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I've read hundreds of books over the past few years, but none like "Among the Heroes: United Flight 93 and the Passengers and Crew Who Fought Back." This, to say the least, is an incredibly phenomenal book which touches the deepest parts of the heart, mind and soul. There were countless times when I was brought to tears as I read this book - it is extremely moving.
Jere Longman did an amazing job researching, interviewing, and writing this book. His way of showing us all that each of the individuals on United 93 were heroes is so elegantly done. Originally, four men - Todd Beamer, Mark Bingham, Tom Burnett and Jeremey Glick - were thought to have been the ones to fight back on United 93 on that dreadful day of September 11th, 2001, but we quickly learn, reading this book, that each and every one of the passengers were heroes in different ways. They all were put on that plane by the higher powers in this universe, for they each brought something which would help bring the terrorist down and reclaim our power.
The mini-biographies of each of the crew members and passengers was extremely well-written and compiled in a manner which makes for an easy and enjoyable read. Of the countless books published on 9/11, I would have to say this is, by far, the best one. There is no other book which comes even remotely close to the caliber of this book.As someone with a strong interest in the events of September 11, 2001, I wanted to learn more about the passengers and attacks. This book goes into great detail about the passengers on United Flight 93;their personal lives, interests, and their reasons for fighting back against the terrorists. I felt like I practically knew them after reading this book. There is one quote from passenger Deora Bodley that I felt like was well put and fitting for this type of novel:
"People ask who, what, when, why, and how. I ask Peace."
I admired people like Todd Beamer and Tom Burnett Jr. for their decisive actions. You will learn more about the passengers, their families, and the after-effects of their heroic actions as well as the other events that horrible day. Make this one a must-read. A true winner.Deora,Todd,Jeremy,Tom,Wanda and the rest of the heroes, including United 93's original pilots, should all be read about by every American. Reading this book is the best way I can think of to gain a bit of information about these American Heroes and the lives they lived. It's good to know about the people who stopped Mohammad Atta and the four other terrorists on their evil mission.
Well done Jere. This is, by far, one of the best books that I have ever read. Those folks that have reviewed it and wondered where the "proof" is are stuck in perpetual la-la land. The tragic events of 9-11 are forever ingrained into the American culture. This book should be a "must read" for every American. Jere Longman is a great story-teller.This is a rather large biographical sketch of 40 people who were traveling on United flight 93 from Newark to San Francisco on 9/11/2001. As most people know, four Arab hijackers took control of the aircraft and turned it around aiming it in the direction of Washington D.C. The hijackers never made it to their intended target because probably 5-6 passengers decided they were going to take the aircraft back. The hijackers either lost control of the aircraft or plunged it into the ground.
Almost all the passengers were detailed in this book. Many of them had made last minute phone calls to their loved ones to say good bye, and these were tear jerking moments to read. That is why I rated this book a four star. Most of the other material was rather pedestrian.
The problem I have with this book is that the author leaves much of the material out about the probable struggle aboard the aircraft. Perhaps not much is known, but it would have been interesting knowing the possible scenarios. What we get is sweet memories from relatives of their lost ones on Flight 93.
This should be known, but the struggle needs to more detailed in the book.On the evening of September 14, as the sun set over the flag-draped county courthouse in Somerset, Pennsylvania, fifteen hundred mourners gathered together as Governor Tom Ridge presided over a memorial to the passengers and crew of United Flight 93. In the hushed twilight, amid the toiling of bells, a candle was lit for each victim, and the flames were used to light smaller candles held by townspeople attending the service.
The hijackers had failed in their mission, Ridge said. They had not destroyed our spirit. They had rekindled it. By fighting back against the terrorists, the passengers and crew had undoubtedly saved hundreds, if not thousands, of lives. "They sacrificed themselves for others -- the ultimate sacrifice. What appears to be a charred, smolerdering hole in the ground," said the governor, "is truly and really a monument to heroism."
Of the four horrific hijackings on September 11, Flight 93, which crashed into a field outside Shanksville, Pennsylvania, resonates as one of epic resistance. A number of passengers phoned relatives and others on the ground to tell them of the hijacking and what they planned to do about it. Their battle to take back the plane brought consolation to countless confused and grief-stricken Americans. At a time when the United States appeared defenseless against an unfamiliar foe, the gallant passengers and crew of Flight 93 provided for many Americans a measure of victory in the midst of unthinkable defeat. Together, they seemingly accomplished what all the security guards and soldiers, military pilots and government officials, could not -- they thwarted the terrorists, sacrificing their own lives so that others might live.
The culmination of hundreds of interviews and months of investigation, Among the Heroes is the definitive story of the courageous men and women aboard Flight 93, and of the day that forever changed the way Americans view the world and themselves.
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