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Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11
Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11 | Garrett M Graff
10 posts | 14 read | 14 to read
"This is history at its most immediate and moving...A marvelous and memorable book." --Jon Meacham "Had me turning each page with my heart in my throat...There's been a lot written about 9/11, but nothing like this. I urge you to read it." --Katie Couric "The Only Plane in the Sky is a stunning and important work--chilling, heartbreaking--and I cannot stop thinking about it." --Anderson Cooper "Readers who emerge dry-eyed from the text should check their pulses: Something is wrong with their hearts." --Kirkus Reviews (starred review) The first comprehensive oral history of September 11, 2001--a panoramic narrative woven from the voices of Americans on the front lines of an unprecedented national trauma. Over the past eighteen years, monumental literature has been published about 9/11, from Lawrence Wright's The Looming Tower, which traced the rise of al-Qaeda, to The 9/11 Commission Report, the government's definitive factual retrospective of the attacks. But one perspective has been missing up to this point--a 360-degree account of the day told through the voices of the people who experienced it. Now, in The Only Plane in the Sky, award-winning journalist and bestselling historian 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, recently declassified documents, original interviews, and oral histories from nearly five hundred government officials, first responders, witnesses, survivors, friends, and family members, Graff 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 City, first responders confront a scene of unimaginable horror at the Twin Towers. From a secret bunker underneath the White House, officials watch for incoming planes on radar. Aboard the small number of 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 Flight 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 working in the North Tower, 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 rushing into the burning building to try 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.
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JoeMo
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This was one of the more painful reads or “listens” I‘ve experienced. This is an amazing collection of oral histories from 9/11. It really brought back the sense of uncertainty and panic that was prevalent that day, even for those following the events via radio or TV. I heavily recommend this to those who experienced and recall the day (you‘ll still learn something new) and even more to those who were too young to remember or who weren‘t born yet.

fredthemoose Just finished this a week or two ago and totally agree! 13mo
JoeMo I was impressed with the number of stories that involved the president and the people who were with him that day. It was also an opportunity to learn more about what occurred at the Pentagon and in Shanksville. 13mo
40 likes2 comments
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melissajayne
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Part one of five of my top #20of2020

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BookMaven9
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Ten years in the making. This book is an oral history as told by everyone who was personally affected on 9/11. You hear from parents, children, now grown, firefighters and NYPD. You will also hear from key people who with President Bush in that day as well. All the different perspectives and emotions rolled into both big and small remembrances. I can not recommend this book enough. I listened to it which made it more powerful.

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Katies_always_booked
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#bookreport #katies_always_booked
🎧 the Only Plane in the Sky an Oral History of 9/11
📖 Tales of a 4th Grade Nothing (with the kiddos!)
📖 The Heir Affair
🎧 King and the Dragonflies

#currentlyreading
📖 Mexican Gothic
🎧 King‘s Cage
📖 The Self-Driven Child

#weeklyforcast
📖 Anxious People
🎧 Next Year in Havana

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Cinfhen
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“As I joined the mass of humanity across Brooklyn Bridge”

“The true heroes of 9/11 were the regular New-Yorkers. Those who risked their lives to assist others.”

“This doesn‘t happen in Lower Manhattan. The Middle East, sure, but no, not in Lower Manhattan. I‘m looking at a war zone in Lower Manhattan.”

“On Wednesday, September 12 we awoke to a new world”

Snippets of memories stirred up by this oral history ~ vivid & transformative 💔

Cinfhen I absolutely recommend listening to the audio which is told directly from many perspectives; survivors, rescue workers, government employees, aviation officials, family members of deceased and media personnel. 5y
BarbaraBB I am reading it (instead of listening) and think I agree that listening should work better. I am not as gripped (?) by it as I would have thought. Although it breaks my heart at times. A day the world won‘t ever forget 💔 5y
Butterfinger I remember you said once you lived in New York. Were you there? 5y
See All 9 Comments
Cinfhen No @Butterfinger I was living in Philly on 9/11 but I was very familiar with Lower Manhattan & knew lots of people that worked at the WTC ( luckily all made it out) 5y
Cinfhen I don‘t think this book would have left as an emotional impact if I read it @BarbaraBB it would have lost all the nuances of HEARING the stories. 5y
Butterfinger Oh wow @Cinfhen I have no words. That must have been so scary. 5y
Crazeedi @Cinfhen listening to it must be heartbreaking, it's still very emotional reading it too 5y
Cinfhen I think 9/11 belongs to the whole world @Crazeedi @Butterfinger it was a terrible day for everyone but we knew in the first few hours that all our friends and my SIL were physically ok. They got out pretty quickly and some had not made it into the building before the first plane hit. It really was a matter of luck on that day. Little things that made a HUGE difference. 5y
Crazeedi @Cinfhen crazy how simple decisions made that day were the difference between life and death 5y
112 likes1 stack add9 comments
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Cinfhen
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Listening to this book makes me realize how many miracles occurred on 9/11. Every life spared was an absolute gift. This oral history is filling my heart with heaviness and buoyancy. So many everyday heroes ♥️

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Wife
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Thank you to all the people that shared their experiences. The video images were seared in to my memory from watching the TV coverage, but I wanted to know more. Different readers and some actual audio made it easy on the ear, but the content was hard on the heart and mind. An important read. 4/5🖤s

Bowietrek Thank you for posting this. I am going to read it soon, when I can. I was there. I lived and worked in New York then. I need to prepare myself for reading it after living it. 5y
TiredLibrarian I'm currently reading it, and it's so well done but difficult emotionally. It helps that most of the chapters are fairly short, so I can read a little and take breaks. 5y
Hooked_on_books I‘m glad these books (and movies) exist, but I just can‘t bring myself to read (or watch) them. I feel panic rising at the thought. It‘s important history to preserve for those who didn‘t live it. 5y
Bookwormjillk I‘m not sure I‘m ready for this. Glad to know it works on audio since that might be easier for me. 5y
kspenmoll My husband highly recommended this to me. Someday... 5y
48 likes1 stack add5 comments
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Nerdfins
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When I finished this book, I had to stop and hold it to my chest while collecting my emotions. Books do normally have me sitting and contemplating what I read at the end, but this was so different. Memories of what I saw at age 14 up to today relating to this day came back, and my heart is still pounding. Everyone should read this. Everyone. 🇺🇸

squirrelbrain Sounds like one I need to read.... stacked 5y
9 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Nerdfins
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I‘m waiting for my husband at a surgery center (kidney stones no bueno), and I almost started crying while reading about congress spontaneously singing “God Bless America.” Next is Bush‘s speech. 😢 #tea

Lreads I hope your husband is doing well. 5y
Nerdfins @QuietlyLaura He‘s doing much better now, thank you. :) 5y
11 likes1 stack add2 comments