fedak's review against another edition
5.0
An exhaustive compendium pulled from several thousand firsthand accounts of the events surrounding 9/11. Interviews with literally everyone from the one American to view the events from the space station, to the victims, to the responders, news/media and government officials and everyone in between. Included a ton of stuff that I had never known (or had forgotten in the intervening 20 years) and prompted a lot of diversions over to YouTube to rewatch the coverage of some of the specifics.
_kimberlyn_'s review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
taylorcali's review
5.0
While reading this, a lot of people asked me, "Why would you want to read that?"
Well, my answer is found in the introduction of this book, where I completely agree with the author when he says, "This is a story every American should hear." And honestly—everyone in the world should, too.
There simply are no words.
While incredibly difficult to read (or listen to, in my case, since I had the audiobook version) in many parts, it is necessary and powerful.
9/11 affected me personally—or, some would say, almost affected me—as my dad was at the Pentagon on 9/11, and escaped unscathed, thank God. Still, hearing the stories from other Pentagon survivors were, verbatim, what my dad describes he heard and experienced that day. And hearing the stories of the first responders who went into the wreckage to find survivors—well, I can say that was the most difficult to listen to, thinking of how bad it could have been for my dad, and my family. Sadly, many families cannot say the same.
I also now have found an appreciation for firefighters that I never had before. Their sacrifice and bravery for complete strangers, especially on that day in New York, was unfathomable.
Well, my answer is found in the introduction of this book, where I completely agree with the author when he says, "This is a story every American should hear." And honestly—everyone in the world should, too.
There simply are no words.
While incredibly difficult to read (or listen to, in my case, since I had the audiobook version) in many parts, it is necessary and powerful.
9/11 affected me personally—or, some would say, almost affected me—as my dad was at the Pentagon on 9/11, and escaped unscathed, thank God. Still, hearing the stories from other Pentagon survivors were, verbatim, what my dad describes he heard and experienced that day. And hearing the stories of the first responders who went into the wreckage to find survivors—well, I can say that was the most difficult to listen to, thinking of how bad it could have been for my dad, and my family. Sadly, many families cannot say the same.
I also now have found an appreciation for firefighters that I never had before. Their sacrifice and bravery for complete strangers, especially on that day in New York, was unfathomable.
kmontano's review
5.0
A gripping retelling of America’s darkest day. The level of detail compiled here shines an incredible light on the hero’s of that day and brings into sharp focus how we came together as a nation.
madiw1209's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.5
balbsharp's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
clpayne's review against another edition
5.0
I think this was the best audiobook I’ve listened to in a while. Like everyone else, I can remember exactly where I was on September 11th. The images of the planes flying into the towers, the people running for their lives, the buildings collapsing, the gaping whole in a field, the firefighters standing on giant piles of rumble. All of these images are etched into my memory and will never go away. To listen to these firsthand accounts of that day and learn things I never knew happened over 20 years later was incredibly moving and honestly hard to hear at times. But it was a beautiful retelling of that horrible day. This one will sit with me for a long time.