Brown, Daniel

Provides an account of the harrowing experiences of twenty-one-year-old bride Sarah Graves after her family joined with the Donner party seven months into their journey to California in 1846, and, equipped with snowshoes constructed by her father, pressed on with fourteen other relatively young, healthy people in search of help after the travelers became stranded by a snowstorm.

On September 1, 1894, two forest fires converged on the town of Hinckley, Minnesota, and the surrounding area, trapping more than 2,000 people. The resulting firestorm was so intense it burned 350,000 acres in five hours and created its own weather, including hurricane-strength winds, bubbles of plasma-like glowing gas, and 200-foot-tall columns of flames. Temperatures reached 1,600 degrees Fahrenheit---the melting point of steel. The firestorm became a conflagration more powerful than multiple atomic bombs. As fire surrounded the town, two trains running a gauntlet of fire became the only means of escape. More than 400 people died and six towns were completely destroyed. The results of this fire led to a revolution in forestry management practices and federal agencies that monitor and fight wildfires. Written by the grandson of a man who survived the fire as a child and whose great-grandfather lost his life in the fire, this book is a riveting account of what our immigrant and pioneering ancestors endured in their search for better lives.

Explores the history of the American eight-man rowing team that went to the Berlin Olympics in 1936--a group of west coast boys with little to no experience in rowing--discussing the great odds they faced in becoming chosen to represent their country over east coast teams, and the personal challenges each one of them faced during the Great Depression.

This book tells the story of the University of Washington's 1936 eight-oar crew and their epic quest for an Olympic gold medal, a team that transformed the sport and grabbed the attention of millions of Americans. It traces the story of the team that defeated elite rivals at Hitler's 1936 Berlin Olympics, sharing the experiences of their enigmatic coach, a visionary boat builder, and a homeless teen rower.

Explores the history of the American eight-man rowing team that went to the Berlin Olympics in 1936--a group of west coast boys with little to no experience in rowing--discussing the great odds they faced in becoming chosen to represent their country over east coast teams, and the personal challenges each one of them faced during the Great Depression.

Tells how in 1936 the University of Washington's eight-oar crew, composed of the sons of loggers, shipyard workers, and farmers who had mastered collegiate rowing, went on to the Berlin Olympics where they defeated Adolf Hitler's German team to achieve the Olympic gold medal.