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Flight 232: A Story of Disaster and Survival Hardcover – July 7, 2014

by Laurence Gonzales (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 1,106 ratings
Editors' pick Best History
See all formats and editions
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Twenty-five years after the catastrophe, a dramatic and extraordinarily rare 360-degree view of the crash of a fully loaded jumbo jet.

As hundreds of rescue workers waited on the ground, United Airlines Flight 232 wallowed drunkenly over the bluffs northwest of Sioux City. The plane slammed onto the runway and burst into a vast fireball. The rescuers didn't move at first: nobody could possibly survive that crash. And then people began emerging from the summer corn that lined the runways. Miraculously, 184 of 296 passengers lived.

No one has ever attempted the complete reconstruction of a crash of this magnitude. Drawing on interviews with hundreds of survivors, crew, and airport and rescue personnel, Laurence Gonzales, a commercial pilot himself, captures, minute by minute, the harrowing journey of pilots flying a plane with no controls and flight attendants keeping their calm in the face of certain death. He plumbs the hearts and minds of passengers as they pray, bargain with God, plot their strategies for survival, and sacrifice themselves to save others.

Ultimately he takes us, step by step, through the gripping scientific detective work in super-secret labs to dive into the heart of a flaw smaller than a grain of rice that shows what brought the aircraft down.

An unforgettable drama of the triumph of heroism over tragedy and human ingenuity over technological breakdown, Flight 232 is a masterpiece in the tradition of the greatest aviation stories ever told.

8 pages of illiustrations
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  1. Print length
    432 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    W. W. Norton & Company
  4. Publication date
    July 7, 2014
  5. Dimensions
    6.6 x 1.4 x 9.6 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0393240029
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0393240023
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

An Amazon Best Book of the Month, July 2014: Twenty five years ago this month, a United Airlines flight from Denver to Chicago burst into a fireball and crashed in a cornfield outside of Sioux City, Iowa. It was one of the worst plane disasters in history--but it could have been worse. Of the 296 people on board, 184 survived. In his very long and gripping Flight 232: A Story of Disaster and Survival, journalist Laurence Gonzales takes us through the moments before and after the crash (as best remembered by those survivors and observers on the ground). He also goes back through records, scientific documents, and his own experience as a pilot and aviation reporter to piece together what went wrong with the jetliner that was as majestic (and, ultimately, doomed) as the Titanic. (The last third of the narrative delves into the tiny, microscopic flaw that likely brought the plane down.) As you might expect, there was plenty of terror on Flight 232, but what is surprising is how much inspiring behavior Gonzales discovered there as well--flight attendants who truly did put the passengers’ needs first, crew members whose quick thinking probably made the crash less devastating than it would have been, not to mention the plain dumb luck in evidence, as well--at least one woman moved out of first class at the last minute. Her original seat was eviscerated; she survived. This is a hard book to read because it addresses some of our worst fears and some we’d never even thought of (apparently, the blue water in the toilets on planes can leak out, freeze and get stuck, as ice, to the outside of the plane). But it is also a story of survival, a tale of science, of heroism and of faith. --Sara Nelson

From Booklist

Gonzales (Surviving Survival, 2012) revisits the crash of United Flight 232 in this gripping narrative that includes numerous survivor accounts as well as insight from those in the Sioux City control tower, rescue personnel, and specialists who worked for months to determine the cause. In particular, the survivor stories recounted here in painstaking detail remain no less riveting now than when they were reported 25 years ago. Through numerous interviews and research, Gonzales places readers as close to the accident as possible, from the cockpit to the main cabin, revealing the catastrophic failure of the single part that destroyed not only one of the three engines but, more critically, the entire hydraulic system. There are heroes aplenty, from those who did their jobs beyond all measure to the many who lent a lifesaving hand at risk of their own survival. Emotion rather than thoughtful post-crash analysis carries the book, but Gonzales does make clear how the lack of seat requirements for infants and children, which remains the same today, cost lives. A powerful, unforgettable look at a devastating accident. --Colleen Mondor

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ W. W. Norton & Company; 1st edition (July 7, 2014)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 432 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0393240029
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0393240023
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.47 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.6 x 1.4 x 9.6 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 1,106 ratings

About the author

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Laurence Gonzales

Laurence Gonzales

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Laurence Gonzales is the author of the best-seller "Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies, and Why" (W.W. Norton 2003), which was released in a new edition by W.W. Norton in 2016.

The sequel, "Surviving Surival: The Art and Science of Resilience," was named one of the best books of 2012 by Kirkus Reviews.

He has won numerous awards for his books and essays, including two National Magazine Awards, the Carl Sandburg Literary Award, and the Sigma Delta Chi Award from the Society of Professional Journalists. He has won the Montaigne Medal and two Eric Hoffer Awards from the Eric Hoffer Society.

He began his association with the Santa Fe Institute in 2006, when he was first invited to visit there. He continued to visit and give talks there and was eventually named a Journalism Fellow in 2015. He was then appointed to be an SFI Miller Scholar in 2016 and enjoyed the appointment until 2020.

In 2014 he published the first complete reconstruction of a wide-bodied airliner crash, "Flight 232: A Story of Disaster and Survival." (W.W. Norton)

Richard Rhodes, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for "The Making of the Atomic Bomb," called this book, "Intense, gripping, alive with knowledge and compassion, Flight 232 is a new masterpiece of calamity and courage."

More praise for "Flight 232"

"A ferocious close-up account..." Times of London

"Masterful reporting..." San Francisco Chronicle

"A masterful book!

--Budd Davisson, Editor-in-Chief Flight Journal magazine

"I couldn't put it down. What an incredible work Laurence Gonzales has created. I have never seen such a thorough and fascinating treatise about an aircraft accident. Too bad he wasn't around to do the same with the Hindenburg."

--Barry Schiff, Author of The Proficient Pilot.

"I think it's a masterpiece. I think of books like Hiroshima, Fate Is The Hunter, or A Night To Remember, or even Alive.  It's a classic, plain and simple."

- Tony Bill, winner of the Academy Award for "The Sting."

Praise for Surviving Survival

"Timely, realistic, and accessible self-help book on the potential of growth from suffering. Recommended"-Antoinette Brinkman, Library Journal

"Excellent... An education for those wishing to be of use in a stressful, often frightening world." - Kirkus Reviews, Best Nonfiction Books of 2012

"Gonzales reveals how recovery can be a transforming experience that not only moves us forward but also enriches our lives in ways we never could have imagined." - More Magazine

Praise for Deep Survival

"I tore through Deep Survival like I'd been waiting to read it my whole life. Gonzales's writing is effortless and compelling, and his research is first-rate. I can't imagine a better book on the topic." -Sebastian Junger, author of The Perfect Storm

"Far and away the best book on management, leadership and employment I have read this year...Anyone who has ever tried to understand the mind of the entrepreneur should read this book." -Rickard Donkin, Financial Times

"Riveting accounts of avalanches, mountain accidents, sailors lost at sea, and the man-made hell of 9/11." -Stephen Bodio, Sports Illustrated

"This book will help you should you ever find yourself pinned under a rock in a roaring white water river. But it will help you even more if you ever find yourself wondering why your brain works the way it does under the stress of everyday life. A fascinating look into why we are who we are." -Bill McKibben, author of The End of Nature and Enough

"Gonzales has masterfully woven together personal survival stories with the study of human perception to reach rock-bottom truths about how to live with risk." -Peter Stark, author of Last Breath: The Limits of Adventure

"[Gonzales's] science is accurate, accessible, up-to-date and insightful. An extremely good book." -Robert Sapolsky, author of Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers

"Deep Survival provides a new lens for looking at survival, risk taking, and life itself. Gonzales takes the reader on a roller-coaster ride that ends with rules of survival we can all stand to learn. Equally important, he answers the question: what is the value of taking risks? I love this book." -Jed Williamson, editor of Accidents in North American Mountaineering

"A fascinating, fast paced, and exciting adventure into survival, (including an excellent survey of the brain basis of fear)." -Joseph LeDoux, professor of neural science at New York University and author of The Emotional Brain and Synaptic Self

"Remarkable, unique, and compulsively readable." -David Roberts, author of Escape from Lucania: An Epic Story of Survival

"Deep Survival is by far the best book on the many insights into epic survival stories I have ever read." -Daryl Miller, chief of mountaineering, Denali National Park & Preserve

"Unique among survival books...stunning...enthralling. Deep Survival makes compelling, and chilling, reading." -Penelope Purdy, Denver Post

Praise for Everyday Survival

"Well-written and fascinating...this is the kind of book you want everyone to read." -Cleveland Plain Dealer

"Part scientific exploration, part poetic meditation, Everyday Survival is a book for everyone who cares about where we have come from, and where we may be going." -Bill Miller, chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Santa Fe Institute

"The evidence Gonzales, a natural storyteller, cites is riveting...Each story is tightly told and convincingly deconstructed." -Santa Fe New Mexican

"Mixing psychology, sociology, and anthropology, Everyday Survival provides clear, cautionary lessons on the dangers of the world we live in." -Sacramento Book Review

"A plea for heightened awareness of our surroundings, and good reading for the how-things-work set." -Kirkus Reviews

Praise for Lucy

"[Gonzales has] Crichton's gift for page-turning storytelling, but also a vivid, literary-grade prose style, and a knack for getting inside his characters' heads." --Entertainment Weekly, Grade: A

"Gonzales's Lucy is an improbably delightful young lady. . . . Lucy pulls the reader in because of the sweet girl at its center, but the novel also makes one think about what it means to be human, and how love can be a bridge to understanding and acceptance." --BookPage

"Compelling. . . . Outstanding. . . . [Lucy] is beach reading with bite." --Chicago Tribune

"Timely and provocative. . . . Gonzales injects [his dialogue] with doses of frivolity, wit, and a youthful insight at once frightfully innocent and calculatingly wise to the power of media and technology." --The Boston Globe

"[A] coming-of-age-except-I'm-also-part-bonobo biotech thriller. . . . This is an enjoyable ride that makes you think about what it means to be human." --Outside

"The clever ending Mr. Gonzales has come up with for Lucy marks a complete departure from the Frankenstein template, and it's oddly satisfying on an emotional level." --The New York Times

"Lucy is more than a high-school drama, a fish-out-of-water novel about how a hybrid girl tries to fit in at a suburban Chicago high school. . . . This Lucy is an action-packed politically charged thriller that puts evolution forth as an unassailable fact, and raises ethical and moral questions about biotechnical science, government power and the morality of leadership." --Chicago Tribune

"Laurence Gonzales presents us with a captivating lead character. . . . Part science thriller, part tender novel, Lucy is written with a full awareness of the evil people are capable of. Gonzales, like Mary Shelley before him, shows us on the brink of a terrible knowledge." --The Free Lance-Star (Fredericksburg, VA)

"Harks back to the science fiction of the mid-20th century. . . . Lucy [is] a likeable and thoroughly intriguing character with a unique perspective. . . . Reveals a generous spirit and a flair for suspense." --The Columbus Dispatch

"Love and loss are at the core of this unusual story that analyzes life, relationships and issues of evolution." --Woman's Day

"Gonzales excels at creating universal moments." --The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC)

"Shrewd social critique. . . . Gonzales raises profound questions about identity, family, animal and human rights, and genetic engineering without compromising the ever-escalating suspense. Lucy is irresistible, her predicament wrenching, and Gonzales's imaginative, sweet-natured, hard-charging, and deeply inquisitive thriller will be a catalyst for serious thought and debate." --Booklist

"A riveting, moving and informative survival story." --San Antonio Express-News

"Lucy is much more than an 'ape' and this novel is much more than just a summer beach book." --Curled Up With A Good Book

"Gonzales does a great job of keeping the action moving at a fast pace. . . . Gonzales comes back to the question of what it means to be human again and again. . . . Reading Lucy is an interesting way to confront this question and find your own answer." --The Advocate

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
1,106 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the story compelling, captivating, and well-told. They describe the book as a great, riveting read that keeps them reading and reading. Readers praise the research as deep, thorough, and spellbinding. They say the book is both harrowing and uplifting, with amazing attention to detail. Opinions differ on the writing quality, with some finding it well-written and analytical without being austere, while others say the descriptions are graphic and may cause some to be overwhelmed.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

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Story qualityReadabilityResearch qualityUpliftingDetailWriting quality
110 customers mention "Story quality"103 positive7 negative

Customers find the story compelling, captivating, and riveting. They appreciate the author's well-told human drama. Readers also mention the nonlinear narrative allows for breathing room. They say the plot is well-developed and the individual stories are well told.

"...detailed and fascinating, partially very technical - an extremely captivating book and a riveting read about the plane's accident – and mostly what..." Read more

"The author has written a vivid account, and offers clear explanations of technical concepts regarding the crash...." Read more

"...recommend it to anyone who savors a powerful, gripping and thought provoking read. This was one of the three best books I have ever read." Read more

"...The research that went into this book is truly astounding...." Read more

84 customers mention "Readability"81 positive3 negative

Customers find the book riveting, powerful, and enjoyable. They say it's gripping and keeps their interest throughout.

"...partially very technical - an extremely captivating book and a riveting read about the plane's accident – and mostly what the cause was...." Read more

"...from the first page, and highly recommend it to anyone who savors a powerful, gripping and thought provoking read...." Read more

"...But, all in all, it's a good read and recommended." Read more

"Decent enough book with LOTS AND LOTS of information, but structured in a rather odd way that I found hard to follow...." Read more

76 customers mention "Research quality"76 positive0 negative

Customers find the book deeply researched, engrossing, and detailed. They say it's a good source of information on one of the most interesting stories. Readers appreciate the survivors' insight and true feelings about the disaster.

"Incredibly detailed and fascinating, partially very technical - an extremely captivating book and a riveting read about the plane's accident – and..." Read more

"...It is detailed (more on this later), well-written, well-paced, and absolutely engaging...." Read more

"...Flight 232 is a good source of information on one of the most interesting stories of air disaster in history, but not a great book...." Read more

"...I believe that this book was well-researched by the writer with a significant amount of time making sure the details, the timelines, etc...." Read more

48 customers mention "Uplifting"45 positive3 negative

Customers find the book uplifting, insightful, and heartwarming. They say it's a comprehensive narrative of the tragic events of United 232. Readers also appreciate the excellent exposition of how the accident happened.

"...There is a powerful spiritual overlay to this story as well, as many of the passengers and crew members divulge their innermost thoughts and..." Read more

"...Inspire of the pain and death, it was an uplifting expose' of humanity." Read more

"...In spite if its flaws, I still recommend this book. It was both sad and life affirming." Read more

"...1989 plane crash, this book contains some of the most vivid, gripping, and horrific images I’ve ever read...." Read more

31 customers mention "Detail"28 positive3 negative

Customers find the book's attention to detail amazing. They say it contains some of the most vivid, gripping, and horrific details about the 1989 plane crash. Readers also appreciate the skillful interweaving of hard data and facts.

"...So I took a chance and hope I find this book to be enjoyable and accurate. Haven’t picked it up yet, so time will tell if I selected the right one!..." Read more

"...and ultimately miraculous 1989 plane crash, this book contains some of the most vivid, gripping, and horrific images I’ve ever read...." Read more

"...The author's prose is analytical without being austere and poetic without being sentimental...." Read more

"Well written. The book flows easily and is tied together by a pro...." Read more

85 customers mention "Writing quality"56 positive29 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the writing quality of the book. Some mention it's well-written, analytical, and poetic without being sentimental. However, others say the descriptions are graphic and may cause some to be overwhelmed.

"Incredibly detailed and fascinating, partially very technical - an extremely captivating book and a riveting read about the plane's accident – and..." Read more

"The author has written a vivid account, and offers clear explanations of technical concepts regarding the crash...." Read more

"...It's not for the squeamish or faint of heart. It's very graphic. It's like being in a crash- but you're not traumatized...." Read more

"...It is detailed (more on this later), well-written, well-paced, and absolutely engaging...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

T. Kaiser
5.0 out of 5 stars Geeks, Nerds and Everything-Aero-Fans: A Must-Read
Reviewed in the United States on October 10, 2023
Verified Purchase
Incredibly detailed and fascinating, partially very technical - an extremely captivating book and a riveting read about the plane's accident – and mostly what the cause was.

It's been a while since I read it last time, but I recall for example how the author describes in great detail how the material for the fan blades was forged.

This is one of my books that will never go into a book exchange, but always has its own space in my shelves.

Warning: this book has a (relatively happy) end thanks to the incredible skills of the pilots. But it is NOT is a sanitised story of a plane softly touching down in a pastoral setting, with hugging, kissing and a Kodak moment at the end, where puppies loll in the grass, crickets chirp and butterflies flutter.
3 people found this helpful
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Fastidious Kingdoms
4.0 out of 5 stars 4.5 stars
Reviewed in the United States on June 26, 2021
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The author has written a vivid account, and offers clear explanations of technical concepts regarding the crash. The biggest flaw in this tale is the narrative structure. Instead of a linear chronology, the author tries to intersperse the technical accounts of the cause of the crash with passengers’ recollections. That would be all well and good if the crash day had an end. But even in the last chapter, we are getting accounts of passengers escaping the plane.

The jumbled personal accounts make it very hard for the reader to keep the various characters separate. In addition, the author frequently refers to a flight attendant, Rene LeBeau, making her almost a focal point. It’s odd, then, that we learn her fate in two sentences in the last chapter. I don’t think there was even an interview with her friends or family, and certainly no insight into her character.
11 people found this helpful
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nancy burns
5.0 out of 5 stars One of the ABSOLUTE BEST READS EVER!
Reviewed in the United States on August 5, 2016
Verified Purchase
Absolutely AMAZING! I could NOT put this book down. And despite the grim nature of an airline tragedy, this book is actually a very uplifting and life affirming read. Laurence Gonzales intricately details the incredible, true story of one of the largest domestic airline disasters in US history, from both the scientific and human interest perspectives. The author's painstaking research and explanation of the aeronautical logistics involved in this horrific aviation disaster, are interspersed with very candid accounts from the individual survivors of this tragedy. There is a powerful spiritual overlay to this story as well, as many of the passengers and crew members divulge their innermost thoughts and recollections of the moments leading up to, and immediately following the crash, as well as the subsequent impact of this event on their lives. This story is remarkable not only for the magnitude of the tragedy in terms of lives lost, but for the many legal, commercial, and practical consequences spawned by this incident within the airline industry, as well. I was engrossed in this book, literally from the first page, and highly recommend it to anyone who savors a powerful, gripping and thought provoking read. This was one of the three best books I have ever read.
7 people found this helpful
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David Wilkerson
5.0 out of 5 stars The BEST blending of investigative research, reporting, and drama that I have ever read!
Reviewed in the United States on February 27, 2019
Verified Purchase
The Kindle version of Laurence Gonzales' work 'Flight 232' did not show many of the diagrams and images found in the print version. This seems to be far too common, but as long as editors find no hurt in it, this will not change. I, as a reviewer, am part of that problem. I should give it one star, and demand better editing. But the work that Gonzales poured into the book would be far too badly slighted; even with omissions it deserves five stars!
I grew up some distance west of Sioux City, surrounded by Nebraska. A trip to Sioux City was a rare excitement, and Gonzales skillfully brings to memory much of the terrain, the businesses, the hills and the people from my 'then' to his 'now' in a most human manner. As a Nebraska-based charter pilot and flight instructor in the early 1980s, I made as much use of Sioux City airport (SUX) as I could to benefit my otherwise agrarian students and customers. The chain link fence so familiar to those repeatedly watching Flight 232 tumble into flaming wreckage on the wide expanse of airfield was earlier familiar to me as I had stood there waiting for passengers, or being interviewed by local news media when the air traffic controllers left their posts for more pay, better equipment, and better working conditions. I froze. I sweltered.

I froze again when reading Laurence Gonzales' account of the accident; those minor details in individuals' lives on which their futures hinge leading up to the accident, and those minute-exploding, week-compressing instant eternities that follow. The flight 232 crash had been personal to me because it happened in my playground. Laurence Gonzales has made it even more so by the simple (??!!) expedient of bringing me face-to-face with so many people involved in so many ways. And they continue to be! Thank you, Laurence Gonzales! Thank you!!
14 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Dave W
5.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive and sometimes graphic account
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 26, 2023
Verified Purchase
I've never read another book that covers the events surrounding an air accident so comprehensively. Forensically researched and sometimes hard to read (watch out for the chapter on how they identified large numbers of bodies)
This book also made me think about what clothes I should wear on a plane journey!
Well worth the read.
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James
4.0 out of 5 stars A Good Read
Reviewed in Australia on July 19, 2024
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Quite an enjoyable book to read, although it was a bit different to what I was expecting.
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ldedward
5.0 out of 5 stars ... the story on Discovery Channel's Mayday - It was nice to read the story because there is a lot ...
Reviewed in Canada on January 18, 2017
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I saw the story on Discovery Channel's Mayday - It was nice to read the story because there is a lot more about it that you can see in a one hour TV show - Very well written - An amazing story !
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Pilar MV
5.0 out of 5 stars Un'eccellente opera di ricerca sul volo 232, ma anche di umanità e di superamento.
Reviewed in Italy on May 16, 2016
Verified Purchase
A me il libro 'Flight 232: A Story of Disaster and Survival' è molto piaciuto.
È una molto dettagliata e impressionante opera di ricerca, vista da ogni angolo e prospettiva possibile, con tanti dettagli tecnici e tantissime testimonianze dei sopravvissuti, delle persone che hanno partecipato in vari modi al loro soccorso, ricovero e ristabilimento sia fisico che psicologico.
Le descrizioni dei fatti e le testimonianze delle persone coinvolte nella sciagura ci offrono un'idea molto chiara e realistica di cosa è successo al volo 232 della United Airlines.
Ringrazio anche del prezioso materiale sia fotografico che grafico.
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jcreore
4.0 out of 5 stars Riveting account of a disaster
Reviewed in Canada on August 25, 2014
Verified Purchase
Well researched and well written whether you are interested in the technical causes of the accident or the human drama. If I were reviewing both aspects independently, I would give both five stars. The author follows the complex investigation into the mechanics of failure down to the last detail, and manages to make those details interesting and comprehensible for readers who do not have a degree in engineering. Yet he shows the skill of a practiced novelist in his ability to sketch human character in a few lines and draw the reader into the tragedy.

My criticism involves the often annoying intrusion of the technical side into the human story. The only purpose seems to be to avoid long chunks of difficult material by breaking it up with heart wrenching scenes of loss and suffering. Still, this is a minor quibble, as I read the book in one sitting.
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