The Only Plane In The Sky: An oral history of 9/11 by Garrett Graff. It is hard to believe another September is upon us. Above all and as amazing as it sounds, next year will mark the 20th observance of the 9/11 attacks.
Above all, I found The Only Plane In The Sky holds a very powerful reminder of that day. To a greater extent, even though time has faded some memories, the detailed stories return here to serve me as a reminder of what we hold dear.
Subsequently, those interviewed in the book, from any of the four crash sites have had to endure many challenges. For some, those challenges remain through today. Likewise many stories are filled with heartbreak. For a fortunate few, there is inspiration in overcoming such tragedy.
At the same time, knowing the ending for each crash location does not diminish the impact of details shared throughout the book.
In addition, the audiobook version includes audio recordings of American Airlines 11 flight attendant Betty Ong, who called the airline’s reservation line to report the first hijacking. Also included are the responses and communications between Air Force command, FDNY, NYPD, and the Port Authority in New York among many others.
Moreover, their voices are sheared deeply into our collective consciousness. Their voices resonate as powerful lessons. Reading or listening may move you to tears as memories of that day will certainly return in vivid details.
In conclusion, The Only Plane In The Sky should be required reading for K-12 schools. Higher Education would benefit from this oral history. This reminds us all of the tremendous sacrifices and impacts to our world since that day.
9/11 Memorial & Museum | Only Plane in the Sky
Face the Nation | New oral history captures powerful first-hand accounts of 9/11
Gerald R. Ford Library Museum | The Only Plane in the Sky
PBS NewsHour | 18 years after September 11th, an oral history that recalls the details