SMOKE EATERS
ON THE BOOK SHELF
By John M. Malecky September, 2026
SMOKE EATERS
By Benjamin Dicker
Available from
FSP Books
433 Main Street, Suite 2A
Hudson, MA 01749
1-800-522-8528
e-mail: support@fire-police-ems.com
Price: $65.00
This is a hard covered coffee table book measuring 8 3/4 inches by 11 ½ inches and has 138 pages. That photographer is a photojournalist and New York City native. As the story goes he was walking home from his parents apartment on the Upper West Side of Manhattan one day in 2024 when he came upon an incident involving a manhole with fire department activity. Intrigued by this he started taking photos which sparked a new dimension in his life. In short, he began taking photos at FDNY incidents, particularly of personnel following up by presenting the photos to them. Their appreciation of this is what created this book. The book has no numbered pages. The activities took place in Manhattan and The Bronx in 2025. The descriptions are of the dates, number of alarms, street locations, names of the personnel and the fire company they were part of. Some photos are of the overall scene while many others are isolated shots of firefighters on the sidelines doing what most fire photographers would not consider. Most fire photographers concentrate on the flames but Benjamin in addition to that concentrated on individuals and groups of personnel. As the Forward by a lieutenant put it, it “captures the FDNY in its purest form-honest, raw, yet undeniably powerful.” The author also provides technical information regarding the film and camera he used as well as settings. There are both black and white and color photos. It is an enjoyable book giving tribute to “New York’s Bravest.”
:
No information from the author.
