It is hard to say that you enjoyed a book like Fall and Rise: The Story of 9/11 because it is such a tough read. Saying that it is an important and riveting read is probably a more accurate description.
Both my husband and oldest daughter recently listened to Fall and Rise: The Story of 9/11. As they both shared their thoughts with me about what an amazing and important book it was, I knew that I had to have them do a book review to share their thoughts on it with you.
Both of them listened to it on audio and said it was very well done. My daughter thought that it was such an important read that she bought a paper copy so that she could own the book herself.
The review of Fall and Rise that they are sharing today was written by my daughter, with a few thoughts added by my husband.
Fall and Rise: The Story of 9/11 by Michael Zuckoff is an excellent read that is also difficult and sad. It celebrates so many stories of heroism.
The people in the World Trade Center were ordinary people. They went to their offices on September 11th, 2001, expecting to go to meetings, complete projects, etc. like the average American did that day.
Those at the Pentagon expected to go home to their families at the end of a normal workday.
Those on the hijacked planes never dreamed that an ordinary flight would end so tragically.
The first responders that walked into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon that day never dreamed that they would see anything resembling 9/11 when they woke up for work that day.
Most of those directly involved were average people, just like you and me, who had their lives radically altered in a few quick, tragic hours. All of them had to choose how to react to the tragedy around them.
Many of these ordinary people became heroes to their coworkers. Others grew to respect first responders in a way they never had before. Chaos and tragedy gave birth to bravery and courage in unexpected ways.
The Fall and Rise: The Story of 9/11 not only captures the chaos of 9/11 as the hours of that infamous day progressively passed into history, but it also captures the lives of the ordinary Americans involved.
It details the stories of those directly involved as well as the dreaded suspense of those waiting to hear from loved ones involved-some of those who never heard their loved ones’ voices again.
So often 9/11 is spoken about as an event or we speak of those who died merely as a number. Zukoff personalizes 9/11, and not just “The Fall” but also “The Rise” during and after that infamous day.