Reclaiming the Sky: 9/11 and the Untold Story of the Men and Women Who Kept America Flying [Hardcover]

Tom Murphy (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 5, 2006

As the world approaches the fifth anniversary of September 11, the stories of the heroes and casualties among the dedicated air travel workers remain largely untold, until now Reclaiming the Sky honours not only those workers who died doing their jobs, but also the ones that soldiered through on that day and in the aftermath, tirelessly piecing back together the fragments of a shattered industry and indeed a critical social and economic force while putting aside their own fears and grief. Key features A 9/11 perspective never heard before, on sale to coincide with the fifth anniversary Contains powerful, never-before-shared anecdotes about that day, including: the story of the gate agent who had a hunch about who the terrorists were and was right; the husband-and-wife flight attendants on Flight 77; the manager who made the decision to shut down Newark airport and was almost arrested by the FBI; and many more The author, as an aviation industry trainer, will promote his book directly to airline and airport employees, a guaranteed market for this book The book will tie in with the website www.reclaimingthesky.com. I-village has offered free access to their message board system and software to create a virtual community centre for the site. Its goal will be to help people communicate about 9/11 and other loss. The site also includes a wellness survey, 'Why I Fly' anecdotes, information on aviation charities, and much more

Editorial Reviews

Review

If you’ve worked for an airline in any capacity[…] you owe it to yourself to pick up this book.

-Aviation for Women

“A must-have for current events fans.”

-Black Men magazine

"... a great moving story about the aviation professionals whose sacrifice and service... have been previously overlooked.”

-In Flight USA

“…a fascinating addition to the growing literature spawned by 9/11.”

-Seattle Post-Intelligencer

“Murphy’s work is a great and moving story about the aviation professionals whose sacrifice and service as a result of the events and aftermath of Sept. 11 have been previously overlooked.”

-In Flight USA Magazine

Review

"""I covered the awful World Trade Center attacks on 9/11 and haven't been on an airplane since. But after reading Tom Murphy's beautifully written, and powerfully told tale of the daily courage of those who keep America airborne I want to run for the boarding gate. Reclaiming the Sky is a compelling, economical and important book about those unsung men and women who have the right stuff in a dark time.""

-- Denis Hamill, New York Daily News columnist and author of Fork in the Road and Ten Spot

""The myth of our separateness in this life is pervasive, but it is never more a myth than when applied to the community of people who work in and around the great air transportation system of the United States. While 9/11 was a Pearl Harbor-class attack on our nation, it was an even more grievous attack on the aviation community, and the extreme pain and post traumatic stress radiating in all directions and affecting so many -- friends, family, kindred workers, and those who we knew only by association -- has vibrated silently, until now. Reclaiming the Sky is an important work of compassion and connectedness, a reaffirmation of the human spirit and the determination that kept an industry of great passion alive in its darkest hour.""

-- John J. Nance, Veteran Airline Captain for Alaska Airlines and Braniff Airlines, and NY Times bestselling author of many books, including Orbit, Pandor’s Clock, and Medusa’s Child

""A fitting tribute to the quiet heroes who helped get this country started again after it was so abruptly stopped on 9/11.""

-- Doug McCormick, former President of iVillage and Lifetime Television

""Reclaiming the Sky is filled with good stories I had not heard and things I did not know. It should be required reading for anyone who is serious about defending America.""

-- John Westermann, ex-cop, author of Exit Wounds"

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 15 and up
  
• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: AMACOM (September 5, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0814409091
• ISBN-13: 978-0814409091
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #258,503 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Enduring and Prevailing: the definitive roadmap, September 18, 2006

By 

John Whitmer (Bellingham, WA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Reclaiming the Sky: 9/11 and the Untold Story of the Men and Women Who Kept America Flying (Hardcover)

This book is structured around the stories of about two dozen aviation industry personnel at three airports (Logan, Newark, Dulles) and two airlines (American, United) who although not at ground zero on September, 11, 2001, were on the front line in every significant sense. Although many people rose heroically that day, these stories make a strong case that the performance of those in the aviation industry was second to none, not only on 9/11 but in the days, weeks, and months following. The author has long experience in the aviation industry, largely developing and running customer service training programs. Due to a cancelled meeting that morning in the North Tower he was heading home to the west coast earlier than planned and was among the last to see from the air the twin towers standing. But professional associations and personal friendships within the aviation industry gave him many other perspectives on 9/11 and its aftermath - perspectives that in variety and scope may well be unmatched.

The stories are well told and woven together to show connections, both personal and professional, between people. In addition to their responses to the events of that day, we learn in some cases why they chose aviation as a career, their pride in the industry and part in it, and other aspects of what makes them "tick." The individuals range widely: a security agent, several flight attendants, a pilot, customer service reps, airline operation officers, to name a few. One of the more striking stories focuses on the general manager of the Newark Airport. Her sharp instincts, clear thinking, and ability to act decisively under considerable pressure illustrate leadership of the highest order. Not all these people survived that September morning but this book leaves no doubt that the memory and spirit of those who didn't are alive and well and will continue to be so for the foreseeable future. These stories also give an inside look at the aviation industry beyond the gate agents and flight attendants that most of us are familiar with.

But the personal tragedies of that day were just the beginning. The economic and emotional aftermath of 9/11 hit the aviation industry especially hard. Over 100,000 jobs were lost in the first post 9/11 year alone as funding priorities shifted dramatically, and those remaining in aviation took on additional burdens. How these people not only adapted and endured but prevailed - in essence reclaimed their lives - is the central question the author explores. The later part of the book sheds considerable light on this question and distills much of value from these people. Although individual paths to personal recovery varied common themes were unmistakable. Indeed this book is an excellent guide for anyone recovering from a loss of almost any kind or severity.

At a time when the national discourse seems to dwell so much on the fearful, the negative, and the cynical it is refreshing to be reminded - as this book does - that this need not be so. Here are stories of a few, from among undoubtedly many and unsung others, who under crisis conditions were not paralyzed by fear, were able to act decisively, and were willing to reach out to others. And equally impressive they refused to become victims of that experience in the tough months and years that followed. This book provides an occasionally needed reminder of what seemingly ordinary people can do.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Inside Story, September 13, 2006

By 

Edward T. Bond (Lexington, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Reclaiming the Sky: 9/11 and the Untold Story of the Men and Women Who Kept America Flying (Hardcover)

I didn't know it when I started reading it, but this book presents a truly unique perspective on the events of 9/11. Unlike many of the "featured" 9/11 books, Tom Murphy writes not as an outside pundit,partisan political hack or foreign policy wonk... he writes passionately from his position as a long time consultant inside the aviation industry. I was amazed when I read this very insightful book how much I took for granted when I flew both before 9/11 and after. RECLAIMING THE SKY will give you an "on the ground" feel for the what the aviation industry is really like...and what the events of 9/11 meant that fateful day and all the days since. I know you've heard it all before, but when I started it, I couldn't put it down: the book is rich in human detail, conversational and warm in tone, with a depth of compassion and support for those Mr. Murphy knew,worked with and cared deeply about. It's also not just a book about aviation; it's a moving story of Tom Murphy's personal journey as well. I think it's a great book...before writing this review I ordered 3 copies for friends.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 9/11 - an honest perspective, October 14, 2006

By 

Mark Starbuck (London) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Reclaiming the Sky: 9/11 and the Untold Story of the Men and Women Who Kept America Flying (Hardcover)

What strikes me most about this book is the honesty, time and care taken by the author in ensuring that the story told is true to the maturing experiences of those involved. I am sure that it would have been relatively easy for Mr. Murphy to rush a book out, given his proximity to the people and events of that terrible day. But he didn't do that. This approach must have required great patience and absolute dedication, but these traits have in the end been richly rewarded in what is a unique account and a developed perspective.

I think this is key. I myself was caught up in the '93 bombing. My experience was relatively mild of course - a bad scare and a long walk down from the 99th floor. But even in my case I've learned that it takes time and reflection to judge the true impact of these seemingly unreal events.

I loved those towers very much. As a Brit in New York I was in "adult Disneyland" - perhaps the best 3 years of my life. Whenever I could, wherever I was in New York, I'd look for the towers, as if addicted to their beauty and iconic majesty. I didn't realise that '93 was just the start of a greater tragedy. My firm relocated and our space was taken by another firm. They were a client of mine and I loved working for them - such great people, with real character. When I left New York to return to London I was given a football by my boss, with signatures of those I'd been closest to in New York. Tragically, 4 of those signatures are from people that were lost on 9/11.

Having left New York I was confined to experiencing 9/11 through a TV, remote and detached. For so long my '93 experience and also 9/11 have seemed and felt to me to be a work of fiction, something from the movies. The relevance of this to the book is that time and reflection have taught me not to gloss over or bury past events but to recognise that they were real, they did happen, it really was intended to topple the towers as I sat in them, that evil had its moment but that the memories of the spirit of the good and the great has in the end prevailed. Thank you Tom for allowing me to find my own maturity and honest perspective.