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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
A rural Virginia community on the Eastern Shore is devastated by a string of arsons in 2012. What occurs after that isn’t just a true crime narrative, but an interesting look at the criminal justice system, rural America and an uneven relationship.
I found this to be a quick, easy read. It was an interesting look at a geographic area I was completely unfamiliar with and the despair following the economic recession. I’ve read a lot of true crime and it’s not always easy to parse through. This one followed an easy to follow formula, outside of an unnecessary section chronicling Bonnie and Clyde. I would recommend to anyone interested in this genre.
I found this to be a quick, easy read. It was an interesting look at a geographic area I was completely unfamiliar with and the despair following the economic recession. I’ve read a lot of true crime and it’s not always easy to parse through. This one followed an easy to follow formula, outside of an unnecessary section chronicling Bonnie and Clyde. I would recommend to anyone interested in this genre.
super fun, has alot of fun facts about Pyros and arsonists, as well as small town volunteer fire teams
An interesting crime. Explained in Avery diplomatic and humanizing way. It really worked for me. I feel I understand what was driving these arsons. I find it a bit perplexing how a fireman can commit arson. It’s not about the fire 🔥 though.
I live in Virginia and I can’t remember hearing about this long string of arsons. Seems like big news.
Definitely a good read and well done. I might have liked it more however the narrator’s voice was hard for me to listen to.
I live in Virginia and I can’t remember hearing about this long string of arsons. Seems like big news.
Definitely a good read and well done. I might have liked it more however the narrator’s voice was hard for me to listen to.
American Fire: Love, Arson, And Life In A Vanishing Land is a true crime book set in rural Virginia. It’s about a five-month arson spree that created chaos and stretched the resources of a small county to their breaking point. A boyfriend/girlfriend duo set 67 buildings on fire before they were caught.
For me, this book was exceedingly average. I don’t know if that’s my fault or the book’s! Between TV shows, podcasts, and books, I consume an unhealthy amount of true crime content. If I wasn’t obsessed with crime junk, I probably would have appreciated the book a lot more. It was interesting to see the different methods the police department and the citizens used to catch the arsonists. The backstory of the arsonists and the struggling rural county is compelling. Since I consume so much true crime, I don’t think this book will stick with me. It’s just another crime story. I think it would have been more memorable if the arsonists had talked about their crimes. The boyfriend talked to the cops a little, but the girlfriend insisted she wasn’t involved. Since the arsonists wouldn’t talk, we don’t learn much about the psychology behind their actions.
If you’re new to true crime, this book would be a good place to start. It’s a fast-paced read, and nobody died in the fires, so you don’t have to read about violence. If you read a lot of true crime, this book might get lost in your brain’s crime ocean. There’s nothing unique about it.
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For me, this book was exceedingly average. I don’t know if that’s my fault or the book’s! Between TV shows, podcasts, and books, I consume an unhealthy amount of true crime content. If I wasn’t obsessed with crime junk, I probably would have appreciated the book a lot more. It was interesting to see the different methods the police department and the citizens used to catch the arsonists. The backstory of the arsonists and the struggling rural county is compelling. Since I consume so much true crime, I don’t think this book will stick with me. It’s just another crime story. I think it would have been more memorable if the arsonists had talked about their crimes. The boyfriend talked to the cops a little, but the girlfriend insisted she wasn’t involved. Since the arsonists wouldn’t talk, we don’t learn much about the psychology behind their actions.
If you’re new to true crime, this book would be a good place to start. It’s a fast-paced read, and nobody died in the fires, so you don’t have to read about violence. If you read a lot of true crime, this book might get lost in your brain’s crime ocean. There’s nothing unique about it.
Do you like opinions, giveaways, and bookish nonsense?
I have a blog for that.
Wish more true crime was written this way. Great storytelling, while capturing the rural essence and history of the Eastern Shore with the respect it deserves.
A long time ago (high school?) I read James Michener’s Chesapeake and I enjoyed it, though it wasn’t among my most favorites.
More than 20 years later, Frank and I found ourselves enjoying a long weekend in Cape Charles, Virginia, taking a break from the stress and worry of his mom’s illness. We spent the weekend in the car, driving the backroads of the “va” part of Delmarva, meandering along without much direction, knowing we couldn’t actually get lost on such a narrow strip of land, working some of the place names over in our mouths: “Nassawadox,” “Machipongo,” “Onancock,” and “Wachapreague.”
The Eastern Shore has become one of our special places, of small moments, and cherished memories.
I remember hearing about the fires and thinking about how strange and anxious it must have been. I imagine that, in 2006, we probably drove past at least one of the eventually burned buildings in Accomack County.
Hesse’s book is a well-put-together read, with a compelling sense of place and of personality. It only took me so long to finish it because I misplaced it in a pile of stuff and thought I had actually “returned” it to the library with actual library books by mistake!
More than 20 years later, Frank and I found ourselves enjoying a long weekend in Cape Charles, Virginia, taking a break from the stress and worry of his mom’s illness. We spent the weekend in the car, driving the backroads of the “va” part of Delmarva, meandering along without much direction, knowing we couldn’t actually get lost on such a narrow strip of land, working some of the place names over in our mouths: “Nassawadox,” “Machipongo,” “Onancock,” and “Wachapreague.”
The Eastern Shore has become one of our special places, of small moments, and cherished memories.
I remember hearing about the fires and thinking about how strange and anxious it must have been. I imagine that, in 2006, we probably drove past at least one of the eventually burned buildings in Accomack County.
Hesse’s book is a well-put-together read, with a compelling sense of place and of personality. It only took me so long to finish it because I misplaced it in a pile of stuff and thought I had actually “returned” it to the library with actual library books by mistake!
I found this a really interesting read, and listened to it on audiobook. I particularly found the trial aspect of the book and the reasoning behind why the arsonists set all the fires really fascinating!
It usually takes me quite a while to get through an audiobook, but I zipped through this book. The story is fascinating and was well written.