Books out now in honor of 9/11

Ten years after the tragedy of 9/11, a slew of books based on the attacks, the aftermath, and the our slow recovery have been published for the anniversary. From the analytical debunking of some 9/11 myths, to the intimate letters written to the victims, to the collective experience of the survivors — the words are all penned in honor of the fallen victims, in celebration of the human spirit, and in remembrance of everything we have lost and gained since the day that had changed the world.

“Project Rebirth”
Dr. Robin Stern and Courtney E. Martin
Written in conjunction with the documentary “Rebirth,” Project Rebirth continues to explore the lives of survivors in the days following the tragedy. Combining the experience of Stern as a psychoanalyst and the journalistic expertise of Martin, “Project Rebirth” examines the haunting and crippling effect of the aftermath and the eventual journey of healing. The book features eight compelling profiles that reminds us of the human capacity for resilience and recovery and how these individuals managed to muster the courage to carry on living.

“A Decade of Hope”
Dennis Smith, with Deirdre Smith
 “A Decade of Hope” is Smith’s follow-up to his bestseller “Report from Ground Zero.” Unlike its predecessor, it focuses on the families and friends of those who were lost in the event of 9/11, narrated through the experiences of the 25 interviewees featured in the book. The book, filled with a decade of reflections, dreams, and hopes, pays a timely tribute to the victims of the tragedy.

“Beyond the Reach of Ladders”
Elizabeth Goren
Green worked as a therapist to a downtown Manhattan firehouse in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks and “Beyond the Reach of Ladders” is the product of her experience as she tried to help the firefighters. The book chronicles her journey as she tried to understand the men at the firehouse and to learn about their collective grief, loss, and despair upon losing their friends when the towers fell. Goren provides a touching, detailed account of her experience and perspective that will definitely connect with readers and evoke emotions and memories that can never be fully buried.

“Divided We Stand”
Eric Darton
As a cultural critic and urban theorist, Darton examines the value and importance of the World Trade Center and what the twin towers had represented before and after the 9/11 devastation. The 2011 edition includes a new introduction and afterword by the author as he attempts to chronicle many fragments of his personal observations in the years after the event. “Divided We Stand” provides a truly inspiring social history of the towers and how they  stood for modernity, and global commerce.

“Debunking 9/11 Myths”
Edited by: David Dunbar and Brad Reagan
In the years after 9/11, many fanciful theories of the actual occurrence of the attacks have surfaced, with some pointing to the idea that it was the U.S. government that had sanctioned the attack and caused the widespread destruction across America. “Debunking 9/11 Myths” came about with a strong intent to refute these wild ideas, starting with an in-dept investigation by Popular Mechanics magazine. The 2011 revised edition has included five new myths that have emerged in recent years and the structured, analytical inspection that ultimately discredit and disprove these hypotheses.  

“The Legacy Letters”
Brian Curtis
From the non-profit organization “Tuesday’s Children,” comes a collection of letters that are simply poignant and deeply personal. These letters are written by family members of those killed on 9/11, as they shared their lives and experiences since that tragic day when their loved ones were taken away from them. A decade has passed but the love, longing and memories swathed within these words are still as strong as they can be, and these letter-writers have shown us how they have not just “moved on, but moved forward” as well.

“Reluctant Hero”
Michael Benfante and Dave Hollander
As the tower burned and the people were trying to make their escape via the stairwell, Michael Benfante unknowingly became a hero when he carried a wheelchair-bound woman from the 68th floor to the ambulance. His heroic act became a household story but this time, in “Reluctant Hero,” Benfante is telling his own narrative, and it is one that is intimate, conflicted and astonishingly honest. Join Benfante, as he retells his own experience in the World Trade Center, and how he has been searching for meaning and answers in the post 9/11 world, much like the rest of humanity.

“A Place of Remembrance”
Allison Blais and Lynn Rasic
 The official book of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, “A Place of Remembrance” honors the victims of the attacks and presents an emotional story of the whole event, supported with startling images and commentaries. It provides a detailed anecdote from its construction to its destruction, and the eventual erection of the memorial itself. Containing all the names of the victims on that day, the book serves as a companion guide to the memorial, which will open at the site of the towers on Sept. 11, 2011.