Customer Reviews

Out of the Blue: A Narrative of September 11, 2001

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

 

 

I am trying to read all of the september 11 books. I am not exactly sure why; maybe just to be reminded not to become complacent about it. This one juxtaposes chapters describing the plot with chapters focused on the bios of individual victims, a technique that, I think, makes the tragedy more vivid than massing victims in to a big number. I learned a few new things about the plot, a lot of new things about some of the heroism of the victims and the minutes before the collapse. In contrast to the previous reviewer, I did not think the approach was clinical; if anything, I thought the writing was a big overwrought in places. Still, this is a minor complaint about a really well done book.

Didn't anyone eddit this manuscript?

The first few errors I saw just made me cringe. But by the end of this book, I was ready to scream.

For starters, take the reference on page 131 to the two American embassies in Aden Harbor that were attacked, according to Mr. Bernstein. Obviously, he's mixing up the bombings in Kenya and Tanzania with the bombing of the USS Cole in Aden Harbor.

. . . but that's just the tip of the iceberg . . .

How about page 246, where he refers to the day after September 11 as Wednesday, September 3? There's a good one. I expect more from the New York Times.

. . . but that's just little stuff, right? . . .

Well, then check out pages 201 and 212. In one place, he says that 1,400 people died in Tower 1 of the World Trade Center. In another, he says that 1,600 died above the 91st floor alone in Tower 1. Now THIS ISN'T NITPICKING. These aren't just details; just numbers; they're lives. This is an inexcusable mistake. If you are going to take on a subject as important as this one, you had better get some facts straight, particularly this one.

I'm still waiting for the authoritative work on this subject to be published.

I work just a 10 minute walk from Ground Zero, and so, although I was not at work on 9/11/01, what I saw on the TV that entire day will affect me forever. This book deserves the highest rating because it goes far beyond the mere telling of what happened that infamous day. Out of the Blue informs the reader of the complete who, what, where, and why of the day's events, and literally takes the reader through that day as if the reader had been a survivor or a doomed passenger on one of the hijacked planes. One gets thoroughly familiar with the lives and mentality of all the heroes and villains. Contrary to other 9/11/01 books currently available, this is not a simple picture book, it is not just a regurgitation of what happened. It actually puts into perspective an event that just seems inexplicable. On the contrary to a prior review, this book does not rekindle the horror, pain, and hurt. It is not insensitive to the horror of that day. Instead, it makes it easier for the reader to overcome, and better deal with the horror and pain.

Out of the Blue (The Story of September 11, 2001 from Jihad to Ground Zero) tries to tackle too much but gets some elements down very well. Richard Bernstein, using his and much of the staff of the New York Times' research over the past year, pieces together the development of recent terrorism and mixes in the personal histories of the hijackers as one theme, while also looking at the personal histories of the victims in the towers and on the planes on that fateful day and before. The terrorist background information is horrifically fascinating and laid out very clearly, which is of great benefit to the reader as the various themes can become confusing. The actual reporting on the events of the day is vivid, clear, and heart-rending. The book is a little weaker on giving the background of the victims as they become very similar in this telling as their similarities as Americans are emphasized. To paraphrase, good people are good in all the same ways but bad people are bad in all different ways. Some of the editing is a little loose at times and certain stock phrases creep into the writing. Still, this is a powerful journalistic account covering the entire sweep of events. Individual books on many of the separate elements would, ultimately, be more helpful but this book provides a sweep and momentum that will carry the reader through this time of history with more knowledge and deep grief.

The beginning of this book is very difficult to stomach. Although it has been almost two years since this horrific event, it still seems like yesterday to me. Right from page one, the author begins to talk about the people who jumped from the Twin Towers. He continues talking about this for a few pages. For me, seeing people jump is the one very vivid image that still haunts me. He goes into very graphic detail about the jumpers. About how one man was impaled on a street sign. Reading this book was like reliving Sept 11 all over again. If you're not ready to relive the experience, please do not read this book. The rest of the book gives a short bio on some of the terrorists and some of the innocent people who were killed on 9/11. The book also documents the growing hatred of Amercia and how the terrorists came to be. It was surprising to note just how much the FBI knew but how little they actually did.

This is the story of the attack on our country on 9/11/01. The story goes all the way back to the late 1980's and originates in Afghanistan. Berstein does a good job of describing how bin Laden and his group of thugs got their grounding in the basics of terrorism. Not only bin Laden but some of the other members (Atta) are described in their early life.
Along with the story of the terrorists, there are stories of some of the victims of 09/11/01. Bernstein does a good job in describing their lives, so we know what America lost in this attack. Unlike other journalists, Berstein gives reasons why the FBI/CIA did not pick up on the attack.
This is a good summary of the attacks and the reasons they originated. The title sums up the surprise Americans felt when the attack came.

I found this book to be very good. It introduces you to many people involved to day.....from Mohammed Atta to the pilot of flight 11 to firefighters. I felt the book did a good job of portraying the events of that day from many different points of view. If you are looking for a book with lots of photos, this isn't the book. There's a small section of photos of some victims and photos of every hijacker involved that day. It also gives a detailed description of Osama Bin Laden and why he feels the way he does towards the U.S. The only part I didn't like is it kind of jumped around a little bit in the beginning. It starts with how different people started their days. It takes you almost up to the point when the first plane hit, then for several chapters talks about Osama Bin Laden. I actually skipped the whole Osama part until I had read everything else in the book. That's my only complaint. The last few chapters I found so gripping that I couldn't put the book down. I would def. recommend this book

I've been reading everything I can on 9/11 lately, and sorry to say this one was one of the worst. I just find it terribly written and organized.

There is way too much on the terrorists, not enough on the victims. Too often we get a really cliched paragraph review of a life "So and so went to college here and loved to eat muffins in the morning, and then they died." I felt it was just superficial and trivilizing to the dead.

It is well-meaning, but this author is a reporter, not a novelist, and it really shows. I couldn't even finish.

To be fair, this was written very soon after the attacks, and with time better books are coming out. For its time, i guess it's ok, but there are now much much better 9/11 books out there.

Richard Bernstein or at least Richard and the New York Times staff did a fantastic job of bringing real faces to the tragic events of Sept. 11. The opening chapter "We Saw People Jumping" is gripping and not for the faint of heart and yet, as the book continues into the later chapters it tries to be sensitive in telling of the death and destruction, so sensitive that the credulity of this horrible crisis seems questionable because it is just too clinically detached. This was my only complaint. The only reason I would give it four stars verse five. Perhaps it is just the inbred bias of someone who works far too close to the WTC site to view anything about this situation in a cool, detached, clinical state and yet, I question whether any American could view this situation without some outrage and grief.

There are lots of cold, hard facts in this book, which is great for those interested in statistics. For people who want a view of the day beyond the numbers, dates and times, to really understand the terror, hopelessness & agony of the day, this book will disappoint. The horror of September 11th was not the destruction of walls of the Pentagon or the tumbling of buildings, it was the agony of loss, the simultanenous, murder thousands. It's the thoughts that imagination creates and the pressing, persistent questions that peek out of forcibly supressed memories. The horror is the public murder and the agony is the private, unknown details. This book misses those things. The author recounts "things" well in the method of a reporter taking notes, but misses the importance of Sept. 11th, which is maintaining its meaning.