Customer Reviews

Report from Ground Zero

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I commute into DC everyday and I like to spend my time listening to audios. I am one of those people that have not been able to hear or see anything about 9/11/01 that doesn't bring tears to my eyes or makes my heart ache. I work at a bookstore and happened to read the inside jacket of the hard-cover edition and I thought, "This sounds like something I can handle."
Dennis Smith, a retired FDNY firefighter, wrote the book with compassion, respect and love for not just the victims, but also their families, the rescue workers and for everyone who was affected in one way or another.
The audio contains personal accounts from people who were directly involved. Most of the stories are from firefighters and they are told so eloquently it's amazing. I believe there are approximately six different readers for the CD edition and the emotion they infuse into it is incredible. This story talks about the wonderful "brotherhood" amongst firefighters and the emotional and physical toll they went through as humans.
The stories made me grin in parts and made me cry in others. It helped me to begin to deal with my feelings about that day and gave me, I don't know if hope is the right word, but a warm fuzzy feeling.
I do believe that if you are personally familiar with the "brotherhood" of firefighters (my father is a volunteer firefighter in our community) this will strike a chord of understanding.
I just can't say enough good things about this. You won't be disappointed in this cd.

"Report from Ground Zero: The Story of the Rescue Efforts at the World Trade Center" by Dennis Smith provides a poetic-journalistic look at a tragedy which still continues to shake America. You'll find the book stronger in intensity than many of the photographic collections of September 11, 2001.

Why? Dennis Smith was a fireman who understood tragedy from an experienced viewpoint. Like all of us, he saw the worst of humankind crash into the World Trade Center. Then, he saw the best of humankind enter those same buildings to save the victims.

Now, three years later, after many in America have preferred to see terrorism as a political event and not one of evil and hate, it is important to remember the violent images, and the tender responses to the hurting and scared. America was in one its greatest moments in those torrid days, and we should never forget.

Smith's descriptions are more than photo-realistic versions of what he saw, but brings forth the anguish and passion, and the smell of wet ash and burning debris. Smith manages to connect with the reader beyond the hype and politics. You will not be able to read this unaffected.

The people in the high-rises, on the planes, and the policemen and fireman all were real people. Even the foolish young men who hijacked the planes, the ones who believe Bin Laden -- all real people who died for another man's lie. Smith draws out the real, draws out the essence as well as the actual accounts of the awful events.

I fully recommend "Report from Ground Zero: The Story of the Rescue Efforts at the World Trade Center" by Dennis Smith.

Anthony Trendl
editor, HungarianBookstore.com

An outstanding book written by Dennis Smith.
It brings you back to the day and gives you chills.
This is a must have book. It honors those that lost their lives and brings you closer to them. God Bless America

As the brother of a New York City firefighter, I felt is was my obligation to read this book. It is a moving tribute to the survivors as well as the deceased. Please read it to understand the quality of the men who were lost and the hope that I still have because of the strength of character of those who survived.
Have your teens read the book to understand that a person is defined by their strength of character, their commitment and integrity, and not by the money they earn.

This book is about the members of the FDNY and some on the NYPD and their experiences of this monumentally tragic day. The book isn't intended to be an all-encompassing journal that recounts the thousands of stories and the experiences of the civilians who experienced first hand those events. If you expect it to be that, then you will be disappointed. If you are looking for a book that focuses on the impact of the rescue workers, with a glimpse of the brotherhood that is the FDNY, then this well written, relatively quick read is perfect.

Dennis Smith, author and retired firefighter, seeing the reports of the attack on the World Trade Center, put on his old fireman clothes, and reported for rescue duty. Throughout the days that followed, he worked tirelessly at the site, and at various charities. Then, using his abilities as a writer, he sat down to tell the story of September 11th, and the three following months, from the view of the New York City firefighters.

Brimming with first-hand accounts of firefighters who were involved, he tells the story from every angle. There are stories from rescue workers who saw it all, and even from some who were inside the buildings and actually survived. The stories are all wonderfully moving, and will bring that day back to you, alive as never before.

This book is incredibly moving. Like so many Americans, that day is etched clearly upon my mind. Mr. Smith's book brought back so many memories, and told me so much that I didn't know. He is an excellent author, and I found this book more moving than any I have read in a long time. This is a great book, one I highly recommend to everyone who is interested in the World Trade Center attack.

It's hard to not give this book a 5-star rating because I was moved in many places and I'm so grateful for the sacrifice of the firemen on 9/11. This book opened my eyes in many ways to their ultimate sacrifice and their continued efforts to honor their own.

I do think, however, that this could have been edited a bit better. The aftermath section (which is about half of the book) seems repetitive to me and thus, not quite as powerful as the earlier section. Also, I found it strange that there was no mention of the crash of flight 587 on November 12th, 2001. Mr. Smith records that on that day he was in a meeting with Mayor Guilliani and other firemen about their role at ground zero. He focused on this day for several pages and failed to mention that 250+ people perished in a NY neighborhood aboard that flight and everyone initially suspected terrorism as the cause of the crash. This omission, perhaps, would have been more understandable had he not mentioned 11/12/01 at all, but there is a whole section for that day and certainly this crash was on his mind, since it did indeed involve firemen.

Overall, I recommend this book.

A very fair, actually great price for a quality used book. Bought book to read after visiting ground zero this summer. It is a great read - very informative and touching.

I used to work in WTC building #7 until I moved to LA about a year before 9/11. I never felt so out of place as I did for a few weeks after 9/11 as I watched the recovery and clean-up efforts from Ground Zero from California. I wanted to know everything I could which is of course impossible unless you were there. This book gives you incredible insight to the bravery, courage, strength and gut-wrenching horrors of those who were there to find, clean-up and recover.

I bought this book for my brother who is a firefighter, who in our own home city, every September 11th does a stair climb with a picture of a deceased firefighter in his helmet, in honor of the firemen and civilians who lost their lives on that day. I knew that my brother would be touched by this story. Just by skimming through the book I know it is going to be a book that my brother will enjoy.

This book and its many individual accounts of the 9/11 attacks vividly describe the events of that day and the days following. It was a gripping and emotionally challenging read - giving the reader a real perspective on what these heros did. I recommend that everyone read it and really think about what our brave men and women are doing to ensure out safety. Highly recommended! Never forget.