On the second anniversary of the massive tragedy that shook America, I
find myself somber and looking for a way to appropriately commemorate
the occasion. I woke up this morning to Good Morning America,
just as I did two years ago. Today I watched as they replayed the
unfolding of events that came into play just moments after I had left
the house for school. Today’s was a special program, dedicated entirely
to remembrances of that day and profiles of survivors. Going into the
9:00 hour, the children of those who died that day were reading off the
names of the victims, a very poignant tribute.
Therefore,
while I reflect upon that tragic day myself, I present a volume that
captures all of the history and emotion of that day in a moving and
compelling manner. Life’s One Nation: America Remembers September 11, 2001
is a commemorative book that all Americans would do well to have on
their shelves. The cover itself is remarkable: an American flag made up
of tiny portraits of September 11 victims. The back cover, meanwhile,
features the photograph of one of the brave firefighters who became such
a symbol of courage and heroism in the hours and days that followed.
The Introduction comes from former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, whose
leadership in the midst of the terror helped give many Americans a sense
of stability. Giuliani was almost killed himself as he fled the area of
the collapsing towers. His words are strengthening and full of hope:
“We have met the worst of humanity with the best of humanity.”
The book begins with a brief history of the World Trade Center and a
discussion of its symbolic importance. It then moves into a timeline of
the significant moments on September 11, starting at 5:45 a.m. when
Mohammed Atta passed through the security check in the airport and
ending at 10:21 p.m. when President Bush ended a security meeting and
retired for the night. This 60-page section is punctuated by dozens of
crisp, dramatic pictures, such as the New York skyline as the second
plane approached and just as it hit, the evacuation of those in the
tower, their collapse, the dust-covered people fleeing the vicinity,
President Bush being informed of the second plane’s attack while
visiting a second-grade class, and the Pentagon burning. It also
features a map of the attacking planes’ routes.
The next
section features photographs taken by photographer James Nachtwey on
September 11. He was awakened when the first plane hit and ran towards
the WTC in order to capture the destruction on film. The next pages deal
with the aftermath of the attack, from the widespread destruction near
the Towers to the swelling of patriotism in the American public.
Following this are some profiles of individuals who went beyond the call
of duty on that day. These include Todd Beamer, Jeremy Glick, Tom
Burnett, and Mark Bingham, the men who attempted an overthrow of the
Flight 93, which crashed in Pennsylvania, and many emergency workers,
including canines.
Faces of Ground Zero contains
full-page photographs of those in close proximity to the attacks, from
firefighters and WTC workers to high school students and former Mayor
Giuliani. These moving photographs are accompanied by reflections by
each subject. The next portion is dedicated to reflections from
accomplished writers. Elsewhere, poems by Maya Angelou and Gordon Parks
inspired by September 11 are featured. The book ends with The New Normal, featuring poignant photographs of people continuing with their lives in the wake of the national tragedy.
The factual information in One Nation is fascinating and the reflections moving, but most powerful of all are the photographs, for which Life
is so well known. These images capture every possible aspect of that
day: the destruction, fear, heartache, compassion, heroism… It’s all in
these pictures, leaving owners of this nearly 200-page coffee table book
an indelible record they can return to on days such as this. As they
page through the photographs, they will see a testament to the powers of
hatred and love. Let love win the day.
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