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A review by kathywadolowski
Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11 by Garrett M. Graff
5.0
There is no way to relive 9/11 as it unfolded, and it's impossible to return to the mindset that predates it. But this book, with its linear history and granular detail, painstakingly and chillingly evokes the change that came over the nation and even the world over the course of a single day.
Everyone's personal memories and experiences of 9/11 differ, but Graff is really effective in crafting a story that is simultaneously focused on the big picture while built on extremely intimate moments and split-second decisions. He pulls readers out of their own singular memories and injects them into the context of every important actor that day as far as is feasible. We fly on the planes, we puzzle things out with air traffic control, we hear and watch the news unfold, and we spend a lot of time in and around the towers as they stood, burned, and fell. The emotions are tangible, and the recordings reproduced from people who died that day—and recollections of many who survived—are the most devastating things I've read.
We say "never forget" a lot in reference to 9/11, but after this reading experience I think those testimonials are the things I'll remember most and continue to come back to. When you frame the day in the context of so many personal experiences, it becomes clear why remembering is so vital—we must remember the people lost and the tragedy itself, of course, but we must also remember the power of human connection and spirit and the ways we can harm and heal each other. These are the lessons that must endure through generations if we're to avoid more catastrophes on the scale of 9/11, and these lessons start at the individual, painful, personal level.
This is tough to get through at times, in part of course due to the subject matter but also because of the presentation. We are overwhelmed by the collective experience and the unrelenting pace of the horror, and this unique telling conveys the jarring nature of the day extremely effectively. History doesn't get any more up-close-and-personal than in this emotional, heartbreaking, and essential read. Thanks to the author for taking the time and effort to record a critical event with such precision and compassion.
Everyone's personal memories and experiences of 9/11 differ, but Graff is really effective in crafting a story that is simultaneously focused on the big picture while built on extremely intimate moments and split-second decisions. He pulls readers out of their own singular memories and injects them into the context of every important actor that day as far as is feasible. We fly on the planes, we puzzle things out with air traffic control, we hear and watch the news unfold, and we spend a lot of time in and around the towers as they stood, burned, and fell. The emotions are tangible, and the recordings reproduced from people who died that day—and recollections of many who survived—are the most devastating things I've read.
We say "never forget" a lot in reference to 9/11, but after this reading experience I think those testimonials are the things I'll remember most and continue to come back to. When you frame the day in the context of so many personal experiences, it becomes clear why remembering is so vital—we must remember the people lost and the tragedy itself, of course, but we must also remember the power of human connection and spirit and the ways we can harm and heal each other. These are the lessons that must endure through generations if we're to avoid more catastrophes on the scale of 9/11, and these lessons start at the individual, painful, personal level.
This is tough to get through at times, in part of course due to the subject matter but also because of the presentation. We are overwhelmed by the collective experience and the unrelenting pace of the horror, and this unique telling conveys the jarring nature of the day extremely effectively. History doesn't get any more up-close-and-personal than in this emotional, heartbreaking, and essential read. Thanks to the author for taking the time and effort to record a critical event with such precision and compassion.