Brendan McDonough Livres

"Brendan McDonough was on the verge of becoming a hopeless, inveterate heroin addict when he, for the sake of his young daughter, decided to turn his life around. He enlisted in the Granite Mountain Hotshots, a team of elite firefighters based in Prescott, Arizona. Their leader, Eric Marsh, was in a desperate crunch after four hotshots left the unit, and perhaps seeing a glimmer of promise in the skinny would-be recruit, he took a chance on the unlikely McDonough, and the chance paid off. Despite the crew's skepticism, and thanks in large part to Marsh's firm but loving encouragement, McDonough unlocked a latent drive and dedication, going on to successfully battle a number of blazes and eventually win the confidence of the men he came to call his brothers. Then, on June 30, 2013, while McDonough--"Donut" as he'd been dubbed by his team--served as lookout, they confronted a freak, 3,000-degree inferno in nearby Yarnell, Arizona. The relentless firestorm ultimately trapped his hotshot brothers, tragically killing all 19 of them within minutes. A harrowing and redemptive tale of resilience in the face of tragedy, Granite Mountain is also a powerful reminder of the heroism of the people who put themselves in harm's way to protect us every day."-- Back cover

In this gripping memoir, the sole survivor of the disastrous 2013 fire in Yarnell, Arizona recalls the natural disaster that took the lives of 19 firefighters trained specifically to battle wildfires. On June 30, 2013, during a fire at which McDonough was serving as lookout, a freak inferno trapped and killed all 19 members of his crew. "My Lost Brothers" traces McDonough's minute-by-minute account of witnessing his fellow firefighters' brave, selfless battle-as well as its aftermath. Print run 50,000.

One winter's day, two old surfing mates decide to ditch work and go for a surf. After all, your worst day in the surf is surely better than your best day at work, right? As they paddle out and begin shredding the perfect offshore conditions (to their surprise) they're joined in the line-up by a little brown creature with long whiskers, a tail and doe eyes! The two old mates had heard many legendary stories about Sammy the Surfing Seal, yet neither of them ever thought they'd be lucky enough to see him ripping in person! Sammy's cutbacks, airs and re-entries were better than any professional surfer and his speed, balance and grace left the two old mates rather inspired. However, just as the surfers and their furry new friend were enjoying the most gnarly surf of their lives, a menacing creature crashes the party! He has an ominous look in his eyes and he is hungry for an entrée and lunch. The two intrepid surfers looked like a tasty morsel indeed! How will the three friends escape? Will this be their last surf together? Or will Sammy the Surfing Seal come up with an audacious plan and save the day?