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Book Review: One Foot in the Black by Kurt L.
Kamm
Oops, it wasn't until I had had read almost the entire book
that I discovered that this was fiction and not biographical!
This story is so well constructed it is impossible to tell fact
from fiction.
Oops, it wasn't until I had had read almost the entire book
that I discovered that this was fiction and not biographical!
This story is so well constructed it is impossible to tell fact
from fiction. The characters are life-like, and they are
crafted with a skill and panache that one rarely finds in a
novel. I was devastated when I discovered it was a novel, I
really wanted to ask Kurt Kamm about that time on the mountain
with the fire all around!
Having made my confession, let us talk about the story. The
title One Foot In The Black is a reference to fighting
Wildfires, more importantly the placement of firefighters, they
are in the just scorched area dealing with the fire at close
range. It is to say the least a dangerous place to be. If the
wind changes, you are in big trouble, but the science and
experience shows that you at least have a possible escape
route.
Author Kurt Kamm takes us on an odyssey of discovery, a
discovery of what it is like to be on the fire line, and a look
at what drives the people who risk their lives so that we still
have possessions after the fire has tried to rip through our
property. Maybe most important of all, we get to peek inside
the mind of one young man that has decided to make this his
career.
The style that Kamm has adopted is an interesting one, and one
that essentially permits two very different stories to be told
side by side. We have the story of 19 year old Greg Kowalski
entering the field of wildfire fighting, and we have the rather
dark and sad story of Greg's upbringing. Living in a
dysfunctional family with a verbal and physically abusive
father Greg can think of little more than how to escape. The
opportunity arises when he attends his father's 'office'
Christmas party. The abusive elder Kowalski is also a fire
fighter, and it is the station chief that offers Greg the
opportunity to move to California and become a seasonal member
of the CDF.
This is an opportunity that Greg cannot turn down, escape from
Saginaw and the oppressive regime that his father has created.
Of course there are downsides, what will happen to his mother
and sister, who will still be under the ogre's spell.
What Greg lacked in Saginaw, he finds in California, a father
figure he can admire, a father figure that offers genuine
friendship and leadership. Fighting wildfires is a dangerous
occupation, as Greg discovers first hand, caught by surprise
with a wind direction Greg faces a life or death situation. To
save himself, or risk near certain death to try and save his
friend and mentor?
I think it would be inappropriate to reveal more, I have a
sadistic streak! You will just have to read One Foot In The
Black yourself to find out what happens!
I really like the meticulous attention to detail that Kurt Kamm
has included. And clearly the detail is factual, his book has
been endorsed by several fire fighting organizations. Kurt Kamm
lives in Southern California and has had some first hand
experience with wild fires, apparently one actually made it to
the front door of his Malibu home.
You can find out more about this author from his web site, and
One Foot In The Black is available from
Amazon.
by Simon Barrett - 8th August 2008
Back
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Simon Barrett is an adult educator in Calgary, Alberta. With
the 11 months a year of winter, he reads a lot of books! He is
also a contributing editor for http://www.bloggernews.net
and maintains a personal blog at http://zzsimonb.blogspot.com
Article Source: http://www.creativewriter.me.uk
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