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eleanorfranzen's review against another edition
5.0
I listened to this as an audiobook, and it is, as the title would suggest, sombre. But it’s also incredibly well done; a full cast reads the interviews, which are interleaved with each other and arranged in roughly chronological order, so we get a section called Tuesday Begins followed by Checking In, The First Plane, First Reactions in DC, American Airlines Flight 77, The Military Responds, and so on. It feels like nothing so much as being physically inside a multi-part documentary. The amount of work that went into the writing of the book—fifteen years—let alone the recording, is phenomenal. Did it make me tear up several times? Absolutely, yes. Did it leave me with a profound sense of hope? Also, absolutely, yes. Good to read about acute disasters during a chronic one, in a way.
brewedupbooks's review against another edition
5.0
On a day like today, the sky so blue and beautiful, not a cloud in the sky the world changed forever. The Only Plane in the Sky: an Oral History of 9/11 does exactly as it promises, it is the story of 9/11 from the survivors’, victims’, heroes’, witnesses’ & the political leaders’ points of view on that day & the days following.
Reading this book was like examining a wound & its scar tissue from many different views. There’s no common narrative or waxing poetic about what the day means, it just IS. As someone who has consumed almost every TV broadcast, interview, analysis videos, POV videos of that day, & read countless stories, I still walked away with new information I didn’t know. The biggest revelations were in the accounts from political officials, the Pentagon, the White House, the other areas around DC, & in the sky with President Bush as he went from Air Force base to Air Force base. Whether you are new to reading & learning more about 9/11 or someone who has studied it extensively, this account should be part of your reading within the next year.
My only criticism of the book is that each account is disseminated over the whole book and because there are so many different people it is incredibly easy to be confused about who you are reading about and what they said in the previous chapter. To me that filtered out a lot of the emotional impact of some of the accounts. I think I would have preferred to read this as a chapter for each account. However, Graff does an excellent job of compiling the stories and trying to form a cohesive, chronological timeline with them.
Reading this book was like examining a wound & its scar tissue from many different views. There’s no common narrative or waxing poetic about what the day means, it just IS. As someone who has consumed almost every TV broadcast, interview, analysis videos, POV videos of that day, & read countless stories, I still walked away with new information I didn’t know. The biggest revelations were in the accounts from political officials, the Pentagon, the White House, the other areas around DC, & in the sky with President Bush as he went from Air Force base to Air Force base. Whether you are new to reading & learning more about 9/11 or someone who has studied it extensively, this account should be part of your reading within the next year.
My only criticism of the book is that each account is disseminated over the whole book and because there are so many different people it is incredibly easy to be confused about who you are reading about and what they said in the previous chapter. To me that filtered out a lot of the emotional impact of some of the accounts. I think I would have preferred to read this as a chapter for each account. However, Graff does an excellent job of compiling the stories and trying to form a cohesive, chronological timeline with them.
mattrog's review against another edition
5.0
Incredible retelling of the individual stories that make up what is 9/11. I learned a lot and better understood the gravity of the time period - and love the format of an oral history.
kadyburns's review against another edition
4.0
A really moving and powerful book. A must-read for everyone.
bexworth's review against another edition
5.0
What a powerful retelling of 9/11 events from the point of view of many survivors, first responders, and their families. Highly recommend listening on audiobook.
janeasc's review against another edition
5.0
This book is a national treasure. If you can, listen to the audio version. The majority is narrated by professionals, but there are also news clips and audio from the pilots and air traffic controllers. So extremely moving.
silaskpipson's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
fast-paced
5.0
Main Takeaway:
hccranston's review against another edition
5.0
It took me almost a full year to read this book. Not because it wasn't engaging, but because it's heartbreaking. I was going to college in Southern California when 9/11 happened and like any person old enough to remember, the events of that day are indelibly imprinted on my mind and heart.
There are many positive things I could say about this book, but this is what is most important: reading this book gives me hope for humanity. There were so many ugly, tragic things that happened that day - and there was a lot of beauty. Reading about people helping each other in their darkest moments, sacrificing their safety and/or lives to save others, dropping everything to respond to those in need reminds me that we are capable of immense love and compassion. Nearly 21 years later, it's the selflessness in the face of tragedy and danger embodied by so many people that defines that day for me now; and how, as a nation, we were truly united for a brief moment. This book illustrates that feeling beautifully.
There are many positive things I could say about this book, but this is what is most important: reading this book gives me hope for humanity. There were so many ugly, tragic things that happened that day - and there was a lot of beauty. Reading about people helping each other in their darkest moments, sacrificing their safety and/or lives to save others, dropping everything to respond to those in need reminds me that we are capable of immense love and compassion. Nearly 21 years later, it's the selflessness in the face of tragedy and danger embodied by so many people that defines that day for me now; and how, as a nation, we were truly united for a brief moment. This book illustrates that feeling beautifully.
ann_kay's review against another edition
5.0
Such an interesting book!
I particularly enjoyed the way the author wove together the oral histories of the people involved. I was worried that it would make the book difficult to follow, but Graff really outdid himself on the organization of the chapters and the little reminders when needed of who's who.
9/11 is the first major historical event I really remember so that also made this book very interesting to me in that context, but it was treated so well in terms of all the many and varied reactions of what was happening globally (and in space!) that day.
I would definitely recommend and I'm going to look up this author and see if he's written any other books in this style because I liked it way more than I thought I would going in.
I particularly enjoyed the way the author wove together the oral histories of the people involved. I was worried that it would make the book difficult to follow, but Graff really outdid himself on the organization of the chapters and the little reminders when needed of who's who.
9/11 is the first major historical event I really remember so that also made this book very interesting to me in that context, but it was treated so well in terms of all the many and varied reactions of what was happening globally (and in space!) that day.
I would definitely recommend and I'm going to look up this author and see if he's written any other books in this style because I liked it way more than I thought I would going in.
christinahodnett's review against another edition
5.0
It’s hard to put into words just how powerful this book was to me. It feels weird to say you “loved” a book about such a tragic and horrific day in American history, but I cannot recommend this book enough. Graff’s compilation of first hand accounts gave me an entirely new perspective of the day and how the events shaped and molded life as we know it. I’m so impressed with Graff’s ability to combine each personal experience so seamlessly into the broad view of the day. This book drained me emotionally, and I found myself having to put it down several times just to recollect my thoughts. But don’t let that stop you from reading. This book is an important and vital reading experience that you will not regret.