A Letter From the Fire: Being an Account of the Great Chicago Fire.

From the moment the flames first leapt over the streets of Chicago in October 1871, this memoir immerses listeners in a world where fire reshapes a bustling city into ash and ember. The narrator, a twenty‑four‑year‑old immigrant fresh from Canada, offers a front‑row seat to the chaos, describing the crackle of wood, the panic of crowds, and the sudden disappearance of familiar landmarks. Interwoven with brief reflections on earlier catastrophes—from Rome to London—the account frames the Chicago blaze as part of a long, painful dialogue between humanity and flame.

Beyond the raw spectacle, the book follows the author's quest to untangle myth from fact, especially the notorious story of Mrs. O’Leary’s cow. He recounts whispered rumors, hurried testimonies, and a surprising revelation offered by a later newspaper investigation that reshaped public memory. Listeners will feel the urgency of a city trying to rebuild while the narrator balances personal loss with a determined search for truth.