"1871: Rivers on Fire" commemorates the sesquicentennial of the deadliest fire in the recorded history of the world -- in northern Wisconsin, on the very same night as the fiery destruction of Chicago. The book is part historical novel, and part a love story with interweavings of triumph, treachery, and heartbreak. It addresses our nation's long-held sense of exceptionalism, our treatment of minority groups, and issues related to the environment. It contains numerous references to matters of importance in the present day.