Let's Roll: Ordinary People, Extraordinary Courage

Rating:
Summary: I'm sorry
Review: I don't question Lisa Beamer's grief and courage, but she has been told a lie about her husband's death and she is passing the lie along to others through her book.
To research the truth of 9/11, go to www.letsroll911.org

Rating:
Summary: I feel for her but who knows what really happened.
Review: After reading the book I was left with a feeling of speculation.
No one knows what happened on the plane which took 44 people to
their deaths.I had a sense of sadness when she kept bringing
up "God's Will" Sometmes human beings make choices wether
positive or negative which unfortunatley determine other's
destiny.We also don't know how many other passengers were involved in this or if the hijackers simply gave up and had a
fight and the plane crashed.Ok,I have to say I feel there was
much Christian dogma presented in the book.I can understand how Lisa could find it comforting but at times it comes across as
more of a book of preaching than experience from a great and
horrible loss.I feel for her and the book gave important
general information.

Rating:
Summary: Very moving story
Review: Lisa begins the book by describing the events of the early morning of Sept. 11, 2001. She and her husband Todd had just returned from a European vacation the day before, and Todd was leaving early that morning to travel on business. She heard him leave before she and her boys, David, age 3, and Drew, age 19 months, got out of bed. Several months into her third pregnancy and tired from her long flight the day before, Lisa stayed in bed until her toddlers awoke, then she arose and began her day. Later, a friend called her and informed her of the events at the World Trade Center. Lisa turned on the t.v., and stayed riveted to it the rest of the day, watching the report of the crash of Flight 93 with horror. At this point, Lisa switches gears and begins several chapters in which she chronicles Todd's family history, his growing up years, and college life. She then spends the next few chapters giving the same information about herself. Lisa's simple, straightforward style speaks for itself. It struck me that both Todd and Lisa were raised in Christian, churchgoing homes, and that both of them were brought up to love the Lord and to live a Christian life. Both of them came to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ in their early years. Neither of them had "lightening-bolt" salvation experiences, but knew early on of their assurance of salvation and the importance of living according to Christian principles. Like many teenagers, Lisa went through a period in which she rebelled somewhat as she questioned the God who would take her father from their family when she was only 15. Lisa finally came to realize that God sometimes allows bad things to happen as a part of his plan, and what we on earth are not always meant to understand that plan. As Lisa matured in her Christian walk, she eventually accepted her father's death and claimed the verse that "All things work together for the good of those who love the Lord." She knew that someday she would understand God's plan in taking her father from his family. The next few chapters chronicle Lisa and Todd's meeting, courtship, and eventual marriage. Lisa portrays Todd as a goal-oriented person who did not act on impulse. Todd wanted them to have a long courtship and engagement so that they would be positive about their relationship. Similarly, Todd carefully outlined his career goals, and his move to Oracle computer software sales was another step in his eventual plan to have his own business. Also according to Todd's plan, he and Lisa had 2 children and moved into their dream home by the year 2000. He made sure that the family was involved in a church home, and they were very active, teaching Bible studies, helping with the youth, and planning of helping with missions. Not quite according to Todd's plan, Lisa's third pregnancy caught them by surprise, but they were extremely happy about the new baby due in January 2002. A huge sports fan, Todd wanted to take the boys to watch some big league games. At one of these, Lisa was struck by the picture that Todd and the boys made as they walked into the stadium. She snapped a photograph from behind of Todd leading the boys by the hand, having no way of knowing how famouse this picture would become. On September 10, Todd played with the boys and helped Lisa with their baths and bedtime. Often when he was trying to get the boys focused on a goal, Todd would say, "Let's roll!" The boys knew to quit playing around and get serious when their dad said those words. At this point, Lisa returns to the events of Sept. 11. She describes how family and church friends rallied round her and gave her support as the events unfolded. She describes her heartbreak and despair when she realizes that Todd was on Flight 93 and there were no survivors. In the following days, Lisa began to hear of the passengers of Flight 93 possibly trying to overtake the terrorists. The FBI allowed a United Airlines operator to call Lisa and tell her of the last phone call that Todd made. Lisa was reassured that Todd did not sit back passively during the hijacking and his last thoughts were of her and the boys. Lisa states that now she knows the answers to the questions that bothered her after her father's death. It was part of God's plan. God kne that Lisa would need experience on which to draw to help her own children as they deal with the same questions that she had. Lisa truly wants everyone to know what a comfort the Christian faith is, and therein lies the main message of this story.

Rating:
Summary: A book to be picked wisely!
Review: I read LET'S ROLL by Lisa Beamer for an English project. We had to pick a theme and my theme happened to be heroes. I knew right away that I wanted to read LET'S ROLL. I knew the story of Todd Beamer and the rest of the crew and passengers aboard flight 93. I wanted to learn more about their heroic acts that saved the lives of many people. I learned a little more about what happened on that day and what happened on flight 93. As I was reading the beginning of the book it seemed to drag on about the families it was a little confusing for me. It took a while for it to get more interesting. The information about the plain crash was good I had never heard what really happened on flight 93 until I read LET'S ROLL. I believe that LET'S ROLL is a very good book. The book did have a lot about religion in it. I do not mind the religion aspect of the book like a lot of people did. For me it was interesting to hear a testimony of a woman who had lost her husband and how she got through it. I my self am of the same religion as the Beamers so it was interesting to hear her story about how God was in their life. I believe the book had a purpose and was very good about telling me a little of what went on that horrible day of September 11, 2001. It gives you a lot of information about her life and the background of both their families, which is not so interesting, and there were only a few chapters in the middle that kept my attention while I was reading. If you are really into your religion and knowing a little more about the beamer's life then this is the book for you. It is not the book for you if you want to learn more about the events on September 11th. I for one was not so head over heals for the book but I thought it was Good. I just believe that i built it up so much as a great book that when i read it i just got board because like i said most of it is on their families. But I do recommend that if you have not heard the Beamers story and would like to hear it this is the book. I do have to give Lisa credit she is an amasing woman for being able to do such amazing things after such a horrible tragedy.

Rating:
Summary: Life after 9-11
Review: Let's Roll's author, Lisa Beamer, who was the wife of Todd Beamer, who died in the terrorist attacks September 11 believes that "all things work for good for those who love the Lord." In every situation she and her family and friends went through, they remained confident of this fact.
Lisa did a great job describing each of these people that to us there were not just people who were affected in 9-11; they were our friends. We could clearly understand why they are loved. Not only do I feel bad for Todd's family and friends, but now, I miss Todd too.
To me it was amazing how well written her story was. This was her first book but while reading it, you would think she has more books to her name. Also amazing is the fact that she could sort out all her feelings about her husband's death and write it so clearly for all to understand.
I cannot say enough good things about this book. It is wonderful and is one of those books that is hard to put down. I highly recommend it for all to read.


Rating:
Summary: Dreadful but short
Review: This book is clearly the work of a hack writer (Ken Abraham) who took whatever might have been of value in Lisa Beamer's story and reduced it to a kind of Christian mush. Beamer is a woman of courage and dignity, but there is nothing whatsoever in her story that interests or inspires. More off-putting than the book's heavy-handed Christian sentimentality is its failure to develop any narrative momentum. Let's Roll is a kind of prolonged vacuum desperately seeking the ending we all know is coming.

Rating:
Summary: Let's Roll!
Review: Although I mourned with America on September 11th, I didn't personally know any of the victims. Lisa Beamer changed that for me. After reading the inspiring story of her husband, Todd Beamer, I feel as if I knew him and in his death, lost a friend. Lisa does an outstanding job portraying the characteristics and personality of her husband.
Her story starts off with the initial shock of September 11th and what she was doing when she found out. It then logs the history of their lives and how they met. Both Lisa and Todd had immense faith in God - a faith that keeps Lisa going and a faith that helped her accept and understand Todd's death. As the book moves into the horrifying events on September 11th, it was difficult for me to read. I suddenly felt the pain that so many husbands and wives and children felt that day and still feel today. I was captivated by Todd's bravery on Flight 93, and as Lisa retells his story, you can tell how proud she is of him.
Even if you don't share the same religious beliefs as Lisa Beamer, her story is truly uplifting and captures the sentiments of an entire nation.


Rating:
Summary: Come behold the secret to true security
Review: Lisa Beamer's book affected my tremendously. The heroism and faith of her husband shines through, as does that of the author herself. In lieu of a conventional review, I now share with you a column I wrote for the Intermountain Jewish News (IJN) during my senior year of high school with slight changes. In doing so, I hope to impart a practical lesson to be received from this wonderful, emotional book, one I highly recommend. In the column, I relate this lesson to the Jewish fall holiday of Sukkos:

IJN, May 9, 2003

The holiday of Sukkos, described within our Torah portion (Leviticus 23: 33-36), is several months away, yet its message is one we must strive to incorporate daily.

In her book Let's Roll, Mrs. Lisa Beamer reflects upon 9/11 and her late husband Todd, who was instrumental in thwarting the terrorists and crashing Flight 93. Mrs. Beamer notes that the World Trade Center represented economic power and security. But it crumbled within hours. The Pentagon, symbol of military power and security, also proved vulnerable. Mrs. Beamer asks, "Where can we find true security these days?"

Listen carefully to her words, for they are most profound:

"Never before in my life had the difference between those who put their hope in G-d and those who put their hope in this world been so obvious to me... The most important truth is that my security must be in G-d rather than in anything or anyone in this world... Todd built his life of a firm foundation (his relationship with G-d) so that when the storm came on September 11, he didn't have to check the blueprints to see if everything he built his life on was going to stand. He knew. When everything in his life was shaken, his foundation remained sound. The question each of us must answer, sooner or later, is this: How secure is the foundation on which I'm building my life?"

This is the question posed on Sukkos. For seven days, we are given a taste of reality as we depart from our "secure" comfortable homes to live in a fragile hut, the sukkah. As we become vulnerable and exposed, we then discern the one true security: our Heavenly Father. Not our lavish homes, not our money, nothing else, for that is all a delusion. True security comes only through living a life connected to G-d, which can only mean living to the best of one's abilities in accordance with the Bible, morality, spirituality, and acts of goodness and kindness.

The sukkah and our lives in this physical world are similar. Both are fragile and both are temporary. But when connected Above, our lives becomes sturdy and permanent upheld by a secure foundation. Sukkos is therefore a holiday of great joy, given the great clarity it brings.

May we all be able to answer the question posed by Sukkos and put so eloquently by Mrs. Beamer: How secure is the foundation on which I'm building my life?




Rating:
Summary: A hard book to review
Review: "Let's Roll" by Lisa Beamer is one of the harder book for me to review. While I was reading the book, it was very clear to me that both Todd and Lisa Beamer had much faith, but at times it seemed to me that the point was being driven home to the reader and for some that could be a real turn-off. Another problem that I had with this book was "Yes Todd Beamer did some that was very brave on 9-11-01, but other poeple also did very brave things and you didn't not see their families on TV or after the birth's their children they more than likely didn't get letter from the President Bush." Lisa Beamer never explaimed why she felt that Todd and herself were being single out for so much attention when they were many heroes that day.