Report From Ground Zero: Amazon.ca: Dennis Smith: Books

Product Description

From Amazon

"There is no center to this day, no middle or end. All its remaining minutes and hours will be collapsed into that single instant at 8:48 a.m. when September 11, 2001, became the saddest day of our history," writes Dennis Smith, a retired New York City firefighter. Shortly after the two planes hit the World Trade Center towers, he volunteered to help in the rescue effort. In this diary of the three months following the attack, Smith combines his own observations with interviews of those involved in the work, creating a detailed day-by-day history of the massive effort to find life among the ruins. His 18 years of experience in the field and considerable writing skills (he is the author of Report from Engine Co. 82 and nine other books) make him uniquely qualified to cover these events. To say the book is moving is an understatement--it is often overwhelming and difficult to read. Report from Ground Zero exacts an emotional toll on the reader; writing it must have been heartbreaking. In chronicling the hope, courage, and compassion embodied by all of the rescue workers, Smith has performed yet another service to his country. Note: A portion of the proceeds from sales of the book will be contributed by the author and publisher to the Foundation for American Firefighters. --Shawn Carkonen

From Booklist

The dramatic story of the rescue-and-recovery operations at the World Trade Center. Brad Hooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Product Description

Tag this product

(What's this?)

Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items.

Customer Reviews

82 Reviews

5 star:		(68)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

Average Customer Review

4.7 out of 5 stars (82 customer reviews)

Share your thoughts with other customers:

Create your own review

Most helpful customer reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars We HAVE forgotten & Dennis Smith reminds us, Nov 9 2003

By

MsTinaK "MsTinaK" (New Cumberland, PA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Report From Ground Zero (Hardcover)

After 9/11 the rallying cry was "We will never forget". Reading that book two years later reminded me that we have forgotten so very much about that day.

In fact there are things about that day we never really knew. I've never recommended a book to such a wide variety that I have. I think it is a must read. It also proves that the media (TV & radio) doesn't give us a total and unbiased picture. They tell us and show us what they want us to see and hear. Some of the facts that are in this book, to me as well as my son who also read it, were stunning. Facts that were either not reported or under-reported, and glossed over.

Make no mistake that this is a book about the emergency service personnel. That is the purpose and the focus. Dennis Smith provides a wonderful forum that allows those who have no experience in the field to get a real feel of what they mean when they say "brotherhood" and talk about their *family* in the houses. Yes, many other every day people lost their lives, but the emergency workers and their families experienced a high number of fatalities of people that were close to them, as well as having to deal with the subsequent search of the very site that took family and friends. They delayed their grief to continue doing their job-not for only their 'brothers/sisters' but for 'anyone and everyone'. And yet others went back to their houses and continued to answer calls to help others unrelated to 9/11 as they do to this day.

As another reviewer stated you will cry when you read this book and you will. But when you finally put it down, you will be glad that Dennis Smith wrote it so that you could read it. Glad for the men and women that allowed him to include their words and experiences. It is a powerful insightful book.

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews

Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Report abuse

5.0 out of 5 stars Best of the lot, Sep 29 2003

By

Sueann McIntyre (Shelby, OH, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Report From Ground Zero (Hardcover)

It took me nearly a year to work up the courage to read this book the whole way through. And even then I could only read the aftermath part. It was absolutely riveting. Mr. Smith made you feel you were right there at Ground Zero. One could only imagine the sights and sounds of that place, but Mr. Smith took you by the hand and led you. Just recently I felt ready to read the first half of the book, and found it equally well written and intensely interesting. That may sound funny, but to a lot of people the events and pictures of 9/11 are still very fresh even after 2 years. I wept at parts, marveled at the courage of both emergency service personnel and everyday people. In whole, I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in an accurate and intelligent portrayal of that awful day.

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews

Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Report abuse

5.0 out of 5 stars Couldn't put it down!, Sep 11 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Report From Ground Zero (Hardcover)

I picked this book up from my local libarary the other day, and I've hardly been able to put it down. I couldn't believe all the first hand accounts where the person was talking about being with a couple other people when everything was starting, and then by the end of the day those people were gone. Unbelieveable. I'm a military wife, and luckily my husband made it to Afghanistan and back last year. I wish someone like Smith would write a book like this about our men and women in the armed forces-not just one person who did something extraordinary, but a whole grouping of people who give first hand accounts. I also wish that people would just remember that just because someone like my husband is taking part in a war effort doesn't mean he/she agrees with the reason they are there. They only do what their "boss" tells them to do.

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews

Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Report abuse

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review

› See all 82 customer reviews on Amazon.ca

Want to see more reviews on this item?

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 84 reviews 4.7 out of 5 stars

Most recent customer reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Once more nice job, Dennis
In the first part you find reports from many firemen, in the second the daily diary of Dennis about his work there. Read more

Published on Mar 17 2003 by C. Marco

3.0 out of 5 stars Moving, but there is something missing
I do agree with reviewer Gregory Daly. I think about those firefighters who went into the towers, and I suffer. Read more

Published on Mar 15 2003