Rating: 
Summary: WANTS TO BE THE DEFINITIVE 9/11 BOOK, BUT FAILS...
Review: After receiving a few mean-spirited e-mails about my review of this book, I feel I must clarify a few issues. Again, I've gone through nearly 30 books about 9/11. After you get past the austere black cover, this paperback falls with a thud. Simply put, this book tries too HARD to be profound. You see images you've seen before, such as the sequence of shots of one of the jets slamming into the south tower of the WTC. Nothing new. Two things bug me: Layout and content. In the layout, you get the feeling the editors are trying to SLEGEHAMMER the reader with the obvious. I hate this. For example, in some essays, certain words and phrases are laid out into single lines, as if they are poetry. Then there is the awful decision to use fonts of varying sizes to EMPHASIZE certain passages. This is a pretentious device that, I'm sorry, calls TOO MUCH ATTENTION to itself. It is completely unnecessary and smacks of a patronizing tone intended to magnify the depth and gravity of what occurred on 9/11. We all know about that dark day. We DON'T need it pushed into our faces under the umbrella of "literary art." Meanwhile, about the Chomsky essay: It's short but it's awful. It's laid out, again, in a way that feels like "padding." His message reads like an "I told you so" lesson. Here's what he does: He points to America's "sins" of the past and then turns them around in a way that makes you want to believe that it's NOW THE UNITED STATES' TURN TO SUFFER. This is horrible. His opinions are the stuff of fiery pamphlets handed out on street corners. (BECAUSE WHO WOULD PAY FOR THIS?) OK, what's good about this book? Well, some of the transcripts of phone calls and a handful essays from victims and witnesses are well done. Why? Because they ARE NOT pretentious. But when others try to be "inspirational," they end up stating the obvious. I can't help but feel most writers were given an outlet to "vent" their own emotions, which have more relevance to the writer than to the reader. If you want more for less, pick up the December 2001 issue of American Heritage Magazine. There you get five-star opinions about 9/11 from individuals of world repute. It has a "permanence" this book lacks and it doesn't feel rushed together. In sum, it's fine to read what people like Joan Rivers, Deepak Chopra, Richard Dreyfuss and others "feel" about 9/11. But is it worth PAYING for? You can't judge quality by "good intentions." This is a rush-to-market volume featuring opinions from most who have (or who will have) little if any impact on our lives. Why not opinions from Giuliani, Bush, Blair, Sharon and Arafat, even those recorded by the news media in the AFTERMATH of 9/11? Why not more views from individuals who can effect CHANGE? This book could have been GREAT. Trust me, this is NOT the definitive book of "think pieces" about 9/11/01. If you disagree, fine. It's your money. But my advice is to borrow before you buy. There are other books worth buying. This one isn't.
Rating: 
Summary: For those of us who lived it.
Review: As someone who lived through September 11 as a resident of Downtown Manhatten, I have been very particular about the books and texts that I have read about the situation. For me, this book was a touching and painful exploration of what it was like to live through such horror and fear. This book explores the events through photos, poetry, journal's of New Yorkers, and time. 8:46am, 9:06am. A record of emergancy calls from the towers. A description of the birds on fire. This book has enabled me to start to look back at the situation, to start to open up millimeter by millimeter to deal with the pain. I highly recomend it for anyone who lived through that day, or who really want to see what it was like. This book is horribly beutiful and real.
Rating:
Summary: native new yorker
Review: At first i had difficulty coming to grips with the events of September 11, 2001. Why would I want to own a memento of such a horrific event. It had shattered the city of my youth. Yet, I knew that it was best to come face to face with it. Giorgio Baravalle's dedication to his children set me at ease. It paved the way for a renewed innocence and allowed me to deal with the sorrow. Seeing the thoughts and photographs of all the contributors gently seared the gaping wound of my soul. It was a poignant experience. Very powerful.
we are to be thankful to all those who were positioned by divine destiny to document this moment in time. I appreciate this book for doing just that. It is definitely worth having as an historical literary document.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting book regarding 9/11
Review: Features a collection of moving photos and thoughtful essays, which capture much of what the world saw and felt September 11, 2001. Notable contributors include Deepak Chopra, author; Gary Fabiano, photojournalist who was trapped under the rubble; Robert Kennedy, Jr., politician; Liam Neeson, actor; Shashi Tharoor, Senior UN Official and author; and more. . All proceeds from this book will go to support the International Red Cross Federation.
Rating:
Summary: Insight without sensationalism
Review: I am more than slightly curious as to why one reviewer feels that Norm Chomsky's article in this book is "anti-American". Since when is it considered anti-American to ask seeking questions? Nowhere in his short article does Chomsky place blame on anything American. As Americans we must carefully look at what led up to the terrorist attacks. It behooves us to seek as much insight into the terrorist mind as possible, if we are to ever successfully eradicate this scourge from the planet we must know and understand our enemy. I believe that this is the purpose of the Norm Chomsky entry. On 9-11-01 I lost two very close friends at the World Trade Center. After spending the next two weeks mourning and asking myself what I could do, I went to New York as part of a mental health counseling team. Someday, perhaps, I will write of the things I saw and heard; until then, this book, to me, best captures the feelings, emotions and events of that harrowing day. No book, no matter how well written, can completely capture the emotions of that day; however, this book comes close and, I believe that it presents the events during and after 9-11 honestly and sensitively. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who is seeking insight with out sensationalism.
Rating:
Summary: The best 9/11 book yet.
Review: I recently reviewed many September 11 book that have hit the market and selected this book for my father who is a retired fireman. The book contains many well know writers, excellent photography and is well designed. The added bonus is the proceded are going to a charity that has not been widely acknowleged, the working poor. I recommend this book highly to anyone who is searching to remember the tragedy our country has recently endured.
Rating: 
Summary: Kudos to Chomsky
Review: Noam Chomsky basically rescued this book. Without his article, the book wouldn't have been of much use.
Rating: 
Summary: The Anti-American Chomsky Strikes Again
Review: Not satisfied to let the images speak for themselves, noted anti-American Noam Chomsky includes an article blaming the U.S. for the 9/11 attacks. I was enraged to see that such a sad individual would capitalize on an American tragedy, to further his anti-American political agenda. Do not support the publisher of this book. I cannot explain how angry I was to see Chomsky's article quietly inserted among these horrifying images. Its existence invalidates the entire book.
Rating:
Summary: Not sure how I feel about it
Review: Profits from this book are donated to The Robin Hood Relief Fund. I had a hard time reading this book because it is so overwhelming. This book has a list of names of people who perished in the tragedies from that day. There are man thoughts, words and poetry from victims, and witnesses. It also includes Survivor stories, pictures of loved ones....and much more. Although we all know we will not need this book as a 'remembrance'....perhaps it is meant to be more as a memorial, a tribute to those who have suffered....to Americans.
There are a lot of things I am feeling about this book, but I don't know how to say them so I will let it be.
Rating: 
Summary: Moving.
Review: The accounts of the actual people in the WTC to me are
what made the book. Their descriptions of the carnage they
witnessed as they were rushing out of the buildings, puts
you right there. The pictures recap the events of the day
with dignity. I'm glad I grabbed a copy of this.
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