This was a difficult read. I am glad I made the effort to read it. I remember, as all Americans of a certain age do, where they were when they heard that the World Trade Center had been hit. But I never sat and watched the news 24/7. I didn't repeat the collapse in an endless loop. I didn't follow politics - key political moments in my life up to and shortly after this event were reading about Clinton's affair, reading about how Bush stole the election, and then a few months after this when Congress authorized military action to "retaliate" for this attack.

So this was a multiple POV, faceted, "I was there." oral history of what happened that day. It was moving. It was raw. Parts of it are still rattling around in my head a few weeks later. Parts of this should be included in history textbooks, with editorial context, to tell the events of this day - at least for the few years that this is more than two paragraphs on the third from last page.

I gained respect for President Bush - he may be a rotten and corrupt leader, but he had empathy, he is a human being. He recognized the loss of life. He recognized the difficulty of making the call to shoot down any plane approaching a major metropolitan area (although Cheney was the one who ultimately made that call). He recognized that his presence was endangering the people around him. That is more than I can say about 45.

I gained respect for firefighters - I already thought they did insanely difficult work, but reading about what these men and women did on that day, and the last glimpses of those who didn't make it out, gave me newfound respect and deference for what they do every day to save lives and property.

I don't think I will ever read this again, so thanks to my local library for letting me borrow it, but this was a worthwhile read.