Customer Reviews

Brotherhood

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

is the only way I can describe how I felt looking at the images in this beautiful book. God bless the men who made the ultimate sacrifice for others. This book is a breathtaking memoir on their heroism. Hopefully we will never forget

On October 19, 2001, my wife and I walked more than 50 blocks from downtown to mid-town Manhattan, stopping at each fire station along the way.

Every stop had its own story to tell, without the need for eloquent prose or a "tour guide" leading the way, stating the obvious.

Images of lost firefighters and burning candles were out front, with hand-scrawled tributes plastered on every available space, written by heart-broken individuals from throughout the country, and NOT just from New York.

Of all books attempting to capture the flavor of a well-done tribute to ANY cause or group of individuals (in this case, the Fire Department of New York, now world-renown as FDNY), "Brotherhood" succeeds wonderfully in a way that SHOULD seem obvious to most, but apparently not, especially when compared to countless other "rush to market" though "well-intentioned" tributes of similar bent.

"Brotherhood" follows a perfect, "by-the-dots" formula that all pure "tributes" should follow, at least in terms of composition and design. And that is, use minimal text and heart-wrenching images that speak a thousand words.

Too often, creative teams associated with such efforts go overboard by stating the obvious, manipulating viewer or reader emotions unnecessarily with narration, captions or adjective-filled text to articulate the intangible. The result is a product, however well-intentioned, that is undercut by an over-zealousness to stamp into words, a generic and universal feeling when none are required.

The cumulative effect of image after image -- of empty fire stations, burning candles, faces of those lost, notes written by children, flowers of every hue, empty boots marked by their owners -- is ultimately equal parts devastating and uplifting, without a trace of maudlin excess. Its understated presentation proves to be the best thing going for it.

More than any other symbol, the fire stations of New York City offer the greatest lasting visible personification of courage, its inhabitants giving no thought of what the word itself means other than something that others (you and I) have attached to that innate sense of mission that seems to course through every firefighter's veins.

With introductions by New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani (the only other major volume blessed with the Mayor's words is "One Nation," by the editors of Life Magazine, which by itself should be enough endorsement), Fire Commissioner Thomas Van Essen and Pulitzer-prize winning author Frank McCourt -- and supplemented by wonderful text absent of cheap sentiment by Tony Hendra -- "Brotherhood" offers a stark blend of prose and spectacular images that enable the reader to conjure his or her own personal set of emotions, without being sledge-hammered into being told how to feel.

As a writer who prefers a mix of substance and tribute over tribute alone, I have surveyed more than 25 products associated with 9/11, and have learned AGAIN to never to judge a book by its cover or by liner notes alone.

To date, "Brotherhood" is one of only a small group of 9/11-related products that truly deserve to be on your permanent shelf, and one of only two pure "tribute books" worthy enough to be labeled, "keepers."

The other volumes, all available ...include: "September 11: A Testimony (by Reuters; the second worthy "pure" tribute available), the aforementioned, "One Nation (by the editors of Life Magazine)," "September 11, 2001: A Record of Tragedy, Heroism, and Hope (by the editors of New York Magazine)" and "The World Trade Center (by Bill Harris)."

Save your money to buy these volumes -- and consider the rest as no more than heartfelt souvenirs and memorials -- worthy of browsing, but not buying.

I purchased this book for my Firefighter husband. I know that, as a firefighter, he felt particularly helpless when this tragedy struck New York, and our country. I feel a great sense of pride in my husband's choice of occupation, and even more so that he is a Volunteer Firefighter. This book is a very moving tribute all of those (not just firefighters) that gave their lives on September 11th. The images contained are extraordinary, and all of us in the family that paged through it became very emotional when we read it. There are very few words, aside from the text written by the Mayor and Mr. McCourt, but the images leave very little need for them. And even more moving is the list of lost souls on the bottom of each page, which I felt assigned a lot more of a personal touch to this tragedy than just knowing the mere numbers of those lost while doing their jobs that day.

I do in fact feel that 'Brotherhood' is a perfect title, because as anyone affiliated with rescue services can tell you, it is a large family. We ALL felt a great sense of loss that day, I think this book is the very LEAST we can do.

As you are reading though the tribute to the fallen, you see thenamesof each of the lost Firefighters scrolled across the bottom of the pages. Each page left me more and more with a sense of loss. I did not lose anyone that fateful day, yet, we all lost. The words you read are quite moving, the pictures mean more than the words and poems. Yet i am most moved by the names of those precious and brave firefighters name across the pages from the front cover to the back cover.

This large and attractive book is a highly moving, pictorial tribute to the firefighters who lost their lives in the September 11th attack on the World Trade Center. The pictures, often as large as the pages, are in color and black-and-white, and were taken by more than sixty photographers. The pictures themselves are highly poignant, showing firefighters, fire stations and trucks, and the touching shrines that spontaneously sprouted up in front of fire stations across New York City.

The text is small, and scattered throughout the book in the form of poems and messages. But, most moving of all is the list of firefighters, whose names run along the bottom of each page, from the front cover all the way to the back cover.

This book is a wonderful and fitting tribute to the New York City firefighters, and moving book to read. A portion of the profits from the sales of this book goes to the FDNY charities, which makes this book an even better buy.

"The Brotherhood" is a spectacular and moving tribute to all of New Yorks Bravest. It is tearfully moving yet not in the least bit over done or surupy. The Photography is absolutely first rate and truely captures the heart and soul of the FDNY and the sense of loss that all NY feels for the men and women of the New York City Fire Dept.I have not read Frank McCourt's books, but after reading his moving salute to the firemen of New York City I can easly understand why many consider him to be among the greatest living and active writers today. His two pages of writting alone are worth the price of this book. Wether you wish to buy this book simply because you wish to help the families of those killed or because of it's potential historical value or perhaps because you are a fire fighter or fire buff you won't be disappoited by this wonderful tribute/book. A definite buy.

Brotherhood is a moving pictorial of the FDNY. The pictures are moving and haunting at the same time. I would highly recomend this book.

This is a powerfully moving book. Pay attention to the names along the bottom, for they are the fallen. This book, with few words does not need them to get the message out. A picture is worth a thousand words, and some of the pictures are very moving indeed. You see the stations, of the fallen, and see the moving tributes, and the US Flags at half staff. You see what is like at the stations, on the inside of the house, and the emptyness that was left behind. You see the living, and the pain with in their eyes, and much sadness. Then there is the Fallen themselves, and you are able to see all of the FDNY who where killed on that fateful day. Then there is the Grief, and on how they delt with it in the days afterward, and moving tributes from children. On the back, is the Firemans Prayer.

This is not a happy book, but a solemn tribute to those who died. It is a reverent, and loving tribute, and may bring tears to your eyes, but it is well worth it, so we can remeber them though the Brotherhood.

I saw the book at the fire house and started looking for it right away. All most anybody in the Fire/EMS field.. Love the photos.. But don't take my word for it buy it see, you can alwas leave it at the fire house.....

As an Urban Search and Rescue team member who worked at ground Zero, I found this book refreshing and insightful. There are few pictures of Ground Zero, which I thought was good. It's nice the author focused on the people and staion houses that make up FDNY, instead of the usual 9/11 books with pictures of the debris field at the Trade Center. Across the bottom of every page are the names of those who gave their lives in a valiant effort to save others. Photos of the shrines created in front of the fire houses serve to uplift rather than cause sadness. Instead of being depressing and dreary, this book drew out the pride I feel to be one of the members of this family-- the fire service. The books tell the story of not only the FDNY, but the city they protect and serve every day... and the pride those citizens feel in their fire department. This is one book about 9/11 everyone should read.