The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11 by Garrett M. Graff

The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11
By Garrett M. Graff
Published by Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster

Description from the publisher:
In The Only Plane in the Sky, Garrett Graff tells the story of the day as it was lived—in the words of those who lived it. Drawing on never-before-published transcripts, declassified documents, original interviews, and oral histories from nearly five hundred government officials, first responders, witnesses, survivors, friends, and family members, he paints the most vivid and human portrait of the September 11 attacks yet. 

Beginning in the predawn hours of airports in the Northeast, we meet the ticket agents who unknowingly usher terrorists onto their flights, and the flight attendants inside the hijacked planes. In New York, first responders confront a scene of unimaginable horror at the Twin Towers. From a secret bunker under the White House, officials watch for incoming planes on radar. Aboard unarmed fighter jets in the air, pilots make a pact to fly into a hijacked airliner if necessary to bring it down. In the skies above Pennsylvania, civilians aboard United 93 make the ultimate sacrifice in their place. Then, as the day moves forward and flights are grounded nationwide, Air Force One circles the country alone, its passengers isolated and afraid. 

More than simply a collection of eyewitness testimonies, The Only Plane in the Sky is the historic narrative of how ordinary people grappled with extraordinary events in real time: the father and son caught on different ends of the impact zone; the firefighter searching for his wife who works at the World Trade Center; the operator of in-flight telephone calls who promises to share a passenger’s last words with his family; the beloved FDNY chaplain who bravely performs last rites for the dying, losing his own life when the Towers collapse; and the generals at the Pentagon who break down and weep when they are barred from trying to rescue their colleagues. 

At once a powerful tribute to the courage of everyday Americans and an essential addition to the literature of 9/11, The Only Plane in the Sky weaves together the unforgettable personal experiences of the men and women who found themselves caught at the center of an unprecedented human drama. The result is a unique, profound, and searing exploration of humanity on a day that changed the course of history, and all of our lives.

My Review:
Let me start by saying that I listened to the audiobook, which was amazing with its 45-person cast. I put off listening to this one for a while because I knew from both the length and the topic that it was going to take some real commitment to make it through--not because it wouldn't be engaging but because it would be hard. And it was hard, but it was also, other than my scriptures, the most important book that I have listened to or read this year. It was very poignant to listen to this just a couple months shy of the 25th anniversary of 9/11. I don't really have adequate words here, but it is well worth anybody's time to give this one a listen.
(This is quite different than the books I usually post about, and I will add that there is some language in it...which I didn't think detracted from the book at all. It was real, unfiltered reactions to 9/11. Kinda got expect that.)

5 stars. 

Rocket Men

Rocket Men by Robert Kurson

In August 1868, NASA, intent on getting ahead of Russia in the space race and hoping to overcome demoralizing rocket failures, made the dramatic decision to push to send men to orbit the moon in December--giving them way less preparation time than usual. Engineers, astronauts, and everyone at NASA worked together to get astronauts Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and Bill Anders prepared for whatever would come on their unprecedented mission.

This narrative nonfiction is superb. Robert Kurson does a great job taking readers into 1968--to see the unrest in the United States, with protests of the Vietnam War, the assassinations of Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr., and more. It was really interesting to see how this mission brought people together and brought a good ending to an otherwise rough year. It was also really interesting to see the different personalities of the three astronauts as well as their wives and families. It's jammed with interesting information--mind-blowing numbers (like the weight of the rocket!), the realities of space life (like what happens when one crew member gets diarrhea!), and what Walter Cronkite announced on TV during their orbit. It really takes the reader back in time, and it's an engaging and informative read. Really fantastic piece of nonfiction.

I read a copy of the book via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking

By Susan Cain

Crown, 2012. 11 hours or 333 pgs. Adult Nonfiction

Summary:

Cain explains how U.S. culture favors extroverts, often ignoring the assets of introverts, who are dismissed as being shy and easily overlooked and simply because they are often not as loud, have their insights and skills go unacknowledged. However, Cain argues, with highly informative and interesting research, that the very skills that as so easily dismissed, such as thoughtful-thinking and autonomy, often are just what businesses, organizations, and individuals need to succeed. She shares stories of successful introverts (including Warren Buffet and Steve Wozniak) and how their success came because of, not in spite of, their introvertedness.

Review:

This book is AWESOME! It has so many fascinating topics of discussion, from how the Harvard Business school model has affected American culture and even education for kids, how Evangelicalism by nature is extroverted and can cause frustration in introverts who want to be a part of the faith, and the difference between American emphasis on extroversion and Asian emphasis on introversion. It was all very thought-provoking and written in a very engaging style.

For those who are introverted, this book is liberating, as it reassures us that we are not socially inept, of less worth than introverts, and doomed to a lifetime of being overlooked. Instead, Cain encourages embracing our particular skills to achieve success. For extroverts, this book would be just as valuable, as it explains the personalities of 1/3 to 1/2 of the population. It would be particularly helpful to business managers, as they might learn not to overlook the introverts who could truly benefit their organizations, or force them into work styles that aren't beneficial to them. I personally think this should be required reading for just about everyone.

I listened to the sound recording; Kathe Mazur did a great job as narrator.

5 stars. A little bit of language, but not enough that anyone should think it outweighs the many merits of the book.

Seven Miracles That Saved America

Seven Miracles That Saved America
By Chris Stewart and Ted Stewart
Shadow Mountain, 2009. 311 pgs. Adult Nonfiction

The authors examine seven events in American history, ranging chronologically from Columbus's discovery of the Americas to Ronald Regan's near0miss at the hands of an assassin, and point out the hand of God in the outcome of the events, typically focusing on small detail that had huge outcomes. Their overarching argument is that God did, and still does, care about America and that Americans should believe in their country.

This book mixes in some fictional narrative with the nonfiction, which could evoke mixed responses from readers. Some may appreciate the fictional inserts, since they add a little bit of a personal touch, but others may wish they had been left out, resulting in a slightly shorter book. I personally felt like some of the chapters were lengthier than necessary, and I think I would have appreciated some maps to illustrate some of the points, but overall, it's a very interesting book and a good choice for book clubs looking for a lively discussion.

3.5 stars. Clean read.

A Return to Virtue

A Return to Virtue
By Elaine S. Dalton
Deseret Book, 2011. 141 pgs. Teen/Adult Nonfiction

Elaine S. Dalton, Young Women General President for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, invites people, both young and old, to reevaluate the importance of virtue and to reinstate it in their lives. Comparing this return to training for a marathon, Dalton takes readers through their "orientation", training, etc., all the way to the finish line. She calls for a return to modesty in attire and in behavior, describing how this outward reflection of our inner understanding invites the Holy Spirit to be with us. She talks about mothers' responsibility to set the example that will protect their children.
She counsels us to do a few simple things that will make a big difference in our lives: (1) work hard and study things out, (2) focus and don't become easily distracted, (3) be obedient and don't procrastinate, and (4) consistently do simple, doable things.
She also talks about making our homes a place of refuge, where children can be safe from all the negative voices in the world, places where they can find peace and know that they are enough and they are loved for who they are. We also need to provide opportunities for them to "be still" and find God.
She notes that "Never has there been a greater need to rightouse motehrs, mothers who bless thei children with a sense of safety, security, and confideance about the future. Mothers who teach their children where to find peae and truth and that the power of prayer is stronger than any other power on the earth." (p. 107)

This book is jam-packed with good information, along with invitations to specific actions that will help those who want to reexamine and recommit to a value that is increasingly declining in our society.
4 stars. Clean read.

Lost in Shangri-La

Lost in Shangri-La
By Mitchell Zuckoff
HarperCollins, 2011. 384 pgs. Adult Nonfiction

In May of 1945, a popular activity at the U.S. Army base in Hollandia, Dutch New Guinea, was taking flights to see "Shangri-La," a remote part of the island, completely isolated, surround by mountains and rain forests, with thousands of native inhabitants. Although others had completed this trip, for one group, it didn't turn out so well. When their plane crashed, twenty-one soldiers and WACs died--but three survived. Margaret Hastings and Kenneth Decker, both badly wounded in the crash, and John McCollum (whose twin died in the crash) lived but they were in a remote area of the world, wondering if the natives were cannibalistic, if the Army would be able to evacuate them, and if gangrene would lead to emergency amputation. The Army was able to parachute medics and other soldiers in to help the survivors, but they still didn't know how to get them out.

This is an engaging true story, which, although published for adults, would likely appeal to teen readers interested in WWII and survival stories. (I will say, though, there are pictures of the native men, who traditionally wore penis gourds and little else; some readers might not want to skip the photos.) The details about the survivors as well as the natives are interesting; the rescue was a little less dramatic than what I thought it would be, based on both the dust jacket and the chapters leading up to it, but still, it moves well and is an engaging piece of nonfiction.

4 stars.

Unbroken

Unbroken
By Laura Hillenbrand
Random House, 2010. 473 pgs. Adult Nonfiction

Louie Zamperini was a hellion as a child--stealing, fighting, failing his classes. His older brother Pete forced him to start running, which Louie initially resented but soon came to love; his natural talent and his training were such that he competed in the 1936 Olympics in an event he'd only run a handful of times. Before the 1940 Olympics, though, WWII broke out and Louie joined the Army and was trained to be a bombardier with the Army Air Corps. Louie and his crew completed several successful missions but one day, their plane crashed on the ocean. Only Louie and two others survived and floated for weeks in rafts in shark-infested waters. By the time they were picked up by the enemy Japanese, only Louie and his friend Phil remained, and the worst part of their experience--being POWs with sadistic guards, little food, hard labor, and constant illness--was still to come.

This is nonfiction at its finest; it's gripping both in the story--Zamperini's story is moving and inspirational--and in the writing, which is engaging and does its subject justice. From the first page, I was hooked and couldn't wait to see how things would play out for Louie. I can't say enough good things about it. It's one of those books that provides the reader with tons of information and, at the same time, sparks the desire to learn lots more. For example, I HAVE to read more about Japanese POW camps after this. Although it was published for the adult market, many teens would be hooked as well.

5 stars.

Little Princes

Little Princes
By Conor Grennan
William Morrow, 2010. 294 pgs. Adult Nonfiction

When Conor Grennan originally went to Nepal, it was to spend a few weeks there volunteering before continuing on a trip around the world. However, as he went to work the Little Princes orphanage, he found himself touched by the orphans and their situation, and happy to help; he even found seven additional children and made arrangements for shelter for them. However, back in the U.S., he found out that those seven children had been taken by a child trafficker. Torn up by guilt, he started a non-profit organization, Next Generation Nepal, and went back to find those seven children. His mission expanded when he realized that many of the "orphans" were not actually orphans; their parents had paid men to take them to safety in the midst of Nepal's civil war. These men were actually child traffickers who had threatened and harmed the children if they spoke about their families. Soon, Conor began traveling to the remote villages of Nepal to find these families and bring them news of their children.

This was a fascinating story, and one that makes you want to go to Nepal and save the children. It's told in a simple, conversational style, with Conor relating his experiences with the children, which isn't the most sophisticated style but which is effective for this type of book. It's sad and sweet and has a bit of adventure and even some romance thrown in. Although it was published for the general adult market, it is appropriate for and would be interesting to teen readers as well.

3.5 stars.