The tragic events of September 11, 2001, forever altered the American landscape, both figuratively and literally. Immediately after the jets struck the twin towers of the World Trade Center, Dennis Smith, a former firefighter, reported to Manhattan’s Ladder Co. 16 to volunteer in the rescue efforts. In the weeks that followed, Smith was present on the front lines, attending to the wounded, sifting through the wreckage, and mourning with New York’s devastated fire and police departments.

From his bawdy and brave fellow firefighters to the hopeful, hateful, beautiful and beleaguered residents of the poverty-stricken district where he works, Dennis Smith tells the story of a brutalising yet rewarding profession.

An unforgettable journey through the daily lives of the brave men and women who have made saving lives their profession.Dennis Smith, author of Report from Engine Co. 82, traveled across the country talking to dozens of America’s firefighters to put together this powerful collection of their own descriptions of their most dramatic and intense experiences on the job. Their stories, compiled here, are timeless testimonies to the human capacity for heroism and nobility....

Leadership principles from the FDNY to help managers become more confident, coherent, and commandingWhat does it take to lead people into a burning building? How do the leaders of the New York City Fire Department develop so much loyalty, trust, and grace under pressure that their subordinates will risk their very lives for them?As a high-ranking officer of the FDNY, John Salka became an expert at both practicing and teaching high-stakes leadership. In ...

Do you desire a more meaningful study and prayer life? Do you feel the need to reach out to others for Christ? If so, you've come to the right place. This book contains 40 days of devotional studies designed to strengthen your relationship with Christ and enable you to lead others to Him.God wants to do something significant in your life, too. Not only does He long to draw you into closer fellowship with Him--He also wants to minister to others through you. And as you spend 40 amazing days wi...

“Too much old-fashioned austerity would rob the child of enjoying his best days, those of childhood.” Juline feels that she has achieved the ultimate – marriage to Bernard Hemmings. He is tall, brown and handsome, and has curly hair. He lives on the hills and has a massive house surrounded by lush greenery. Juline is now rubbing shoulders with the Jones’. She has dreamt of such a conquest for some time and her aspiration has materialized! Away with the dark skin father of her first...

Deidre-Ann is an eleventh grade student who seems to have everything going for her. She is brilliant, attractive and involved in school life and extra-curricular activities, especially cheerleading. The students consider her to be the ‘salt’ of the team. They applaud her expertise and crave her company but alas’, the salt of the earth loses her savour when her innocence and dignity are snatched from her on the night of the school barbecue. Her life spirals out of control as she bec...

As the saying goes, ‘truth is sometimes  stranger than fiction’, but for the stoic matriarch, Mrs. Harmond, and her family, the events which characterize their lives do not come from a horror movie, but are a part of their daily reality.  In the community they are seen as pariahs, as Mrs. Harmond’s father had been accused of committing sacrilege by stealing the parson’s bull and burning the manse. Everybody said they wer...

In the style of Smith’s popular 40 Days: Prayer and Devotions to Prepare for the Second Coming, this book can help revive the spiritual experience of individuals, small groups, and entire churches. Find out for yourself what an amazing difference 40 days can make.

First published in 1990, Capitalist Democracy on Trial explores the long transatlantic debate on capitalist democracy. It examines the conflicting verdicts of writers and politicians in the USA and Europe. The first section focuses on democracy and the rise of big business. It discusses the views of Tocqueville, Mill, Carnegie, Chamberlain, Bryce, Ostrogorski, Veblen and Hobson. The second section covers capitalism and the rise of ‘big government’. The writers represented are Lask...

Concrete: We use it for our buildings, bridges, dams, and roads. We walk on it, drive on it, and many of us live and work within its walls. But very few of us know what it is. We take for granted this ubiquitous substance, which both literally and figuratively comprises much of modern civilization's constructed environment; yet the story of its creation and development features a cast of fascinating characters and remarkable historical episodes. This book delves into this history, opening ...