That Day In September – The Review
Written by Nikki-ann on Monday, 5 September , 2011 at 5:50 pm
Author: Artie Van Why
Publisher: Van Hughes Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-4116-8315-0
That day in September, the day nobody will ever forget. The day terror came to New York and the US in a way nobody ever imagined it could.
I remember that day of September 11th. I was at work when a colleague walked in after lunch and told us what had happened, what was still happening. I didn’t get much work done after that. How could I? News websites were struggling under the strain of thousands, probably millions of people trying to find out as much as they could, me included. When I got home, I turned on the TV and the images were being replayed again and again, along with any latest footage and news of what was happening. The scale was just unbelievable. The evilness of it was beyond believable. It was emotional just watching it from afar. I couldn’t imagine what it felt like for the people who were there…….
That Day In September is Artie Van Why’s recollection of that day, the attacks and the aftermath, his personal remembrance of 9/11. Everyone has their story of that day, this is his.
Artie not only tells us about his experience of 9/11 and it’s aftermath, but he also tells us a little about his life before the attacks, so we get to know the man who he was and who he became. I think this is important, it helps gives us a little attachment to the author himself before the attacks.
As I’m sure most people do, I find 9/11 an emotive subject. I struggle to watch the documentaries about it without tears in my eyes. So many people died in such an awful way. Artie’s story is also emotional and honest.
Artie worked in a building across from the World Trade Centre and was sat at his desk when the first plane hit the World Trade Centre towers. He said there was a boom and their building shuddered. He had to get out and see what had happened. Passing through the door to the street, he was confronted with what looked like a war zone and a movie set for a disaster movie. But this wasn’t a movie, this was real.
Artie goes on to describe seeing the second plane hit, the debris and bodies falling from the towers. Shouting “NO!” as one person after another plunged from the towers as if each “No!” would stop them from hitting the ground. This is something that always makes me well up… the people who thought it was better to jump to their deaths than to stay in the hell of the upper floors of the towers. What kind of choice is that?!
We’re told of how he found a man lying in the street having been hit by debris, of running from the collapsing South tower and the walk home. He tells us of the days and weeks that followed, of how life has changed and that he will never forget.
It made a change to read a personal experience of 9/11, rather than the media documentaries that have appeared on TV in the months and years since 9/11.The book is honest and moving, and I could almost visualise being there. We see how one person’s life has been changed and gain a better understanding of that day. If you want to read a personal experience of 9/11, then I’d recommend Artie Van Why’s That Day In September.
My heart goes out to those that survived, to those that didn’t make it out and to their families. May terrorism on this scale never happen again.
Buy That Day In September by Artie Van Why.
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With thanks to Artie for sending me his book to read and review. However, this has in no way influenced my opinion of the book.
Comments (3)
Category: Auto-biography,Books,History,Reviews
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Comment by Yvonne
Made Monday, 5 of September , 2011 at 6:36 pm
Hi Nikki,
There isn’t a lot I can add to those lovely words and sentiments, that you expressed in this post.
We have been watching the series of hitherto unseen documentaries about that terrible day, that are being run in the lead up to September 11th and are moved every time by the terrible images and harrowing stories that emerge with each new programme.
Everyone can remember where they were and what they were doing, when the news hit at lunch time on that day, here in the UK. I had just got home from work and had put the television on to watch the news whilst I ate my lunch. Needless to say, lunch was unwanted and forgotten as events unfolded.
I find it difficult to watch too many of the programmes and I don’t know if I would be able to read such a personal account of events, but I am glad that it sems to have given you some comfort.
Comment by rhapsodyinbooks
Made Tuesday, 6 of September , 2011 at 4:27 am
Beautiful post. I tried watching one of the memorial documentaries on last night, and it was so emotional, like ten years hadn’t passed at all. I didn’t expect it to feel like that. At one point I was reading everything I could on it, and then I needed a break, but this one sounds like one I need to get to!
Comment by Petty Witter
Made Tuesday, 6 of September , 2011 at 1:42 pm
A very moving review, there are so many documentries being shown on tv at the moment but somehow the books written seem so much more harrowing and personal.
