CASCADING EMERGENCIES IN THE AIR

normally at bedtime i read myself sleepy with a good book. last night i started reading lynn spencer's hypnotic Touching History: The Untold Story of the Drama That Unfolded in the Skies over America on 9/11. 105 pages later i had to force myself to put it down and try to drift into sleep. the book is a "moment-by-moment narrative ... taking us right inside the airline cockpits and control towers, the fighter jets and military command centers." spencer reveals elements of that day's story previously unreported by the media. i challenge anyone to read this book for more than five pages and not feel their adrenaline level start to elevate. it is that gripping.

another window onto that day, which similarly captures the confusion, drama and suspense as events unfolded, is the movie United 93. at no time during the hour and fifty-one minutes of the film is it possible to be bored. like the book, the movie is stunning, informative and relentlessly engaging. both deal with a violent and tragic day, and both reveal the resilience and professionalism within the aviation community. far from being morbid or depressing, witnessing the disturbing events of that day takes us through shock and sadness to arrive at a feeling of sober inspiration. highest recommendation.