Customer Reviews

Miracle on the Hudson: The Survivors of Flight 1549 Tell Their Extraordinary Stories of Courage, Faith, and Determination

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This is one of the best real-life yarns I've read in a long time. Great reporting. Great entertainment. The authors do a fine job of introducing the characters, setting the scene on that icy day, and letting you feel the emotions felt by the passengers on that plane. As a reader, I felt gripped. I almost ralphed at one point. If you love true-action thrillers, this occupies the top 10 of the year.

'Miracle on the Hudson': Survivors of US Airways Flight 1549 Recount Their Stories of the Famous Crash

Reviewed By David M. Kinchen


The news coverage of the 'Miracle on the Hudson' of Jan. 15, 2009 has focused on Capt. Chesley B. (Sully) Sullenberger's skillful landing of his 75-ton Airbus A320 on the Hudson River after bird strikes knocked out both his engines.

A month after the landing, a Greenwich Village pub, the Half Pint, created a cocktail honoring the heroic captain, "The Sully," which consists of two shots of Grey Goose vodka and "a splash of water." And, as noted below, he has his own book about the "Miracle" and his life before and after it.

"Miracle on the Hudson: The Survivors of Flight 1549 Tell Their Extraordinary Stores of Courage, Faith, and Determination" (Ballantine Books, 272 pages, $25.00) by William Prochnau and Laura Parker gives Sully his due, as well as First Officer (co-pilot) Jeffrey Skiles, who saw the flock of geese first, moments before Sully, who took over the controls. "Miracle" concentrates on the experiences and backgrounds of the passengers, 108 of whom were interviewed by the two reporters. The 108 were among the 155 passengers and crew on board the Charlotte, NC-bound U.S. Airways flight that frigid January afternoon.

The year started out with a miracle, with everybody surviving, despite some scary rescue moments, but the authors note that by mid-2009, more than 500 people had died in commercial airline crashes around the world, making it the worst year for aviation fatalities in seven years.

On Feb. 12, a Colgan Air commuter plane crashed near Buffalo, NY, killing all 49 on board and a man on the ground. On June 1, an Air France Airbus A330 crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Brazil, killing all 228 on board. A month later, another Airbus, a Yemenia Airlines A310 crashed into the Indian Ocean near the Comoros, killing all but one of the 153 people on board.

Prochnau and Parker are not only meticulous reporters, with their detailed summaries of the backgrounds of the passengers, they're also skilled storytellers; the book reads like a novel, say "The High and the Mighty" published in 1954 and written by the late, great Ernest K. Gann. Or at times like a waterborne disaster like Paul Gallico's "The Poseidon Adventure."

The survivors are a casting director's dream team. There's the obligatory plucky older woman, 85-year-old Brooklyn born Lucille Palmer, headed for her great-grandchild's first birthday. There's Greenwich village architect Martin Sosa and his wife Tess, traveling with a nine-month-old baby and their young daughter. There's the so-called "Belk Six", five women and a man representing the Belk department store chain, returning to Charlotte from a New York buying trip.

We learn of the stresses of "road warrior" bankers -- Charlotte is home to Bank of America and Wachovia -- lawyers and other frequent fliers, some of whom changed their pressure-cooker lives after the events of Jan. 15. One of them, a lawyer, received a message after the rescue that he was being laid off. The actual layoff was delayed until two months later.

At times the authors, Prochnau and Parker -- both of whom have worked for The Washington Post -- seem to be padding out the book with discussions of the financial meltdown and its effects on the workers that weren't laid off. Still, despite this caveat and their sometimes florid prose, "Miracle on the Hudson" is a well-written, moving account of everyday people reacting to an extraordinary event that deserves the phrase bestowed upon it by NY Gov. David Paterson: It was truly a "Miracle on the Hudson."

Sully's book, "Highest Duty: My Search for What Matters," written with Jeffrey Zaslow, was published earlier this month. And on Nov. 10, Vanity Fair international correspondent William Langewiesche, who has written on flying from the perspective of a former professional pilot, will publish his "Fly By Wire: The Geese, the Glide, the 'Miracle' on the Hudson".

Langewiesche, who manages to explain technical matters better than just about any writer I've read, discusses the technology that helped Sully and Skiles accomplish their "miracle."

Which leads me to my pet hobby horse: why can't aviation engineers come up with a grille or screen to keep Canada geese -- which have wingspans of six feet -- and other large birds out of jet engines? My Ford Ranger pickup has a grille to keep objects from damaging the radiator, as does my liquid-cooled Honda Shadow motorcycle. As a matter of fact, there are guards that do just that for jet engines. I don't know if Boeing or Airbus uses them or has plans for them in the future. For a look at one that received a U.S. patent, click on: [...]

In full disclosure someone at my company was on this flight, so I was a bit more interested than the average reader. I've met him once or twice so I was very curious about his experience.

All I can say is "oh my", I truly had no idea how crazy it was on board that flight. I think everyone has some sort of fear of flying, particulary after this past spring when there were some really horrific air disasters. The writers do a good job at putting the reader right inside the plane and in a seat and eventually in the river. You can feel how frightening it was. I dont' think there was a passenger on that plane that didn't think they were going to die. I found it profound to understand all the ideas and thoughts that one thinks about when they believe they are moments away from death. I also found it interesting that most were just hoping for it to be quick and painless; they were more frightened, in some cases, of pain vs. death. Interesting!

I think the early part of the book and then the end are the best. The rescue became a little tedious and some of the story lines had me a bit confused. The seating chart at the beginning was helpful and I kept flipping back to it. (On that note, the photos were good, but I would have liked more. They were not color so that was a miss, this is 2009!) In spite of knowing the ending, I could not put it down. Overall I have to say it was a really good book and I can't wait to recommend. I would have given 5 stars but for some of the middle chapters that were a little messy.

The next time I see that man who works at my company I plan to let him know how much I enjoyed this book, even though he was only mentioned two times.

As I heard the news of the plane landing in the Hudson, I was in shock. I could not believe that someone I knew, a dear friend, was aboard that plane. I turned on the television fully expecting the news to be the usual; no survivors. When I saw the passengers standing on the wings I felt hope for their survival. The story of their short flight and rescue takes the readers on their journey. It was fascinating to read the thoughts and feelings of the passengers. We all board flights expecting them to be routine and uneventful. It was uplifting to read about the passengers overcoming their fear and supporting one another. It was inspiring to read about their collective sense of peace that this was their destiny; whether it be life or death. The story was well written. I found myself wanting to read more. I will never board a flight again and not think of the strength and courage of the passengers, flight crew and rescue workers. It was truly a gift from God to see all the passengers return home safely. I would highly recommend reading the book.

When Flight 1549 landed in the Hudson river in January, 2009, the media blitz focused on Captain Sullenberger and his flawless emergency landing. Images of passengers stranded on the plane's wings were plastered everywhere. Missing from the limelight were the passengers' own personal accounts of what happened on that cold New York day. Did they know beforehand that they would land in the water? What exactly happened before, during and after impact? What was the rescue like, and was it really as easy as it looked in the photos? Most importantly, what were the lessons learned?

Authors William Prochnau and Laura Parker, both experienced reporters, personally interviewed these passengers to find the answers to these questions. They skillfully pieced together over 100 miracle stories to tell an even bigger, more exciting miracle story. These untold stories are truly fascinating, hope inspiring, and sometimes even funny. Although this is a non fiction book, it reads like a fictional thriller. It has renewed my belief in the resilience of mankind, and that miracles really do happen. I highly recommend it!

Miracle on the Hudson was so compelling I could not put it down. The book really drives home the point that perception is reality. The experience was obviously very different for each person on the plane depending on their seat assignment, ability to swim and overall strength. On that day, when I watched the T.V. coverage and saw the passengers on the wing of the plane I can remember thinking, "wow, they actually survived a plane crash." However, I think that the terror of the descent and aftermath of the crash was lost on the general public. This book brings it home and helps you see a glimpse into their harrowing personal stories of survival.

This book was well written. What a heart touching story. I work with the mother of one of the passesngers aboard this flight. I had to buy a copy. I was impressed by the way it was written and could not put it down. What a beautiful outcome to what could have been a major disaster.

Quick moving account of what transpired aboard US Airways flight 1549 on the fateful afternoon of January 15th, 2009. Compelling rendition told through the eyes of various passengers. Captures the tension, terror, elation, and jubilation of the survivors. An inside look at human kindness and compassion over coming terror and fear under extreme duress. Hard to put the book down. Read it one sitting. Fascinating.

"Miracle on the Hudson" is a riveting account of the survivors' experiences during the brief flight of US Airways 1549 that crashed into the Hudson River on one of the coldest days of the year.

We "experience" this extraordinary event through the passengers comments. They tell of their thoughts, reactions and actions. It is a fascinating read because it is so real: the people, their stories, the event that captured the world's attention.

It is rare that we can get this close to an event about "everyday" people who are plunged into an extreme and dire circumstance, all of whom survive. Their combined story is an emotional and heartening read.

They couldn't make this up in Hollywood.

It has been an honor to have heard Casey Jones speak on two occasions about the incredible "Miracle on the Hudson" plane crash. The book that was written "Miracle on the Hudson" truly gives an insight on what happened to the passengers on board that flight last January. Casey spoke of his faith, and what went through his mind as the Captain said, "Brace for Impact." Casey spoke so eloquently about his own experience and how his life has changed since he was Blessed to have survived. Please read this powerful book on how people truly react to such words, Brace for Impact and are able to tell about it! Casey is one of many in the book that shares and has had an impact on my own life...
Donna Augustyniak