The Circus Fire: A True Story - Stewart O'Nan (2000)

Stewart O'Nan is almost an author I adore, but he defies clear categorization as he writes beautifully in a number of genres.  This is the first book I read by him, and it sparked a abiding interest in well-written disaster books.  In 1944, a massive fire broke out at a circus in Hartford. Simply written and incredibly evocative, this book is a fascinating portrait of wartime America as well as of humanity and how we respond to disastrous events.

One Dead in Attic: After Katrina by Chris Rose (2005)

A collection of columns by the New Orleans Times-Picayune writer about the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in his adopted hometown. Highly personal and emotional and mesmerizing, and full of affection for his city. A little hard to read, because it's so overwhelming, but wonderful.

Under a Flaming Sky by Daniel James Brown (2006)

Subtitled The Great Hinckley Firestorm of 1894, this is a wonderfully written, researched and documented and deeply personal book on the Hinckley fires. Unbelievably absorbing and amazingly vividly told, it's one of the best non-fiction books I've ever read. I even wrote a fan letter to the author.  He also wrote The Indifferent Stars Above, which explores the Donner Party tragedy in full, glorious, horrifying detail.