Inside 9-11: What Really Happened (Hardcover)

by Der Spiegel (Author) "Jan Demczur did not need an alarm clock..." (more)
Key Phrases: logistics men, caller states, sky lobby, World Trade Center, New York, South Tower (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal
The editors of Der Spiegel magazine have put together a comprehensive account of the September 11 terrorist attacks. The book is divided into several sections, including a chronology of the events of September 11 and background on the terrorists especially the years they spent in Hamburg, Germany. This well-researched effort is a chilling yet compelling study of the terrorists, their victims, and the loved ones left behind. The appendixes provide much reference material, including excerpts from the terrorists' manual, a list of the known terrorists, timetables for each of the hijacked planes, Mohamed Atta's will, and a transcript of part of the infamous Osama bin Laden videotape. Even with the large number of contributors, the quality of writing and editing is consistently high throughout. Although some of the chronology is slightly out of order (e.g., the fourth plane to crash is described before the third), this does not detract from the overall effort. This is an important volume in what is sure to be an ever-growing collection of books on the topic. Highly recommended for public and academic libraries. Karen Sandlin Silverman, Ctr. for Applied Research, Philadelphia
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Review
"Easily the most comprehensive reconstruction of the events of 9/11 . . . a compelling portrait of the tragedy."—Ian Johnson, The Wall Street Journal

"As Germany's news magazine of record, Der Spiegel has always treated its readers to a unique fusion of rigorous reporting and vivid storytelling. Now its reporters have deployed those talents to extraordinary effect in a gripping account of the cataclysm of September 11th . . . A dense and compelling collective portrait of a handful of inconspicuous students who would ultimately become the world's most notorious terrorists."—Christian Caryl, Moscow Bureau Chief, Newsweek

"A brilliant reconstruction by Europe's ablest team of investigative journalists. A deeply disturbing and comprehensive overview, minutely researched."—John le Carré

"A comprehensive account of the September 11 terrorist attacks. The book is divided into several sections, including a chronology of the events of September 11 and background on the terrorists especially the years they spent in Hamburg, Germany. This well-researched effort is a chilling yet compelling study of the terrorists, their victims, and the loved ones left behind. The appendixes provide much reference material, including excerpts from the terrorists' manual, a list of the known terrorists, timetables for each of the hijacked planes, Mohamed Atta's will, and a transcript of part of the infamous Osama bin Laden videotape. Even with the large number of contributors, the quality of writing and editing is consistently high throughout . . . This is an important volume in what is sure to be an ever-growing collection of books on the topic. Highly recommended."—Karen Sandlin Silverman, Center for Applied Research, Philadelphia, Library Journal
-- Review

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press; 1st edition (March 11, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312306210
• ISBN-13: 978-0312306212
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,062,539 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Engrossing book about what happened, April 7, 2002

By	"darceneaux" (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews

Although there are already many books about 9-11, this book stands out. Composed of brief but intertwining stories about the terrorists and those fighting to stay alive, this fast-paced book reads more like a thriller than the other dry, academic books on the subject. I couldn't put it down.

As a New Yorker, I was just a few miles from the disaster and could smell the smoke for days. I was initially reluctant to read the book -- I thought I already knew what happened. But this book in particular helps bring the events of those days into clearer focus.

Meticulously researched and well-written, the book contains some amazing survivor stories, but also details the 911 calls from people trapped inside the buildings, conversations from the airplanes, and even the hotel rooms rented by the terrorists. It also explains what motivated a group of unlikely students to orchestrate such an unimaginable act.

The book is remarkable not in its analaysis of the tragedy, but in the seemingly mundane and innocuous details of the firefighters, victims, and terrorists. The events of 9-11 are often told from the "big picture" perspective. This book provides insight into the human stories.

Particularly amazing is the appendix in the back of the book. This resource contains the bios of the terrorists, succinct explanations of Al Qaeda, and the complete Al Qaeda terrorist handbook found in the rental car of one of the terrorists. While I have read snipets of this in the past, I do not know of anywhere else where this chilling document is available in its entirety.

There are many books about 9-11, but no other book provides the same level of detail. This book will continue to engross readers in years to come.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars September 11 and the German connection., May 27, 2003

By	Kevin M Quigg (Carol Stream, Illinois United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Inside 9-11: What Really Happened (Mass Market Paperback)

In the last six months, I read the New York Times book Out of the Blue, and to be honest the Germans did a better job with this book. I think both this and Out of the Blue are 5 star reads though. What really mattered was the extra information Der Spiegel put into this book. As an example--how did the U.S. Government figure out the passengers who hijacked the four planes? Well on one of the calls to an airline headquarters, the stewardess stated the seats the hijackers occupied, and one of these was Atta. This information was not in Out of the Blue.
Also interviews with Atta's father and other hijackers families.

The beginning of the book talks quite a bit about the two planes which crashed into the World Trade Center. Not as much info on the Pennsylvania crash or the Pentagon attack. What is include gives good detail. There is more in depth material on the New York attacks. The next to last chapter details how much of the operation was conceived and supported in Hamberg, Germany. Many of the hijackers not only were educated here, but also settled down there. Since the authors are Germans, much is detailed on the German connection.

In the appendix are some of Atta's writing and the drivel of Bin Laden. One wonders who believes in this stuff. It is apparent, bin Laden has not only managed to hijack four planes but believers in a religion. The writers attempt to make some analysis on this in the summary, but it will still leave the reader shaking his head on these beliefs.

One small minus was a number of typos in the copy.
Altogether a great read on a tragic event for America.

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Something credible, finally., April 25, 2002

By	Timothy P. Scanlon (Hyattsville, MDUSA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

As after any disaster, volumes were released after September 11, from former Israeli intelligence agents condemning bin Laden, to conspiracy theorists saying George W and the boys were behind the event and nearly every stand between. Finally, this one is worth reading.

Much like after the Oklahoma City bombing, one is forced to ask, Why? What could motivate someone to do such a thing? In this case, indeed, the perpetrators didn't just kill others but destroyed themselves in the process. Is it something about Islam? About religion in general? (God knows, there are many in this country who feel that New York is the new Sodom. Some of them may have done it, if they had had the...what, guts?

Now, a cynic may challenge the objectivity of the authors. But they start by acknowledging their researchers and fact checkers. So, assuming they're not true phonies--and Der Spiegel has a good journalistic reputation so that's not likely--they not only found the facts but double and triple checked them.

They followed the hijackers step by step through the process. They also followed persons who survived the attacks on the WTC, and then they followed firefighters, obviously those who survived too. They talked with people who met the hijackers, e.g., flight instructors, and a kick boxing instructor, even Mohammed Atta's father, who's convinced that Israeli intelligence planned the whole thing. In other words, they got a variety of perspectives. And that added credibility to the report.

I guess if I were to label the portion that intrigued me most, it was the extensive training that the whole "block" had in Germany. Most of them even left Germany for a while, ostensibly to train in Afghanistan. Then they conveniently lost their passports. There would, therefore, be no reference to that country in their passports when they attempted to relocate to the US. In short, the conspiracy was extensive.

The manual the terrorists--while I often shy away from using pop words coined by the US government, I'm hard pressed to find an alternative in this case--used as a guide was quite thorough, and frightening. It was well thought out, even though quite morbid, and frequently referred to the sacred Jihad (struggle). Then there's the Primer found in Mohammed Atta's car. If this hadn't happened in real time, I'd have thought that was a spoof on fundamentalist religion. (The book also includes Atta's last will and testament. But, since I was already familiar with that, the other documents were more shocking.)

It's funny. I don't feel any more "resolved" after reading it. Were I anti-Islamic, I wouldn't be any less so after reading it. Perhaps what I learned most from it was the depth of the passion of the terrorists, and the uncanny degree of the conspiracy. It took a long, long time, with almost no one, even those most closely associated with the terrorists--many of whom worked out at a gym walking distance from my house--having any idea what was going on. Incredible.

If I were inclined to believe what my conspiracy theorist acquaintances do, that it was a grand conspiracy of the US government to develop a new Cold War with extensive increases in military spending, this book would stifle that. Honesty, I don't think the US government has the capacity to organize anything that vast, or at least get away with it without someone leaking.

Anyway, if you want to learn a lot about "what really happened" on 9/11/01, this is the book I would recommend. I still think it's worth the risk to not give up our civil liberties--and become much like those we claim to deplore--just because of the events of that date. But this volume gives me a lot to think about.