Fire in the Heart

By Mary Emerick,

Book cover of Fire in the Heart: A Memoir of Friendship, Loss, and Wildfire

Book description

FIRE IN THE HEART is a powerful memoir by a woman, once a shy, insecure schoolgirl, who reinvented herself as a professional wildlands firefighter. Determined to forge herself into a stronger, braver person, Mary devotes herself to fire from the Florida swamp to Alaska's interior. Filled with literal struggles for…

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Why read it?

1 author picked Fire in the Heart as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Mary's story shows the harsh reality of being a woman in a man's world – wildland firefighting. Her vulnerability and truth were incredibly relatable to me. The pressure to always be on, always strong, always performing, lest one moment of softness be held up as an example of why women don't belong. 

From Christine's list on outdoor adventures by and about women.

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