The Green Bag

When visiting Rebecca's family in February, Hallie "made" me (which I am so GLAD she did!) watch a BBC television show called "The Simple Life". We watched two episodes and I really enjoyed them. Upon returning home, I checked into our local library to see if they had it on their shelves. Sadly, they do not, though I haven't looked into borrowing from another library, nor have I let them know that if they got them for the library, I would certainly check them out. They take suggestions all the time, apparently, so I need to simply turn in the form!
While I was searching for the videos, I came upon the same title for a book. I decided to take a look at the book to see if I thought it interesting. That was my first mistake! I did indeed find the book and it is about a couple that decided they would live the "simple life". Growing their own food, living off the land type of thing. I decided to check it out.
Then, of course, I began looking at the other books on the shelf around it. My second mistake!!
I found one that is about African-American families who have lived on Martha's Vineyard that looked really interesting. But I haven't even picked either one up because of the third book I found.
It is called "102 Minutes: The Untold Story of the Fight to Survive Inside the Twin Towers." This book is compiled from email, phone calls, messages, 911 transcripts and oral histories of those who were in the twin towers on 9/11 from the time the first plane hit the north tower until it fell 102 minutes later. Two reporters put the book together.
I had heard so much about that day from the outside looking in, but not too much, really from those on the inside.
I realized, after I finished the book, that Tom has probably heard some stories and may even recognize some of the names in the book, but he is the only person I know that may have heard anything like what I read.
I found it interesting reading. There are many places that you find out, if only..., but can not point to only one "if only...". If only the communication was better between so many different departments so many more could have been saved... If only they had tested the fire-proofing for the building... If only people would have evacuated earlier... If only the helicopters could have landed on the roof... If only the doors to the roof had been unlocked... There are so many more if onlies...
I did find it hard to read at first. A little intimidating and intense, but as I got further in the book, even knowing the ending, I just wanted to reach the end! The stories of those who risked their own lives to get others to safety... Of the survivors who were on the floors that the planes crashed into and the firefighters who reached those floors... They gave me a better picture of what went on that day for those people.
If anyone would like more perspective on that day, from those who were inside I recommend this book. The authors are Jim Dwyer and Kevin Flynn. It was published in 2005.