The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11 by Garrett M. Graff 560 pages
In
some ways, when I think of it, 9/11 could have happened a few months ago, the
images are still that crystal clear in my mind. However, there is a whole generation,
or more, to whom 9/11 is just another historical event, like Pearl Harbor is to
most of us. But author Garrett M. Graff spent years compiling the one book
that, I believe, should be required reading (or listening as the audiobook is
approximately 16 hours) for all Americans.
The
book tells the story of that day’s events from hundreds of people, in their own
words—from air traffic controllers to people on the street to President George
W. Bush. These are the people who witnessed the event, who were part of it, who
were left behind. Readers are able to get a much fuller look at what was
happening that the news teams were able to depict. The story of that day is
told in snippets from many individuals, coalescing into one heartbreaking
narrative.
It
has been at least a month since I finished The Only Plane in the Sky, and there are
several images that have not left me, much like the images of those planes
hitting the Towers. Images like:
· As a firefighter was
exiting one of the Towers, he was startled by the number of women’s shoes that
were lying on the ground. Hundreds of pairs in every shape and size. After
commenting on how it looked like the floor of Macy’s after a big sale, the
firefighter was told was had happened:
As women exited the buildings, the kicked off their shoes and ran.
· After
the buildings fell, a group of people were trapped in a pocket in a stairwell.
They heard a ping, then another, then another. One of the firefighters who was
with them told them that that meant that a firefighter and down and movement
was undetected (much like a Life Alert necklace). Suddenly all they could hear
was ping, ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping
ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping
ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping
ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping
ping ping ping.
· I knew people had jumped from the Towers to avoid the flames. I had no idea how many there really were. Graff does an amazing job of making the reader hear every one of those bodies hitting the ground.
· The
thickness of the ash and how survivors had to scrap it form their eyes and
mouths.
The Only Plane in the Sky receives at least three thousand stars in Julie’s world, but I’m only allowed to give five.
