More than a novel, A portrait of a city!
An adventure set before, during, and after the catastrophic Oakland Hills Fire of 1991
Jeff Brubeck, a promising marketing executive, is suddenly fired from his corporate position. He quickly goes from a suit-and-tie, nine-to-five job, to finding himself delivering newspapers after midnight in some of Oakland’s riskiest neighborhoods, where the nights are alive with all kinds of activity, legal and illegal.
Known on the streets as “Tribune Man,” Jeff deals with the people who make up Oakland’s diverse nocturnal population. He faces drugs and gangs; panhandlers and petty theives; and is nearly killed by coke dealers in a fabulous old movie palace.
In October of 1991, Oakland, California, one of the most beautiful, diverse and fascinating cities in the country suffers a major disaster: The Oakland Hills Fire, the worst urban wildfire in American history.
Tribune Man features an unforgettable cast of seemingly ordinary people who meet life head-on and deal with extraordinary circumstances. Jeff and his friends witness the panic of homeowners running for their lives, exploding trees, a wild car-chase through the fire, death and heroism. . . and more than 3,000 homes destroyed in an afternoon.
Tribune Man is a tale set in this unique American city, weaving its way through the real-life events of the 1991 Oakland Hills Fire.