Fire in the Grove: The Cocoanut Grove Tragedy and Its Aftermath

by John C. Esposito

On Saturday night, November 28, 1942, Boston suffered its worst disaster ever. At the city's premier nightspot, the Cocoanut Grove, the largest nightclub fire in U.S. history took the lives of 492 people—nearly one of every two people on the premises. A flash of fire that started in an imitation palm tree rolled through the overcrowded club with breathtaking speed and in a mere eight minutes anyone left in the club was dead or doomed. The Grove was a classic firetrap, the product of greed and indifference on the part of the owners and the politicians who had knowingly allowed such conditions to exist. Against the backdrop of Boston politics, cronyism, and corruption, author John C. Esposito re-creates the drama of the fire and explores the public outcry that followed. In retelling the horrific events of one of America's most cataclysmic tragedies, Esposito has fashioned both an incomparably gripping narrative and a vibrant portrait of the era. But it is the intense, detailed narrative of the fire—harrowing yet compulsively readable—and the trials that followed that will stay with the reader well after they finish this remarkable book.

"[Esposito] reminds us that the cautionary tale of the Cocoanut Grove is still relevant today."
—New York Law Journal

Genres: History, Nonfiction, American History, Historical, Horror, Tragedy, American

288 pages, Paperback

First published October 9, 2005

Reviews

[Samantha Glasser · Rating 5 out of 5]

On November 28, 1942 the Cocoanut Grove nightclub was packed with people waiting for the floor show to begin, drinking cocktails and having a good time. A fire began in the basement Melody Lounge which quickly spread across the club, ultimately killing almost 500 people, including actor Buck Jones, whose death alerted me to this story. The people running the club seemed well connected with top political figures, making them immune to the regulations normally in place for such businesses. A trial followed, and regulations became stricter to prevent future tragedies.

This book is incredibly well-written. Esposito begins with a quick background of the club and the shady way it changed hands when the original gangster/owner was murdered. Then he plunges into the story of the night of the fire, giving the names of victims and survivors with a quick description of who they were and why they were there. These expert introductions give the reader an emotional connection to the people there and makes their fates all the more harrowing to read about. However, the book never feels indulgent. The writer is an attorney who presents the facts without wallowing in the gore. He also explains complex medical science and law in a way that is easy to understand.

There is a brief rundown of a more recent nightclub fire at the Station which killed 100. It shows that incidents like this are not isolated to the past and makes the Cocoanut Grove fire feel relevant.

I wish the author had written other books, because I surely would read them. I am also interested in learning more about some of the victims of the fire, like Bunny Leslie, the cigarette girl; Stanley Tomaszewski, a 16-year-old employee accused of inadvertently starting the fire; or Clifford Johnson, a sailor who barely survived the fire and married one of his nurses. I highly recommend this book.

[Todd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite a good book about the Cocoanut Grove fire. The BFD released the witness statements in October of last year, but this reads as if Esposito got hold of them for the book. The BPL also has a collection of photos, some of which were presented to the jury at the trial. I've read most of that stuff, so I am pretty familiar with the events, but this book does a good job at highlighting the corruption and malfeasance of city and state officials which makes all the more tragic that no officials were tried or even charged.

This fire is particularly interesting to me for several reasons. First, Boston, as a city, seems to want to forget it even happened. There's one pathetic little plaque embedded in the sidewalk on Piedmont Street, the sole memorial to the event. Contrast that with the firefighter memorial on Comm Ave at the Vendome Hotel, or other ostentatious memorials of tragic events and one has to wonder why is there, really, nothing commemorating the largest nightclub fire up to that time, and second largest loss of live in any public venue in the country ever. It's my view that any memorial of the Cocoanut Grove would also be a memorial and reminder of wanton public corruption.

This is a good read that puts a good context to the tragedy although it's a bit lacking in some contemporary detail. The book points out that so many military were killed because Boston was a major embarkation point of the war, but leaves it at that. There are no facts or figures to illustrate the point (like, South Station was the busiest train station in the country for that reason). It does an okay job at describing the importance of the BC/Holy Cross football game played earlier that day, though.

There's also an interesting bit about the myths and legends that have grown up about the fire (no, there is no law against naming a club "Cocoanut Grove" although why anyone would want to, who knows). Also included is a postscript about The Station nightclub fire in Rhode Island and the eerie similarity between the two.

Good book. Definitely worthwhile.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

An overcrowded night club covered in flammable velvet. A maze of hallways and staircases. Exit doors locked or hidden behind palm trees or in service areas. City codes ignored. Palms greased. A match is lit by a bar boy. In ten minutes, the Cocoanut Grove is engulfed in flames, panic ensues, and 492 people lose their lives. Soldiers, students, couples celebrating anniversaries, staff.

This tragic tale engaged me, saddened me, angered me. It should be remembered.

[Fishface · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good overview of the Cocoanut Grove nightclub fire of 1942. I now have a tiny taste of what caused the police and firemen to go home with white hair after leaving for work looking like young men. I was a little thrown to see how many other books the author was able to cite on the same subject and I wonder how different the information is in all those other treatments. This book included, as a postscript, some details of the Great White concert fire in Rhode Island a couple of years ago, as a way of illustrating the ultra-high-tech methods now used to analyze fires, as well as the differences between that fire and this one.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is exceptionally well written and can be read in a weekend even though it is not an insubstantial book. The author dives in feet first and doesn't waste time trying to build sympathy for the victims (honestly not necessary because what happened was so horrific). If I had a teen in my circle of influence, I would insist that they read this because, besides the above, the author touches on several topics in such a way that one might be inspired to study more in depth, e.g. fire science, architecture, public administration/public health, law, etc.

[Kendra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exhaustively researched. This account satisfied all of my questions about the historic tragic fire as well as the political liasonships, etc.

[Rhonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very well-researched book on a little known US tragedy. This book covers every aspect of the true story of the most deadliest nightclub fire in US history. The book starts with the history of the Cocoanut Grove and its murky ownership, as well as Boston political figures at that time. The book details the numerous safety violations, and how these violations were ignored by inspectors, and permits issued even those safety violations were occurring. The book discusses the different theories on how the fire started, and how it so rapidly spread throughout the nightclub. Many personal stories of people, both guests and employees, inside the nightclub at the time of the fire are described. Detailed descriptions of the fire fighting and rescue operations are given, as well as how and why people died in the nightclub. The author also covers in vivid detail (perhaps too vivid for some readers), the extent of injuries, and the medical treatments used. Quite interesting is the chapter on the 2 different treatments used by the 2 main hospitals caring for victims (a treatment standard at that time, and 1 treatment experimental) and how the results of these treatments changed the standard of treatment for burn victims to essentially what we used today. Also covered is how studies on some of the surviving victims led to a better understanding of what we now call today PTSD. The book finishes with a detailed description of the trials, the legal precedents set by the trials, and the ending story lines of the people whose errors, negligence, and incompetence led to this tragedy. Also covered was the call for new laws to be passed to prevent future tragedies of this sort from happening--even though the book makes clear that this tragedy would not have occurred, if the existing laws at that time had been followed. As a post-script, the author includes a chapter on The Station nightclub fire, its similarities to the Cocoanut Grove fire, and lessons learned from The Station tragedy. Also included is a chapter on safety tips and what people should do to protect themselves from fire in public buildings. Overall, this book covers all aspects of the Cocoanut Grove fire, and should be interested to anyone who wants to learn about fires in public buildings, Boston history, or government corruption.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read a few accounts of this famous fire over the years, and this was a pretty good addition, although I will admit skim reading through the portions after the details of the actual terrible event. So many things contributed to the horrible death toll and injuries. I like accounts that focus on the individual struggles and what bits of luck or happenstance, or even good decisions, that help some live and others perish.

[Mark Goodwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy to read, very interesting and full of drama - both the actual event and the
subsequent investigation and trial.

[Lawrence · Rating 4 out of 5]

On Saturday night, November 28, 1942, Boston suffered its worst disaster ever. At the city's premier nightspot, the Cocoanut Grove, the largest nightclub fire in U.S. history took the lives of 492 people--nearly one of every two people on the premises. A flash of fire that started in an imitation palm tree rolled through the overcrowded club with breathtaking speed and in a mere eight minutes anyone left in the club was dead or doomed. The Grove was a classic firetrap, the product of greed and indifference on the part of the owners and the politicians who had knowingly allowed such conditions to exist. Against the backdrop of Boston politics, cronyism, and corruption, author John C. Esposito re-creates the drama of the fire and explores the public outcry that followed. In retelling the horrific events of one of America's most cataclysmic tragedies, Esposito has fashioned both an incomparably gripping narrative and a vibrant portrait of the era. But it is the intense, detailed narrative of the fire--harrowing yet compulsively readable--and the trials that followed that will stay with the reader well after they finish this remarkable book. " Esposito] reminds us that the cautionary tale of the Cocoanut Grove is still relevant today."

[Mme Forte · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's hard to say "really liked it" about this book, but I did like the writing and the amount of information conveyed without sensationalism or a surfeit of drama.

On November 28, 1942, the Cocoanut Grove nightclub in Boston burned. Overcrowded, lacking sufficient accessible exits, and chock-full of flammable materials, it was a tragedy waiting to happen. And that tragedy occurred. About 490 people -- half of the crowd in the club that night -- died on the spot or after a short time in the hospital.

Without telling the story myself, I can't say much except that it's terrible that it takes horrors like this to make us look at how we manage our public accommodations and how poorly we take care of our fellow humans. Greed, self-interest, cowardice, and stupidity all converged in this case to destroy not only nearly 500 people, but possibly the lives of their nearest and dearest. Children lost parents; parents lost children; whole families lost their lives.

If nothing else, I'm vindicated in my habit of looking around every new space I enter and thinking, "How am I gonna get out of here if I need to?"

[Nancy Loe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better researched than the first Cocoanut Grove book by Keyes.

[Claudia · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little-known tragedy outside of the Boston, Massachusetts area, the fire at the Cocoanut Grove and it's nightclubs within the warren of buildings and rooms took place on November 28, 1942. The final count was 492 dead and a number of people that survived with horrendous injuries - be they burns or the mental anguish of surviving.

This was the premier night-stop for the residents and visitors to Boston either in the Cocoanut Grove itself, the basement Melody Lounge or the newly opened Broadway Lounge and it was packed that night, filled to overcapacity. A worker was tightening a deliberately loosened lightbulb in the Melody Lounge when the decoration it was set in caught fire and in turn, ignited the fabric covering the ceiling like a billowing sky. Unfortunately, there was only one known exit out of the basement and the fire raced up the ceiling of the stairway quicker than the panicked attendees. Within minutes, the entire building was engulfed and between terrified people, locked and/or hidden doors and toxic black smoke rolling throughout, hundreds were dead before they even realized there was a fire.

In the end, three people were charged with involuntary manslaughter for 20 of the people that died. Only one - the owner - was convicted. This was the time of political corruption in various levels of government and directors/managers along with some of their employees were very adept at passing responsibility between departments. So several were brought up on charges - to the electrician (who was not certified) to the inspectors who didn't mention the lack of doors and maze-like corridors as well as the mayor and fire chief.

It is the aftermath that lingers to this day.
- A breakthrough in the treatment of extensive burns especially dealing with the area beyond the burn area itself to include shock, edema, fluid loss and malnutrition as the body burns calories while attempting to deal with the damage done.
- The basic psychological observations of the survivors that provided the foundation of PTSD or post-traumatic stress disorder.
- the deadly effects of prolonged smoke inhalation as well as the damage done by toxic smoke as well as incompletely combusted materials.
- and the definition of involuntary manslaughter was extended to include reckless disregard for the safety of patrons in the event of fire. Beforehand, it just included driving a car or firing a gun recklessly.

The book itself reads very quickly - using trial transcripts and recreation of how the fire would have likely moved due to current scientific research in fire movement, included the deadly flashover effect. The author also gives some recommendations for the reader to assess any building or rooms they may enter for possible danger or obstruction from fire. To evaluate where the exits are. Does the building itself make you feel safe. Is there a clear path to the exits or does a packed crowd block your way. Keep your wits about you - think clearly - and once you're outside, stay out. Don't go back in.

The only negative is that it refers within to some pictures and floor diagrams that were not included in this edition.

2021-057

[Kenya Starflight · Rating 4 out of 5]

On November 28, 1942, a small fire broke out in the Cocoanut Grove nightclub in Boston, Massachusetts. That fire would end up growing into a blaze that would kill over 490 people, injure hundreds more, and churn up anger and controversy for years to come. In this book, John C. Esposito gives a horrifying but fascinating account of the fire, one that will interest even those who think they're familiar with the story.

John doesn't just give a detailed account of the fire and its possible causes (the exact cause of the fire is still unknown to this day). He gives a history of the Cocoanut Grove as an establishment, its checkered past as it passed hands from a mob boss to his lawyer, and the corners cut in its construction that led to it becoming a deathtrap when the fire grew out of control. He gives us a glimpse at many of the people involved in the story -- owners, employees, patrons/victims, city officials, lawyers, etc. He details the efforts to save injured victims, the ensuing legal battles, and even some of the rumors and myths that have sprung up in the wake of the fire... and debunks many of those myths and rumors in the process.

For the most part, this book follows the usual format for "disaster" books of this type -- lead-up, disaster, aftermath, legacy. The prose is decent, even good, and for the most part he tries to stick to established facts -- occasionally he will make conjecture as to someone's thoughts or exact words in a situation, but at least he makes it clear that it's conjecture on his part ("he must have thought/said" for example). And it paints a clear picture of what happens when corners are cut and potentially lifesaving laws and regulations are ignored in favor of turning a profit... and shows that, all too often, that legislation is written in blood.

The book also includes an "epilogue" of sorts in the form of a short account of the then-recent Station Nightclub Fire in Rhode Island, which took place nearly sixty years later but shares some eerie similarities with the Cocoanut Grove fire. It can seem out of place at first, but it does serve as a sad reminder that those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. If the reader's interested in a more in-depth account of the Station fire, I recommend Killer Show or Trial by Fire: A Devastating Tragedy, 100 Lives Lost, and A 15-Year Search for Truth.

A devastating account, but well-researched and well-told. Probably not for the faint of heart, though, especially if you have a phobia of fire or enclosed spaces.

[Ben Savage · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid overview of the Cocoanut Grove fire and the legal case after it.

I don't *think* I've read this before. But I cant be sure. The Cocoanut Grove fire in Boston, November 28,1942, was one of the deadliest nightclub fires in history. 492 dead and stringent safety requirements enacted- after the deaths, the smoke, the crush of people.

I read this as a bit of light reading to quote Harry Potter. I read this after my previous book ( obviously) to recharge and read fire stuff while on shift. This book doesn't linger on the details but like other Boston bases writing, gets right to the point. Quick, direct and with supporting quotes throughout, this book covers the fire and legal case.

I was suprised by the quick coverage of the fire- it took only a few pages to start and I realized " oh this is now the fire, not just a character study". The fire itself was covered in brief, almost stattacco fashion. First it starts, then it spreads, then it kills, then its out.

The legal case is covered in such fashion as well. It is set up, indictments handed down, the jury tours the sight, the owner is charged. It was interesting to hear how things were interrelated and not pursued for that same interrelatedness.

Overall, this book was a good overview and a nice quick read. I was annoyed slightly by the information contained in the footnotes- some of that could add meat to sparse passages. Yet it was informative and complete. The book ends with the then-new indictment of the Station Nightclub Fire. Back in 03, where nothing seems to have been learned.
The more things change the more things stay the same, unfortunately.
Embrace and strenously enforce building codes.

[Fionnuala · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been reading a lot of these disaster non-fiction books this year, and this one was yeah. Alright. I don't have any major qualms with it aside from the fact that compared to the others I've read, this one could be a little dry at times. It's not just a look at the fire itself but rather the aftermath, too, which is normal for these books, but while the others I've read have managed to outline all the more technical and legal details in a compelling way this one sometimes fell short on that. I'm sure plenty of others find it very interesting, but there was just something about the way this was written that made it a little tough to get through.

Despite the often dry writing, it was still an informative book. This is a case I'm pretty familiar with this case (I love learning about all major disasters and catastrophes, but large infernos are my particular specialty) but there was still information there that I didn't previously know, or insights that put things into new light. As is essential with books dealing with these kinds of topics, the writing was respectful and free of sensationalism, even dedicating a chapter to examining the various rumours that have circled about the fire and putting some of them to rest. It remained neutral on all parties involved, merely stating the facts and allowing the reader to draw their own conclusions. There were also a few photographs I've never seen before, some of them understandably grim.

Overall, a solid book that does its job well, let down a little by the fluctuating dryness of the writing style.

[Debbie Hagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Built in 1927, the Cocoanut Grove, located at 17 Piedmont Street near Boston's Park Square theater district, became one of Boston's popular nightclubs. It was huge, one-and-a-half stories with a meandering labyrinth of dining rooms, bars, and lounges.

On the night of November 28, 1942, around one thousand people were packed into the various club rooms as a fire began. Flames rapidly swept through the building, and many of the club patrons would, to their horror, soon discover the exits closed or locked or blocked. In other words, the patrons could not escape. Thus, the fire become one the deadliest nightclub fires in history. A total of 492 people died, plus hundreds of others were severely injured.

John C. Esposito gives readers a good historical view of this tragic history in "Fire in the Grove." It's a fast-paced, well-written, and well-researched book that enables readers to step back into the past when nightclubs were fun, exotic, and places to get away and meet with friends. It was also an occasion to relax, laugh, and temporarily forget about all the pressures of life as well as the ongoing war in Europe.

In 1942, when the fire occurred, most restaurants and bars didn't heed to safety protocols and fire-proofing that are mandatory in bars and restaurants today.

Esposito tells a fascinating story that enables readers to travel, momentarily, back in time.

[Douglas Todd · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the book you want to read about the Cocoanut Grove fire. It's the one I've been recommending to anyone who'll listen for several years now.

Why would you want to read about it at all? Partly because if we don't remember, we end up having it happen again (this wasn't lost on Esposito, who added an afterword about the Station fire in RI in 2003).

Partly because the stories are fascinating, even when gruesome--the experiences of those who survived and how they survived, and the experiences of a few who didn't.

The fire also inspired one of those quantum leaps in medicine and science--vast advances in skin grafts and burn treatment were a direct result of having to invent new procedures to deal with such a large number of burn victims.

The fire is almost forgotten now. (Certainly the city of Boston has not helped by steadily obscuring its memorial over the years.) It shouldn't be.

[Amerynth · Rating 3 out of 5]

John Esposito's book "Fire in the Grove: The Cocoanut Grove Tragedy and Its Aftermath" is a solid look at the Boston nightclub fire, in which hundreds died. The blaze was likely sparked by a waiter used a match to screw a lightbulb back into place into a fake palm tree, which lit up the hundreds of yards of fabric that lined the labyrinthine building's ceilings. It didn't help that nearly all the doors were locked, blocked or covered over, save from a door that opened inwards and a revolving door, neither of which could be successfully navigated by hundreds of panicked people.

The book gives a pretty solid overview of the fire and does a good job of telling stories of victims, as well as a history of the club's owner. I found it a bit confusing in the beginning because there were a lot of people mentioned but it all became clearer by the end.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Through film, the past is an era of glitz and glamour and all that dazzle sometimes blinds us to the underbelly of the beast, the unfortunate truth that all is not as beautiful as it seems. The Cocoanut Grove was the place to dance, drink, and be merry. During prohibition, it was a speakeasy (one of 4000 in Boston-with 4 on the same street as a police station). When alcohol was legal again, and, when the club changed ownership, it was a swanky, tropical nightclub destined for expansion and profit. Unfortunately, despite laws put in place that could have prevented the disastrous effects, this once beautiful nightclub turned into charred remains and the final resting ground of nearly five hundred people. It began with a young man wanting a bit of privacy with his young lady. When he turned the light bulb above him off, another was ordered to fix the light. He used a match to facilitate this. Though it has never been confirmed, this match ignited a fire that would race through the basement club up to its main dining and dance floor, through to the additional lounge, and even out the front revolving doors. Even quicker than the fire was the buildup of smoke, the rising temperatures, and rightly so, the tide of panic.
As John Esposito outlines the timeline, a scant eight minutes, he peppers through just enough individual stories that do not overwhelm the reader but certainly pull on the heartstrings. A famous actor, a recently married couple (3 hours), a newly dating couple, a husband and wife, a hero who went back only to die on his last attempt, those who survived but left a loved one behind...all were heartbreaking narratives in this book. No one went to the club that night concerned that it was always packed. No one went suspecting this could end in disaster. Some, like the actor, were forced to go because it was a party, a celebration, or their job. What is even more tragic is that the level of devastation did not need to be so high. There were laws in place that mandated multiple exits and flame resistant materials. But, when greed and avarice and bribery work hand in hand, sometimes laws are simply ignored. All the exits, save but three, were locked and/or obscured with tables, chairs, and coatracks. Of those, only two were known to the public. Of those two, none were easy to use in a crowd of panicking individuals. One opened inward, the other a revolving door. The windows were all covered with fabric. The materials were not flame resistant. One man refused to unlock the doors without his boss' approval. The electrical wiring was faulty. There were no fusible doors. The licensing was not kept up to date by inspectors who simply signed them without actually doing their jobs.
Amazingly enough, there were stories of courage and survival. Several survived in a freezer. A few escaped from windows. Others found extra hidden doors. One peed on a napkin and used that damp cloth to fight against the smoke. A little boy used ice cream to cool himself down. For those who did initially survive, shock, septicemia, and edema would cause later death. Survivor's guilt, depression, and even suicide occurred. A twist of fate for some as well existed. Clifford Johnson endured hundreds of skin grafts and nearly two years of surgery and therapy only to die 15 years later in a fiery car crash. How does this happen!?!
In the end, Massachusetts drafted even more stringent laws and did convict the owner Barney Welansky of negligence, which according to the author was significant. It set the precedent for charging someone with involuntary manslaughter based on the premise that any reasonable person would find their behavior not only negligent but reckless in taking care of its patrons. But, to compound the grief and destruction, Barney was barely insured. Those who sued received $150 while the government claimed over $100,000 in taxes. This wealthy enterprise dwindled to a scant $200,000 worth. You cannot measure a life but $150 would not cover funeral costs, etc. Furthermore, Barney suffered from cancer not too long after and only served a few years of his fifteen year term (he was convicted on 20 counts and sentenced to 15 years each to be served concurrently).
Unfortunately, these tragedies still take place in our country and around the world. While the laws and enforcement seem better today, things still happen, as evidenced by the author's use of the 2003 Rhode Island club fire and Chicago club fire. As the author ends with, "The toughest codes are meaningless unless they are enforced competently, honestly, and free of political interference," and, might I add, if the bottom line was not the dollar bill and facility owners merely followed the law because it was the RIGHT thing to do, because a human life is worth more than any final profit margin.
The author did an amazing job of telling this story, making it stirring and thought provoking while avoiding, as best he could, being macabre.

P.S. In June, 1945, someone broke into the Grove and stole a hidden safe. What was in it? Who did it?

Favorite lines:
As quoted, p71
"An individual in a crowd is a grain of sand amid other grains of sand, which the wind stirs up at will."
Gustave Le Bon

Regarding the origin of Panic
p72
"Panic means...human beings behaving like animals. The word is derived from "Pan," the mythological part-human, part-animal god of the forests and wild animals. Ugly and feral, Pan is the antithesis of the sublimely beautiful Apollo, god of the "civilized qualities of culture and sophistication."

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unfortunately I have found my way to deadly fire books and I am moving from one to the other. In a way, it is good because I have a better understanding of how fire kills and therefore I am now thinking about fire safety a lot more. But then maybe I could be reading less gruesome stuff and that would be a good thing too.

These fires have a lot in common - unusually quick spreading, blocked or unmarked exits, panicked crowds, toxic fumes and the deadly indifference of their owners and the people charged with noticing and demanding correction of fire hazards. It is a gruesome tableau of human suffering that gets repeated over and over.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm sadly giving this book 3-3.5 stars. The author referenced an illustration early on in the book that was supposed to have been included of a diagram of the entire venue. There was no illustration! It was extremely confusing to follow what happened without a layout of the property so that you have some visual context. Also, photos of the fire and the exits would have made this book a 5 star read for me. Without the visuals, it was very lackluster. Maybe the publisher was just trying to save money?

[Cait S · Rating 4 out of 5]

No non fiction book has ever made me this furious before. Props to the writer for inducing serious emotions because I was swinging wildly from enraged to heartbroken to absolutely speechless. I hadn't heard of this story prior to reading this book and it feels like I got a full history told at a good pace (little long towards the end regarding the trial, tbh.) If disaster non fiction is your thing, highly recommend. Be prepared to be pissed off.

[Cory · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read but it definitely spent too long walking through many of the individual accounts- could’ve cut that portion by half. But it was interesting to see how the response to this incident changed burn practices and burn responses in general and how the resulting case set a new standard for recklessness in court cases.

[Debbie Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sad story of so many deaths

One of the exciting places to be in 1943 Boston was the Coconut Grove. Such a tragic story the Saturday after Thanksgiving in which several hundred people died with never a chance of surviving even if they tried.

[Jessica Gruber · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is fascinating. I think it wound up on my TBR list thanks to a law school professor's recommendation, but I no longer remember which one. As a law nerd, I would have liked to read more about the trial itself, but that is a personal preference.

Esposito's recounting of the fire itself and the impact on the victims was gut wrenching. I had to take breaks while reading because I found myself at times too rattled to keep going.

[Roger M Little · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting subject!

The book was very interesting and sad at the same time.
A tale of greed and carelessness. Tragic for so many.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Horrifically interesting. Such a tragedy.

[Laurie Razo · Rating 3 out of 5]

A better book then Fire at the Grove is HOLOCAUST. I read this book first and left with a lot of questions about the fire and aftermath. The Holocaust answered some of the questions, but I would have liked more information about the danger of carbon monoxide which caused many of the deaths of people not burned. Some people downstairs in the lounge died without leaving their stools, yet others escaped. Can fumes kill that quickly? I have been reading a lot of fire related books lately as I live in California where fire has been a huge concern in the last few years. Although this book was not a wildland fire it did provide an interesting look at the behavior of people in fire emergencies.

[Jennifer Morrow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly researched account of the 1942 nightclub fire and the trials.