Women and Children First:The Horrible Hartford Circus Fire

by Donald H. Roy

Twenty-three days after the horrible Hartford circus fire, July 6, 1944, I was born in Hartford, Connecticut. My mother and aunt lived but 700 feet from the circus grounds. Growing up so close to the circus grounds caused me to be haunted by this fire, which no one spoke about much and no one adequately explained. In the 1980s, I began some research on the circus fire and eventually discovered a unique way of retelling this fire's long story. First and foremost, remember the personal characteristics of those who died, then read the documentary account of the fire over the years, and in the process consider this author's reflective commentary. Starting in the late 1980s, I began writing public policy dialogues, which turned into five Dialogues in American Politics, Public Policy Dialogues, Reuniting Eleven Multicultural Dialogues, The Dialogic Resurgence of Public Intellectuals, and State Institutions and Issues. My preferred way of writing is dialogic, since in politics there are always many different, compelling voices and perspectives to consider. In this circus fire book, there is a dialogue between the documentary evidence (the many voices) and my own commentary. Growing up a New Englander puts me in that tradition of seeking public accountability, thus the underlying, persistent theme of this book.

346 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2008

Reviews

[Bob · Rating 2 out of 5]

Skip this one, and read the other related books. This one is more like a telephone directory than the story of the fire and it's aftermath.