Burnt, Clare Frank
Burnt, Clare Frank
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Burnt
A Memoir of Fighting Fire

Author: Clare Frank

Narrator: Clare Frank

Unabridged: 11 hr 43 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 03/26/2024


Synopsis

Burnt is a book about finding your calling, even if it's an unexpected one. It's about finding your home, even if you aren't immediately welcomed. And it's about reaching the top and making a difference, even if you don't look like you fit in.

When Clare Frank was seventeen years old, she became a firefighter in Northern California. Clare was five-foot-two and officially too young to join the service—she left her birthdate blank on her paperwork, hoping no one would notice. And she didn't look like her peers, who sported an Adam's apple and a mustache. But her brother was a firefighter and loved it, so she thought she'd try it out, too. Very soon, she knew she had found her calling.

Burnt is Frank's inspiring, richly detailed, and open-hearted account of an extraordinary life in fire. It chronicles the transformation of a young adult determined to prove her mettle into a scarred and sensitive veteran, grappling with the weight of her duties as chief of fire protection—one of the highest-ranking women in Cal Fire history—while record-setting fires engulf her home state. She masterfully mixes irreverence and awe, taking listeners inside firehouses, on daily calls, and along to gigantic wildfires where antics and dark humor balance terrifying risk, trauma, and a sense of almost holy responsibility. Burnt is an unforgettable memoir.

About Clare Frank

Clare Frank started firefighting in California at seventeen and was promoted up the ranks, becoming the state's first and only female chief of fire protection. Along the way, she earned a BS in fire administration, an MFA in creative writing, and a JD. She has lectured at colleges, universities, and state and national fire conferences, and lives near Lake Tahoe with her husband and always a dog or two. Burnt is her first book.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Emma Deplores Goodreads Censorship on August 16, 2023

A great memoir of a career spent firefighting, mostly around the Bay Area of California. Clare Frank joined up as a seasonal firefighter at age 17 and never looked back, moving up the ranks until ending her career as the first woman appointed State Fire Chief. Happily, she’s also an excellent storyt......more

Goodreads review by Kimba on October 05, 2022

A fascinating glimpse into the world of firefighting by a trailblazing female firefighter that requires no background in the subject to enjoy! Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an advance copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.......more

Goodreads review by Jan on June 04, 2023

First of all, I'm a self-proclaimed memoir expert/junkie. I exclusively read memoirs that cover many subjects. Having published a memoir, I know how hard it is to write your story for the world to read, making yourself vulnerable to judgment. It's hard to get your story out of your mind and into the......more

Goodreads review by SynP on August 25, 2022

As someone who was also a female firefighter - I had high hopes in this book. Unfortunately I had a really hard time connecting with the story and really getting invested. I appreciate the author writing about her experience in a male dominated industry, because that perspective is one that should b......more

Goodreads review by Joshua on February 14, 2024

5/5 star for this really great read. Thank you to NetGalley for providing the ARC to me for review. Chief Frank writes a great book detailing her multi-decade career as a professional firefighter in California. Her journey from seasonal worker to a chief of the department is filled with excitement,......more