The Only Plane in the Sky
Winner of AUDIOBOOK OF THE YEAR at 2020 Audie Awards
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The Only Plane in the Sky
Narrated by:
Garrett M. Graff
Buy Now for £16.99
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Narrated by:
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Garrett M. Graff
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By:
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Garrett M. Graff
About this listen
Winner of AUDIOBOOK OF THE YEAR at 2020 Audie Awards
"Incredibly evocative and compelling." The Washington Post
"Although many years have passed since 9/11, this book, told with such immediacy, brings so vividly back to mind the shock of that day, and why it continues to shape the tragic history that has followed."
Lawrence Wright, author of The Looming Tower
"The Only Plane in the Sky is a stunning and important work-chilling, heartbreaking-and I cannot stop thinking about it. To hear the voices of those who survived, and those who did not, it is so moving and powerful. I learned so much and am so thankful for this book."
Anderson Cooper, anchor, CNN
Of all the books about 9/11 one has been missing until now - a panoramic narrative from the men and women caught up in the unprecedented human drama of that terrible day.
The Only Plane in the Sky is nothing less than the first comprehensive oral history of 9/11, deftly woven and told in the voices of ordinary people grappling with extraordinary events. Drawing on never-before-published transcripts, recently declassified documents, new and archived interviews from nearly five hundred people, historian Garrett Graff skillfully tells the story of the day as it was lived.
It begins in the predawn hours of airports in the Northeast, where we meet the ticket agents who unknowingly usher terrorists onto their flights. In New York, first responders confront a scene of unimaginable chaos at the Twin Towers. From a secret bunker beneath the White House, Dick Cheney and Condoleezza Rice watch for incoming planes on radar. In the offices of the Pentagon, top officials feel the violent tremor as their headquarters come under attack.
We hear the stories of the father and son working on separate floors in the North Tower; the firefighter who rushes to the scene to search for his wife; the telephone operator who keeps her promise to share a passenger's last words with his family; the chaplain who stays on the scene to perform last rites, losing his own life when the Towers collapse; the teachers evacuating terrified children from schools mere blocks from the World Trade Center; the generals at the Pentagon who break down and weep when they are barred from rushing into the burning building to try and rescue their colleagues.
The Only Plane in the Sky is a unique, profound, and searing exploration of humanity on a day that changed the course of history, and all of our lives.©2019 Garrett M. Graff
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Critic reviews
This is history at its most immediate and moving. In The Only Plane in the Sky, Garrett Graff has crafted an enduring portrait of a deadly and consequential day, a day that has shaped all other subsequent days in America for nearly two decades. A marvelous and memorable book.
Although many years have passed since 9/11, this book, told with such immediacy, brings so vividly back to mind the shock of that day, and why it continues to shape the tragic history that has followed.
The Only Plane in the Sky is a stunning and important work-chilling, heartbreaking-and I cannot stop thinking about it. To hear the voices of those who survived, and those who did not, is so moving and powerful. I learned so much, and am so thankful for this book.
Raw, emotional, and intense, this jaw-dropping narrative, composed entirely of firsthand accounts, strips away the politics that have grown up around 9/11, clouding its brutal impact on the American psyche. Rarely is history delivered with such vivid sensory detail. Garrett Graff's meticulous reporting transported us, with visceral clarity, back to those horrifying hours that changed us all forever.
Garrett Graff has deftly used oral history to take us into the one of the most horrific and consequential moments in American history, in a book that will be particularly important for those readers too young to remember September 11, 2001.
9/11 is one of the hinge events of American history and Garrett Graff adds considerably to our knowledge of the horrors and the heroism that characterized that terrible day. The Only Plane in the Sky is a deeply researched and authoritative account.
A truly riveting book, at once tragic and thrilling, and a testament to the power of memory.
Its full cast is well utilised to provide a chorus of voices recounting their experiences of 9/11.
On occasion actual raw audio is utilised from the day.
It is not only a powerful account but a very emotional one.
This is a must listen
A Powerful and Important Work of Nonfiction
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I'm sorry to say that before the recent anniversary I hadn't come across this book, but when I saw it being shared and talked about I knew it was an important book I needed to read/hear, and I listened to it as an audiobook.
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𝗜'𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝟵/𝟭𝟭. 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲, 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱.
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Being in the UK, there is an obvious distance when it comes to 9/11, both geographically and emotionally. I don't think there is a lack of empathy in any way, but one thing that The Only Plane in the Sky highlighted to me was how little coverage we truly saw about the aftermath of the attacks.
I remember the day itself as I was 13 and got home after a normal and completely unremarkable day at school before knowing that anything was wrong. I couldn't tell you anything about the school day, but when I got home and put the radio on, the DJ announced what had happened, and said that they wouldn't be talking but would only be playing music in respect of the terrible events taking place.
Before this, I hadn't even heard of The World Trade Centre or The Twin Towers, and so I didn't really know what the news meant or what was happening.
Obviously this all changed when I saw the news on the TV.
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𝗜𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗴𝗼 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱, 𝗜 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗼 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗜 𝗮𝗯𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂.
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It's really difficult to review a book like this other than to say that everyone should read or listen to it.
The book is obviously harrowing and emotionally heartbreaking, but I think every story it captures is important and deserves to be heard.
I feel that the book is a very fitting tribute to both the lives lost, but also to the survivors and their families - many families who lost multiple family members - who are still trying to make sense of what happened and to process it all.
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𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗽𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗺𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝘂𝗰𝗸𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝘀 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼.
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The structure of The Only Plane in the Sky is very well thought out, and it enables a number of unique perspectives that I've never heard anywhere else to be shared.
From those who should have been in the Twin Towers on that fateful day but weren't; to survivors of the Twin Towers and Pentagon attacks; to the children and young people who bore witness and in some senses lost their innocence on that day; to those having to deal with the sheer amount of death in the aftermath - all have a unique and important viewpoint, and I do think it's essential that we hear these accounts.
We should make an effort to never forget these things that happened so that we can try to ensure they never happen again.
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𝗜 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗜 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 ... 𝗜 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗼 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀.
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One thing that really stood out to me amongst all the pain and devastation, was how unified people were on the day and immediately after. People came out in support in numerous and unexpected ways.
Even Frank Culbertson on the ISS was photographing and filming the sky in an effort to see whether any additional planes were in the sky that shouldn't have been, after all planes bar Air Force One had been grounded.
It shouldn't take such an awful event to join people together in unity, but I do think the immediate response to 9/11 stands as an amazing example of what people can do when they come together in support of one another.
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𝗔𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘀, 𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱. 𝗧𝗵𝘂𝘀 𝟵/𝟭𝟭 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝗮 𝗱𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗴𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝘁 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝘄𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲, 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿.
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The Only Plane in the Sky remains a very timely and important book.
There are school children learning about 9/11 now that weren't alive when it happened, and of course this year the remaining troops were withdrawn from Afghanistan.
I recently watched 𝘛𝘜𝘙𝘕𝘐𝘕𝘎 𝘗𝘖𝘐𝘕𝘛; 9/11 𝘈𝘕𝘋 𝘛𝘏𝘌 𝘞𝘈𝘙 𝘖𝘕 𝘛𝘌𝘙𝘙𝘖𝘙 on Netflix as I felt I didn't know enough about the political landscape following 9/11, and although I've tried to learn more about this I'm still no expert.
All I can say is I stand with the many innocent Afghans, Iraqis and Muslims who have been caught up in the aftermath of 9/11, and who have been negatively impacted by it. It's no secret that many people have acted out of fear and ignorance following 9/11, and while our empathy may enable us to understand some of this response, there is never an excuse to abuse and dehumanise others.
And Guantanamo Bay should have been closed down a long time ago.
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𝗪𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗱𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘀. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗳𝗼𝗼𝘁 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵. 𝗘𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗽𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀. 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗠𝗲𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗹, 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗹, 𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝗻𝗲, 𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘁, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝗵𝗲 𝗸𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻, 𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘀𝗮𝘆 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻. 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀. 𝗜𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝘄𝗳𝘂𝗹.
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There were so many tender moments throughout the book that made me sob and have to pause the book.
From hearing the experiences of survivors and their families; to hearing about those who were lost; and particular moments like Todd Beamer's message to his wife relayed by Lisa Jefferson, a phone supervisor, because he didn't want to call his pregnant wife and upset her - each of these stories deserves to be heard.
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𝗪𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗶𝘃𝗲, 𝘄𝗲 𝗱𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗮 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝟵/𝟭𝟭
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I've said it already, but it's my view that everyone should read or listen to The Only Plane in the Sky. This book is an essential account of 9/11 and provides perspectives that I've never heard anywhere else.
We should never forget.
The Only Plane in the Sky
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Well put together xx xx xx xx
Wow best thing I’ve listened to
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Compelling
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A must listen…….
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