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The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11 by Garrett M. Graff
Narrator: A cast of 45 readers, plus some recordings
Publisher: Avid Reader Press (Simon & Schuster Audio)
Release Date: September 10, 2019
Length: 425 pages, plus 50+ of notes, etc. (about 14 hrs.)
Amazon
{A Bit of Backstory}
Single Sentence Summary
A stunning compilation of first person stories surrounding the horrific attacks on September 11, 2001, some we already knew, but many more we’d never heard.
From the Publisher
“…More than simply a collection of eyewitness testimonies, The Only Plane in the Sky is the historic narrative of how ordinary people grappled with extraordinary events in real time: the father and son working in the North Tower, caught on different ends of the impact zone; the firefighter searching for his wife who works at the World Trade Center; the operator of in-flight telephone calls who promises to share a passenger’s last words with his family; the beloved FDNY chaplain who bravely performs last rites for the dying, losing his own life when the Towers collapse; and the generals at the Pentagon who break down and weep when they are barred from rushing into the burning building to try to rescue their colleagues…”
The Draw
- The book hadn’t really been on my radar, but started popping up everywhere last month.
- Everyone seemed to agree that this book was powerful and important.
- I wanted to HEAR these personal accounts.
{My Thoughts}
I knew listening to The Only Plane in the Sky would not be easy and I was right about that, but I’m so glad I did. Anyone older than 30 has to have a pretty strong grasp of the attacks on September 11, 2019. We can recite the basic facts and certainly recall where we were, how we felt, and the devastating loses that we as a nation were completely unprepared for. Most of us have watched hours and hours of film from that day. It’s seared in our brains, and yet, we really know little of the smaller, more personal parts of that day.
The unknown parts of the 9/11 are what struck me most about The Only Plane in the Sky. Things I didn’t know, things I couldn’t know resonated deep within me as I heard so many different people’s first hand accounts. Despite watching hours of news coverage, I knew very little about just how much was going on everywhere:
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- With those trapped inside the towers and the Pentagon
- With others witnessing from outside the buildings
- With the many, many first responders
- With ordinary people, stepping up
- With victims contacting their loved ones
- With families searching for missing loved ones
- With air traffic controllers
- With President Bush and the government in general
- With the military response
- With passengers
- With survivors
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The accounts in The Only Plane in the Sky touch on all that and more. I found myself brought to tears many times, but I was surprised by what it was I cried over. Of the stories from that day, I was most devastated by the many acts of kindness between strangers. It was those selfless stories that brought me to tears.
I loved listening to the many voices in the audio version of The Only Plane in the Sky, but I want to be clear that this is read by a cast of narrators, a few reading their own parts of the oral history, and other parts being read by professionals. The cast did a wonderful job delivering a powerful listening experience. After only two hours, I began to realize this was a book I also wanted to own, so I ordered a print copy, which includes many pictures I’d have otherwise missed. I’d like to get this book into everyone’s hands. I think it’s that important and that well done. Some have told me they’re just not ready to read such a book and I respect that, but I’d also encourage you to take a chance. Amid the horrors, you will find hope. Grade: A
Amazon (print copy)
Disclosure: There are Amazon Associate links included within this post.
I have seen this pop up a lot also. I agree that it an important book and maybe someday I will read it. I was in DC the day that happened and after all these years I still can’t read stories on it without have a mild panic attack.
Oh, wow! I can’t imagine what it would be like to be in DC or NYC on that day. Someday, you might be ready to read more.
I bet this one was incredible on audio. Who does the voices? I just finished this one in hard copy and think all Americans should read it. Now you need to pick up Fall and Rise…also a fantastic 9/11 oral history book.
There were 45 different people doing the voices on The Only Plane. A few, like Ann Compton and Captain Tillman did their own (I think) and many of the rest were done by this huge cast of professionals.
So Fall and Rise isn’t too much of the same thing? I’ve been wondering about that.
I read this book as well and thoroughly enjoyed it. It was hard to read and I took many breaks but it also brought to light some things I had forgotten about that day, and reminded me of some people whose stories I learned about back in 2001. This is such an important book that truly shares the many perspectives of this tragedy.
I agree, which is why I’ve been recommending it to everyone I know.
I recently listened to Fall and Rise after hearing It recommended by Annie on From the Front Porch. It was a 5 star listen. I’d like to listen to this one to compare the two. Like you, I was amazed at how much I didn’t know despite hours and hours of tv coverage. It was difficult at times to hear the stories but it’s so important we don’t forget.
I keep hearing about Fall and Rise, so suppose I need to listen to that one, too. I agree that it felt like we were getting so much news back then, so how is there so much we didn’t know?
Even after 18 years, there are still things I don’t know about 9/11, and I think it’s so important to hear these really personal accounts. I can’t wait to get my copy.
You’ll be surprised at how much you didn’t know and at how much kindness flowed that day.
Yes, I want to order a print copy of the book. I was living in Northern Va. then and went to the Pentagon on that day in the afternoon on my bike and saw the flames & billowing smoke … they had closed National airport and had let all the gov’t employees go home …. so the roads were totally quiet and eerie, and no one really knew what was happening or what would happen next. I went by Arlington hospital which was very near where I lived and they were giving press reports on the burn victims that were taken there. People were burned badly. It was awful. I had one friend in the Pentagon at the time — who told me he felt the building shake & the lights go out while he was at his desk …. but he got out & couldn’t believe what he saw from the outside …. the plane
Wow, that’s an amazing first person account of that day in DC. Everything you talked about was mentioned in the book. Living so far away from where everything was happening makes for a very different perspective on the days. We sat in front of TV sets, but so many people lived it. Very different.