9/11

9/11
Author: David Simpson
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
Total Pages: 193
Release: 2006-05-15
Genre: Education
ISBN: 0226759393

After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, a general sense that the world was different—that nothing would ever be the same—settled upon a grieving nation; the events of that day were received as cataclysmic disruptions of an ordered world. Refuting this claim, David Simpson examines the complex and paradoxical character of American public discourse since that September morning, considering the ways the event has been aestheticized, exploited, and appropriated, while “Ground Zero” remains the contested site of an effort at adequate commemoration. In 9/11, Simpson argues that elements of the conventional culture of mourning and remembrance—grieving the dead, summarizing their lives in obituaries, and erecting monuments in their memory—have been co-opted for political advantage. He also confronts those who labeled the event an “apocalypse,” condemning their exploitation of 9/11 for the defense of torture and war. In four elegant chapters—two of which expand on essays originally published in the London Review of Books to great acclaim—Simpson analyzes the response to 9/11: the nationally syndicated “Portraits of Grief” obituaries in the New York Times; the debates over the rebuilding of the World Trade Center towers and the memorial design; the representation of American and Iraqi dead after the invasion of March 2003, along with the worldwide circulation of the Abu Ghraib torture photographs; and the urgent and largely ignored critique of homeland rhetoric from the domain of critical theory. Calling for a sustained cultural and theoretical analysis, 9/11 is the first book of its kind to consider the events of that tragic day with a perspective so firmly grounded in the humanities and so persuasive about the contribution they can make to our understanding of its consequences.

American Phoenix

American Phoenix
Author: Lincoln M. Starnes
Publisher:
Total Pages: 288
Release: 2022-05-24
Genre: History
ISBN: 9781734880243

The heroes at the Pentagon were extraordinary civilians and soldiers who made decisions to sacrifice their own safety to render aid to complete strangers. Twenty years later, these stories serve as a reminder of what it truly means to be American. Meticulously researched and told with respect and reverence, this book sheds light on the remarkable individuals and events of that day. Starting from the date the builders of the Pentagon broke ground on September 11, 1941, and culminating in the national Pentagon Memorial dedication in 2008, American Phoenix is a tribute to those who sacrificed everything so that others might live.

14 Cows for America

14 Cows for America
Author: Carmen Agra Deedy
Publisher: Holiday House
Total Pages: 38
Release: 2018-09-18
Genre: Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN: 1682631117

This New York Times bestseller recounts the true story of the touching gift bestowed on the US by the Maasai people in the wake of the September 11 attacks. In June of 2002, a mere nine months since the September 11 attacks, a very unusual ceremony begins in a far-flung village in western Kenya. An American diplomat is surrounded by hundreds of Maasai people. A gift is about to be bestowed upon the American men, women, and children, and he is there to accept it. The gift is as unexpected as it is extraordinary. Hearts are raw as these legendary Maasai warriors offer their gift to a grieving people half a world away. Word of the gift will travel newswires around the globe, and for the heartsick American nation, the gift of fourteen cows emerges from the choking dust and darkness as a soft light of hope―and friendship. With stunning paintings from Thomas Gonzalez, master storyteller Carmen Agra Deedy (in collaboration with Naiyomah) hits all the right notes in this elegant story of generosity that crosses boundaries, nations, and cultures.

September 11

September 11
Author: Associated Press
Publisher: Union Square & Co.
Total Pages: 637
Release: 2021-08-03
Genre: History
ISBN: 1454943602

A commemoration of the 20th anniversary of 9/11 as told through stories and photographs from The Associated Press—covering everything from the events of that tragic day to the rebuilding of the World Trade Center and beyond. This important and comprehensive book commemorates the 20th anniversary of September 11 as told through stories and images from the correspondents and photographers of The Associated Press—breaking news reports, in-depth investigative pieces, human interest accounts, approximately 175 dramatic and moving photos, and first-person recollections. AP’s reporting of the world-changing events of 9/11; the heroic rescue efforts and aftermath; the world’s reaction; Operation Enduring Freedom; the continuing legal proceedings; the building of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York City as a place of remembrance; the rebuilding of downtown NYC and much more is covered. Also included is a foreword by Robert De Niro. The book tells the many stories of 9/11—not only of the unprecedented horror of that September morning, but also of the inspiring resilience and hope of the human spirit.

FIREBOAT

FIREBOAT
Author: Maira Kalman
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 48
Release: 2002-08-05
Genre: Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN: 0698408233

* “A hundred years from now, when people want to know what we told our children about 9/11, Kalman's book should be among the first answers.”—Booklist, starred review * “Intelligently conveys those unfathomable events in a way that a picture book audience can comprehend. . . . With this inspiring book, Kalman sensitively handles a difficult subject in an age-appropriate manner.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review * “Fireboat does many things. It sets forth an adventure, helps commemorate an anniversary, offers an interesting bit of history, celebrates the underdog, and honors the fire-fighting profession. Children and adults will respond to it in as many ways.”—School Library Journal, starred review * “Exciting, uplifting, and child-sensitive. . . . Revisits the tragedy without the terror and conveys pride without preachiness."—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, starred review * “Quintessential New York artist Kalman gives us an idiosyncratic but informative look at a Big Apple institution. . . . Kalman’s use of the events of September 11 is honest and honorable, and rarely is she as straightforward as she is here.”—The Horn Book, starred review This is the inspiring true story of the John J. Harvey—a retired New York City fireboat reinstated on September 11, 2001. Originally launched in 1931, the Harvey was the most powerful fireboat of her time. After the September 11 attacks, with fire hydrants at Ground Zero inoperable and the Hudson River's water supply critical to fighting the blaze, the fire department called on the Harvey for help. There were adjustments—forcing water into hoses by jamming soda bottles and wood into nozzles with a sledgehammer—and then the fireboat's volunteer crew pumped much-needed water to the disaster site. The John J. Harvey proved she was still one of New York's Bravest! Maira Kalman brings a New York City icon to life, celebrating the energy, vitality and hope of a place and its people.

Towers Falling

Towers Falling
Author: Jewell Parker Rhodes
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Total Pages: 167
Release: 2016-07-12
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 0316262234

From award-winning author Jewell Parker Rhodes comes a powerful novel set fifteen years after the 9/11 attacks in a classroom of students who cannot remember the event but live through the aftermath of its cultural shift. When her fifth-grade teacher hints that a series of lessons about home and community will culminate with one big answer about two tall towers once visible outside their classroom window, Dèja can't help but feel confused. She sets off on a journey of discovery, with new friends Ben and Sabeen by her side. But just as she gets closer to answering big questions about who she is, what America means, and how communities can grow (and heal), she uncovers new questions, too. Like, why does Pop get so angry when she brings up anything about the towers? Award-winning author Jewell Parker Rhodes tells a powerful story about young people who weren't alive to witness this defining moment in history, but begin to realize how much it colors their every day.

TIME BEYOND 9/11

TIME BEYOND 9/11
Author: The Editors of TIME
Publisher: Time
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2011-09-13
Genre: Photography
ISBN: 9781603202466

From the editors of TIME, on the 10th anniversary of 9/11, comes an exclusive oral history of an extraordinary decade of sorrow and resilience. Accompanied by stunning black-and-white portraits by photographer Marco Grob, more than three dozen witnesses from Ground Zero to the White House to the mountains of Afghanistan give their accounts of what they saw and felt as the world changed, starting from the first moments of the attack on America through the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. "I just happen to be looking towards the Statue of Liberty. What I saw was a plane coming eye-level toward me, getting larger and larger. I can see the U on the tail," recalls Stanley Praimnath, one of just four survivors from the top floors of the World Trade Center. Vice President Dick Cheney recalls the earliest minutes of the war on terror, his immediate determination to "use all of the means available." President Bush remembers climbing on the wrecked fire engine at Ground Zero with a bullhorn in his hand and surveying the faces looking at him, knowing they were uncertain he'd be the leader they needed. TIME interviewed fire fighters and soldiers, widows and orphans, a general and an antiwar activist, to weave their stories of the 9/11 decade into an epic narrative of tragedy and transcendence. The photos and stories will be featured in TIME magazine as a special report commemorating 9/11 and will be the basis of an HBO documentary to premiere at the same time.

Dead Reckoning

Dead Reckoning
Author: Diane Vaughan
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
Total Pages: 694
Release: 2021-09-30
Genre: Science
ISBN: 022679654X

Vaughan unveils the complicated and high-pressure world of air traffic controllers as they navigate technology and political and public climates, and shows how they keep the skies so safe. When two airplanes were flown into the World Trade Center towers on September 11, 2001, Americans watched in uncomprehending shock as first responders struggled to react to the situation on the ground. Congruently, another remarkable and heroic feat was taking place in the air: more than six hundred and fifty air traffic control facilities across the country coordinated their efforts to ground four thousand flights in just two hours—an achievement all the more impressive considering the unprecedented nature of the task. In Dead Reckoning, Diane Vaughan explores the complex work of air traffic controllers, work that is built upon a close relationship between human organizational systems and technology and is remarkably safe given the high level of risk. Vaughan observed the distinct skill sets of air traffic controllers and the ways their workplaces changed to adapt to technological developments and public and political pressures. She chronicles the ways these forces affected their jobs, from their relationships with one another and the layouts of their workspace to their understanding of their job and its place in society. The result is a nuanced and engaging look at an essential role that demands great coordination, collaboration, and focus—a role that technology will likely never be able to replace. Even as the book conveys warnings about complex systems and the liabilities of technological and organizational innovation, it shows the kinds of problem-solving solutions that evolved over time and the importance of people.

9/11 Memorial Visions

9/11 Memorial Visions
Author: Lester J. Levine
Publisher: McFarland
Total Pages: 264
Release: 2016-08-31
Genre: History
ISBN: 1476665087

More than a billion people watched the 9/11 World Trade Center destruction unfold on television, making it the greatest shared event in world history. Reflecting this fact, the 2003 World Trade Center Memorial Design Competition was open to anyone, drawing 5,201 entries from 60 countries, all of which were posted online. Most designs were the greyscale hardscape of typical memorials. A few were radically imaginative. Some engaged memory with sound, color, movement, technology or visitor participation. Others reached across the globe, cyberspace, even outer space. These imaginings stirred questions about their creators. Who were they? What were they thinking and feeling? How did the concept develop? This book, based on a first ever review of the entries, tells the personal stories of more than 180 designers whose creative perspective translated an horrific event, giving deeper thought to the relation of memorial spaces to history, geography, technology and cultural diversity.

A Place of Remembrance

A Place of Remembrance
Author: Allison Blais
Publisher: National Geographic Books
Total Pages: 230
Release: 2011
Genre: Memorials
ISBN: 1426208073

With photographs and architectural plans never before published, paired with comments in the very voices of those who witnessed the event, this book will stand apart from all the rest on the 10th anniversary of that world-changing event.