We are... married, single, divorced, young, old, wise, naive, blond, brunette, red, brown, beige, blue, happy, angry, frustrated, content, generous, loving, giving, nurturing, caring, silly, sophisticated, frumpy, dumpy, beautiful, large, small, thin, tall, short, at home, at work, at school, volunteers, colleagues, partners, sisters, daughters...and everything in between.
102 Minutes by Jim Dwyer and Kevin Flynn
Submitted by evie on Thu, 11/17/2005 - 7:05pm.
Book Soup | Grandparent's Corner
Book Review
Several years ago I found myself moving from fiction to non-fiction and in the process I discovered the veracity of the old adage “Truth is stranger (and more amazing) than fiction”. I have read several nonfiction books that have inspired me and changed my perspective from that point on as I witnessed the tenacity, goodness, physical and spiritual strength of real people.
This is such a book. It broke my heart over and over. I wanted desperately to push the rewind button again and again. I wanted to read certain sections over hoping the outcome would change. Years ago I read the book Everest – Mountain without Mercy by David Breashears and when I finished, I hunted for all the possible writings I could find on this expedition hoping to feel better about this tragedy. In the end, facts were facts and I had to face reality just as I had to over and over again in 102 Minutes.
Books about real people like those in this book not only inspire us, but they help us remember that not everything always turns out ok. Decisions are made that are final. Decisions are made that end lives. There isn’t always a “do over”. Rather than this being totally dark, I think it helps us to build solid values and to realize how precious each life is.
I appreciate the monumental amount of the work that these authors went to in order to help us get to know some of the people in this unprecedented American tragedy and to profoundly and personally “live through” the depth of this experience. They listed the people who perished and I found myself checking the list often when I was introduced to new people hoping not to find them on the list. The book allowed or forced me – I am not sure which – to feel a part of those 102 minutes.
I felt intense regret over the many many “what if’s” I marveled at the strength and self-sacrifice of the many everyday heroes. That is what made the book bearable as I read this account about an event that has changed our lives forever. It is an unforgettable common experience for all Americans and this book gave me substance to the memory of that awful day.
This book for me also was a tribute to all those who perished that day. They will not be forgotten by anyone who reads the book. The glimpses into their personal lives that day makes them unique, significant and cherished.
