9/11 Survivors' Stories: Midwest Memories

Full disclosure: I worked for Ryan Yantis, one of this book’s authors, many years ago. I have an immense amount of respect for him as a leader and a communicator, and I hoped he would eventually write the story of his experience at the Pentagon on 9/11 — not because he relishes telling it (it’s not easy, as this book’s preface makes clear), but because I knew it would be told well and would add something valuable to the recorded history of that day.The first part of this book has several highly evocative stories from survivors who happened to be visiting New York on Sept. 11 and were in one of the towers, the subway below, or even a nearby hotel when the attack happened. All of them had details that caught me off guard. These are frank, unflinching, moment-by-moment accounts that don’t skip steps or look away from the roughest parts. When you watch videos about Sept. 11, the way the camera invariably cuts from a close-up to a wide view to another wide view, from a survivor giving a sound bite in the present day to a narrator or a newscaster in the moment — all of that editing has the effect of releasing you, the viewer, from the tension of these uninterrupted accounts. As a reader, you don’t get to cut away, just as these survivors didn’t when they were trying to get home. Joe Dittmar’s story in particular is astonishing, having made it out of one of the highest floors of the south tower. I appreciated how many unflattering details the authors included, from the awkward jokes they told as they were trying to make sense of what had happened to the challenge of finding clean underwear or wondering whether a hotel bill still had to be settled. Nobody is out to make themselves look good or add layers of hindsight to appear wise. The stories are what these people experienced — what you or I might have experienced if we arrived early to set up some computers or attend a meeting that day.Most people know much less about the attack on the Pentagon than they do about the World Trade Center. Ryan Yantis was an experienced Army spokesman working out of the Pentagon on Sept. 11, waiting for his “20 years and 20 minutes” of service to finish so he could get out of there. As I said, I worked for him a while back (long after these events and outside the service). Ryan has an instinctive understanding of how to convey messages with clarity, authenticity, and impact — and not an iota of bullshit. People above him in the chain have tantrums and he translates them into sensible, well-ordered plans of action; people below him in the chain get exactly what they need to do their jobs and never know anything weird is going on up above. So I knew this story would be told well, and it is. In quick and efficient strokes, he lays out the geography of the Pentagon (with enough detail to stir the architecture and design nerd in me), steeps you in the culture of the building, and then takes you through the sequence of events as he experienced them, from people searching for ways to help amid the confusion to an unnamed general’s extremely ill-advised fit about a PowerPoint template. It’s funny, sad, and powerful. He also brings in an essay from a second Pentagon survivor who adds a very different and welcome perspective.There’s more to the book and I won’t go into it all. But wherever you were on Sept. 11, 2001, if the words “Never Forget” mean something to you, this is a good book to read and share.

Okay

I highly recommend this book for adults interested in primary-source accounts of 9/11.As a reader who also works in media, this book was striking. In my own job, I work to uncover the good in the midst of tragedy. In these Midwest Memories, the juxtaposition of evil and sorrow with kindness and grace is one of this collection’s greatest strengths. At the very moment you feel you know what to expect, something jolts you back into the reality that only these authors know. Something that struck me was that most authors wrote in the present, looking back on the events through a different lens. Most have had twenty years to reflect, to process, and to live. Despite their varied futures, they forever are bound by one moment of impact. Many ruminate on the sights, sounds, and smells that catapult them back into the throes of that day. Some write in vivid detail, while others skim the surface, allowing the reader to create their own imagery based on the constant stream of media coverage.What cannot be taken for granted is the gift we are given. The ability for outsiders to peek into the minds of those who survived – each with their own perspective, is extraordinary. To walk through what each expected to be a mundane workday – in the towers, on the way to a tower, in a hotel, working halfway across the country, in the Pentagon, fielding travel calls, and working as a grief counselor – gives us the ability to believe that these men and women were ordinary people leading ordinary lives. When the towers fell, when the Pentagon was hit, when Flight 93 went down, those ordinary men and women were thrust into the extraordinary. Their lives would never be the same, and, yet, they returned to living their same lives.They share their story here, twenty years on, so that we may never forget.

This book was my first time actually hearing any of the survivors stories and reading it was a very unique experience for me. The stories were short but impactful and the varying perspectives offered a lot to help people who only know the event though their parents understand all that had happened that day. I personally like The Pentagon story as while there are many stories of people in the Twin Towers, very rarely have I heard anything at all about what happened at The Pentagon. If I had to say anything about about this book it would be that some of the pictures were oddly positioned, but its not big enough to change my opinion on this great book.

A real eye opener of personal accounts on such a heart wrenching day

Some amazing stories coming out of 9/11. Some very brave people. I particularly enjoyed reading about the Pentagon. Great respect to all of you.From reader in UK

Really enjoyed reading this book there wasn’t much to dislike about this book would definitely recommend this book I couldn’t put it down