The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11

I’ve read many books on 9/11, but stayed away from the conspiracy books, and I have to say that this new book (just released last night at midnight, 9/10/2019), is probably the best one I’ve ever read. And I’m only about a third of the way through. I stayed up late last night to read it.

One of the things I like most about it is it’s format. “Oral History”. That format has been around for awhile and is quite popular. If you read the “Oral History of SNL”, you know what it’s like.
It’s written in a flowing conversation involving a hundred different people. Each paragraph is a different person (a survivor, a witness, President Bush, a fireman, a deli worker, etc. etc.) adding to the conversation, which is laid out in order of events. So where one person starts to tell about something, it is picked up by the next person in the narrative. So you get multiple viewpoints of the same events.
And since it’s not written as “just the facts” kind of narrative, it’s from people who lost loved ones in the attack, and from survivors, it tends to be an extremely emotional read. It transports you back to the time and places of 9/11/2001.

“If there’s just one book to read…..” about 9/11, I highly suggest this one!

This is a powerful, vivid and emotional recounting of 9/11. Garrett seamlessly weaves together a range of voices, ensuring the history of one of America’s most powerful days is heard from all perspective.

The book is a must read to capture not only the history of the day but to be reminded (or learn, for younger generations) of the emotions woven into these historic and tragic events.

I cried my way through the book, while reliving that terrible day. And I mourned for America, again. Remember and never forget.

I pre ordered this book after I read the Politico story by the same author. The Politico story was tightly focused on the people aboard Air Force One on 9/11. The book is much broader in scope. The author takes you to the Twin Towers, the Pentagon, Capitol Hill, The White House, Air Force Once, and many other places.

The anecdotes from people directly involved in the events of 9/11 are well selected and skillfully edited. They bring you back to what it felt like on that day, and much more, since most of us were not at ground zero. (Thankfully!) The author also skillfully avoids any political polarization, this is a story about the events of the day with no opinions injected.

Despite the fact that the major events of the day are already known, you won’t want to put this down. People too young to remember that day would do well to read this. Essential reading to get a better understanding of what really happened that day. Not what you call a “fun” read, but there is enough heroism and hope contained between the covers that you still feel better for having read it, despite the scope of the tragedy.

BTW, if you have not read the Politico Piece by the same name, you can still find it on the internet, and it is still worth reading. It’s tight focus on Air Force One gives it a little different feel, and it contains details that were edited from from the book.

Im only part way into the book but so far its very well done. Im a fan of the way the material is presented, makes it very relatable and easy to follow. It is difficult to read in that I find myself on the verge of tears. I had to stop reading it at work because it made me so sad. I hope many will read it. Its important that we dont forget what happened, and whats important, in a world thats become so cynical.

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