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Last Man Down: A New York City Fire Chief and the Collapse of the World | 
 enlarge | Authors: Richard Picciotto, Daniel Paisner
Publisher: Berkley
Buy New: $7.99
New (32) Used (44) Collectible (5) from $0.01
Rating:  73 reviews
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 272
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 6.7 x 4.1 x 0.9
ISBN: 0425189880
Dewey Decimal Number: 974.71044092
EAN: 9780425189887
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
New afterword by the author
A Firefighter's story of survival and escape from the World Trade Center.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 68 more reviews...
 Awkward reading... January 25, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Number one fact: Picciotto probably sensed the opportunity to make a few extra bucks from his ordeal in September 11, and seized the opportunity.
Number two fact: It's strange to NOT like a book about September 1, but I did not like this book at all. Not because of the selfish and auto-congrulatory mode, but due to the literally (or lack of) characteristcis of the book. I think it's badly written, even with Mr. Paisner at the helm.
As for Picciotto actions those days, only people under that kind of stresssful situation could know how they would have acted... Generally, I think he did the best he could for his city and for his companions and for the civilians he encountered.
For all his detractors, I put the question: if he had died along with the shocking number of victims, even with all his "faults" he would have benn considered a hero, ego or no ego involved. Am I right?
Okay... November 7, 2007
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I had wanted to read this book for a while, so I purchased it. Richard Picciotto is not the best writer, but he does give you a sense of what it was like to be under pressure and trying to survive the tower collapse. He doesn't pull punches as to who he blames for the loss of firefighters that day. Lack of adequate equipment, department cuts, etc. I think to a certain extent he has a valid point, but I also know that there were many other factors involved as well. Mr. Picciotto's focus is understandably on his personal experience and his emotions around what happened that day. I am glad that I read it, but I have to be honest and say it is what it is. Mr. Picciotto will probably not win a Pulitzer, but he calls it as he sees it and he was there and I wasn't.
Half Good/Half Bad September 3, 2007
I just recently read the paperback version of this book. The first half of this book is pretty interesting and heart pounding in detailing what it was like to be in the World Trade Center while it collapsed. The second half was very disatisfying. It was very self-serving and is mostly about Mr. Picciotto praising himself and his actions and criticizing absolutely everyone else. I also find it interesting that Mr. Picciotto said how hard it was for him to return to the site and that it took him a very long time do this. However, in the acknowledgment at the end of the book, he returns barely a few weeks after the collapse and with his collaborator of this book. He had already found the time to get a book deal and co-author!
 Disappointed May 17, 2007
2 out of 4 found this review helpful
As a firfigther who understands chain of command and the need to work with in an Incident Command System, this book perfectly explains how one FDNY Battalion Chief breaks all the rules, chosing to respond to the World Trade Center Disaster rather than remain responsible for his own Battalion, risks the lives of members of 110Truck to "sprint" to the 35th floor of the North Tower, ABANDONING them on the way to freelance some more in the burning tower, only to ultimately become stuck in the collapse of the North Tower where he goes on to shout at and berade a PAPD Officer who's lost his partner, a K9, to the collapse of the bulidng. This book is a shameful and embarrasing for all American firefighters, those silent heros who risk their lives daily.
 Nothing Special August 19, 2006
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
I have had this book for a few years but have not been able to read it till recently.The story is quite interesting and astonishing (especially as it is a true story) but the writing is somewhat repetetive - I think this is done to make the story longer - and the Firefighter seems to be too full of himself always going on how great he is and how well he did what a good leader he is ...... and so on.Entertaining and interesting but the way the story is written spoils it.
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