to get away from his father and partly to show his father that he is capable of being a firefighter and perhaps making him proud.

From there the chapters skip from present-day to his life in Saginaw, on a very interesting (3+ day) bus ride to Sacramento to begin his training. Some might find this format confusing or cliche but I think it works, somewhat elegantly.

Greg plunges himself headfirst into firefighting, eventually becoming part of a Southern California-based very tight crew of firefighters, where he finds the family he's needed all along. In the mean time, he is called back home for a death in the family and it is at that time he realizes that his true family is with his crew, not his dysfunctional and abusive family back in Saginaw.

I won't give away any spoilers here but I will say that in addition to being an excellent primer on brushfire control techniques, it reaches beyond just that to family, to the very real camaraderie within each fire company who literally go through hell with each other.

I highly recommend this book to not only firefighting enthusiasts, but to anyone who comes from a dysfunctional family (and face it, who doesn't?) or just simply wants a good read.

Recommended highly!