On September 1; 1894 two forest fires converged on the town of Hinckley; Minnesota; trapping over 2;000 people. Daniel J. Brown recounts the events surrounding the fire in the first and only book on to chronicle the dramatic story that unfolded. Whereas Oregon's famous "Biscuit" fire in 2002 burned 350;000 acres in one week; the Hinckley fire did the same damage in five hours. The fire created its own weather; including hurricane-strength winds; bubbles of plasma-like glowing gas; and 200-foot-tall flames. In some instances; "fire whirls;" or tornadoes of fire; danced out from the main body of the fire to knock down buildings and carry flaming debris into the sky. Temperatures reached 1;600 degrees Fahrenheit--the melting point of steel.
#216208 in Books 1666-01-01Original language:English 9.00 x .22 x 6.00l; #File Name: 148412820694 pages
Review
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. A whole new appreciation for this amazing authorBy Craig T. OwensOne of my favorite books is "Pilgrim's Progress" by John Bunyan. I just finished reading Bunyan's autobiography called "Grace Abounding To The Chief Of Sinners;" so now I cannot wait to read Pilgrim's Progress again!John Bunyan's autobiography is almost solely focused around how he became a Christian; and then how he defended himself against the Church of England after he became a follower of Jesus Christ.At times Bunyan's account of his struggle with his self-doubts about whether God would ever receive a sinner such as himself are absolutely heart-wrenching. He clung so desperately to the Scriptures that said God wanted to forgive him; and yet beat himself up with other Scriptures that talked about the vileness of sin. He felt that his sin had so wounded God; that he was unsure if he could ever be forgiven.In a way; I found this quite refreshing. It reminded me of Dietrich Bonhoeffer's warning against "cheap grace;" where far too many people trivialize the high price Christ paid on the Cross. But John Bunyan acutely felt his sin.So once he finally received God's forgiveness; he was a changed man who wanted to tell the world about his Savior. Unfortunately for the time in which he lived; his message of salvation wasn't "sanctioned" by the Church of England; which landed him in jail for over a decade. The second-half of his autobiography is a play-by-play account of his interaction with the judges who tried and sentenced him. In this account; we read the words of a man who thoroughly knew Scripture; and knew how to use it!It's a fascinating biography; which I think any reader will enjoy.16 of 16 people found the following review helpful. Freedom From AnxietyBy Michael J. GreinerIf Bunyan were alive today and examined by a psychiatrist; they would say he was struggling with Obsessive Compulsive disorder. This book chronicles his wrestling with his own mind; his own fears; his own anxieties. This is not to say that his battle is not also spiritual; for indeed it is that.His fear is that he has lost his chance at salvation by cursing Jesus; somehow committing an unpardonable sin. No matter how many times he comforts himself with the truth; it seems to be pulled away from him by other fears.Ultimately he determines that even if he is thrown into hell; he will still honor Jesus. Eventually; he is freed from this mental torment after a couple of years.I was helped greatly by this book when in a period of intense anxiety in my own life. It was a great help to know that someone else went through similar things. I have also recommended this book to many who are currently struggling with anxiety.It is said that before using a man greatly; God breaks him. Bunyan's dark night of the soul is here recorded. God would bring him to great weakness and then later use him greatly. This book is worth your money and time.One side note: the book is written in a style of English that is dated. You can still follow it; but it takes a little work.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Difficult Read but Worth The StruggleBy bibliophileA classic spiritual autobiography; this book probes deeply into Bunyan's soul as he became a Christian believer and found his way. He struggled long and hard with assurance of his salvation. Eventually he comes to a proper Biblical understanding. Unlike; for example; Augustine's Confessions; Bunyan does not give details of his life that do not relate directly to the subject of his faith. I never did figure out what was "enhanced" about this version.
