Product Description
Michigan's storms of November are famous in song, lore, and legend and have taken a tragic toll, breaking the hulls of many ships and sending them to cold, dark, and silent graves on the bottoms of the Great Lakes. On November 18, 1958, when the limestone carrier Carl D. Bradley broke up during a raging storm on Lake Michigan, it became the largest ship in Great Lakes' history to vanish beneath storm-tossed waves. Along with the Bradley, thirty-three crew members perished. Most of the casualties hailed from the little harbor town of Rogers City, Michigan, a community that was stung with grief when, in an instant, twenty-three women became widows and fifty-three children were left fatherless. Nevertheless, this is also a story of survival, as it recounts the tale of two of the ship's crew, whose fifteen-hour ordeal on a life raft, in gale-force winds and 25 foot waves, is a remarkable story of endurance and tenacity.

Written in a style that is equally appealing to young adults and adult readers, Black November is a tale of adventure, courage, heroism, and tragedy. Kantar, the author of 29 Missing, a book about the loss of the great lakes freighter Edmund Fitzgerald, has once again crafted a dramatic narrative that is both informative and compelling. Although the Carl D. Bradley has been called "the ship that time forgot," Black November recalls that tragic day nearly fifty years ago and is a moving tribute to the ship and its crew.

Illustrated with B/W photographs. Bibliography

ALSO OF INTEREST: 29 Missing: The True and Tragic Story of the Disappearance of the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

"If We Make It 'Til Daylight, We Will Be Found." - Frank Mays
Anyone familiar with Great Lakes shipping knows of the loss of the "Edmund Fitzgerald" on Lake Superior on November 10, 1975, but few know of the loss of the "Carl D. Bradley," a limestone freighter, seventeen years earlier on Lake Michigan on November 18, 1958. In "Black November" Andrew Kantar sets the record straight. Kantar, an expert on Great Lakes shipwrecks, manages to pack a fine narrative into the book's brief 69 pages, deftly combining factual accounts of the sinking with personal information about the crew and their families, and how the small close-knit community of Rogers City, Michigan dealt with the stunning loss.

The "Bradley" sank tragically quickly after breaking in half on the surface in a bitterly cold storm. While 33 crewmen lost their lives, unlike the "Fitzgerald" there were mercifully two survivors, First Mate Elmer Fleming and Deckwatchman Frank Mays, who spent a horrific night in a raft with two other men who did not survive. While a German freighter, the "Christian Sartori," under the command of former U-boat officer Paul Mueller, bravely charged to the site of the sinking, coming within yards of the raft, the raft was never seen from the ship due to the thirty-foot seas.

Through the investigation, and with the help of survivor testimony, a Coast Guard investigation declared that the "Bradley" had been seaworthy when it left from Gary, Indiana after unloading its final load of limestone of the shipping season. The Coast Guard attributed the accident to poor decision making on the part of Captain Roland Bryan, reasoning that since eight ships had anchored in safe harbors that night because of the storm, that Captain Bryan "exercised poor judgement" due to a "zealous desire" to get the "Bradley" home. Dissent was swift. Vice Admiral A. C. Richmond issued a "Commandant's Action" linking the disaster to structural weaknesses in the ship, which was known to need extensive repairs, and was scheduled for $800,000 worth of repairs and upgrades after the fatal voyage. Both parties agreed that the proximal cause of sinking was "excessive hogging stresses," a phenomenon which can occur when waves excessively flex the middle of a ship upwards.

The board also noted historical dangers inherent in November sailings: " between 1900 and 1950, over one-third of the vessels lost by foundering were lost during November, and over one-half of all strandings occurred in November." Kantar also discusses how Rogers City lost another vessel, the "Cedarville" (after a collision with the "Topdalsfjord,") on May 7, 1965, costing the lives of ten men and re-opening the wounds of the "Bradley" sinking. Interestingly, "Bradley" survivor Elmer Fleming went on to retire as the Captain of the "Cedarville" before its fateful voyage. In 1995 Frank Mays was able to descend in a submersible to see the "Bradley" in 315 feet of water, and be on hand later for an examination of the ship by a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV,) which proved once and for all that the Bradley was in two pieces, a point disputed by the ship's owner.

Andrew Kantar has written a good book and provided a great service to Rogers City and the men and families of the "Bradley." I would have liked to have had an appendix with copies of the Coast Guard report and the dissenting Commandant's Action, much like Frederick Stonehouse did in his classic "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald." I am also very appreciative of the photographs and illustrations in "Black November," and find it to be a very worthy addition to a maritime library.

The Carl D Bradley
I lived on Lake Huron ,North Lakeport area of Michigan .North of Port Huron .We remember the storm and the Bradley it was our favorite ship on the lakes we have a son named Bradley .This was a sad day.
The book is very well written ,and holds your interest.Worth the read. You will enjoy.
Black November.

Incredible story of death and survival
I first saw Black November at the shipwreck museum at Whitefish Point and later bought it on Amazon. Now I can't believe that I had never heard of the Bradley before or the loss suffered by the family members living in Rogers City, Michigan. It is an incredible story of death and survival in the worst conditions on Lake Michigan. This book tells what it was like to survive a massive storm with giant waves and bitter cold. It tells a lot about the men who were lost and makes the story come alive with photos of the rescue, the ships, and the families. It would probably make a great movie someday. Black November should be required reading for anyone interested in the Great Lakes. Also recommended: 29 Missing on the Edmund Fitzgerald by the same author.

A Good Read
Black November is a well written short novel on the life of the Carl D Bradley and the men that sailed on her.An event such as the sinking of the ship could be an in depth, long novel, however this book tells the story while maintaining interest and keeping things to the point.Their is a brief illustration section mid-way through the book which is informative.I highly recommended this book for the Great Lakes enthusiased wanting to "get-their-feet-wet" in Great Lakes Shipwrecks and the like.For someone wanting to know more about the men and everyday life of the Great Lakes sailor, I recommend Gales of November-The Sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald.All-in-all a good read and respectful to those who perished on the Bradley and their families. ... Read more

Product Description
This text looks at survival techniques in general, and in the four basic region types: water or sea, polar and jungle. It also deals with underwater escape techniques as from a helicopter dunker; preparation for survival before landing/crashing; what to take from the aircraft, equipment stored on the aircraft; and survival techniques in different situations with an emphasis on crew members looking after passengers. ... Read more

Product Description
Alaska is like no other state and few countries; men experience greater risk in her arms. This one-of-a-kind anthology captures the spine tingling adventures of daring men and women who venture into Alaska's vast wilderness and look death in the eye. Danger Stalks the Land relates gripping episodes of animal attacks, avalanches, aircraft disasters, fishing, hunting, and skiing accidents, and chronicles risky climbs and reckless mountaineering amid Alaska's fantastic peaks. Through exhaustive research and interviews, author Larry Kaniut has captured in one volume, the terror and beauty of man's attempt to explore a vast and unforgiving land.
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Customer Reviews (14)

Amazing stories
Good book for city slicker youth, say 14 years old and up.As opposed to video games or TV, reality just oozes from every page.Not a bad thing to hammer home the actions/consequences theme in a young'un, Lord knows Darwin isn't welcome in modern society.

great read
This really was a great book. i could not put it down. I have hunted and fished alaska for the past 4 years and this book teachs you alot on being prepared.

Definitely a Good Read
I purchased this book as I like to read about TRUE life adventures.This book will not disappoint.I cringed with a couple of the stories as they are true and one wonders how human beings can survive sometimes.Definitely worth purchasing.I am going to see about other books by this author.Buy it, you won't be disappointed.

Best "bathroom book" ever written!
Great for the short of time or attention span as it's a bunch of 1-5 page stories.I call it, "Bad *&@#$% that can happen to you if you visit Alaska".It's one of my favorite books for entertainment & I bought this one as a birthday present for my brother.Great gift item.The stories are riveting.

MORE BIG GUYS,
MORE BEARS AND SURVIVAL STORIES..READING THESE GIVES YOU AN EDGE...I NEVER GO OUT IN THE BUSH WITHOUT A WEAPON AND A FIRE STARTER... ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (32)

Excellent resource
A very thorough and well researched book. Instead of focusing just on the landing, etc. Langewiesche takes the time to introduce the reader to the idiosyncracies of flying an Airbus vs. a Boeing airliner, the design philosophies behind them, etc. While this may bore some readers, I thought it was an excellent primer as to the success factors that allowed Captain Sullenberger and co-pilot Jeff Skiles to land the plane in piece on the Hudson.

Some reviewers seem to think that Langewiesche somehow discredits the flight crew and their masterful landing in the Hudson. I found this attack to be completely untrue. Langewiesche goes out of his way to praise the pilots on their professionalism, skill, and notes how Captain Sullenbergers experience as a glider pilot helped him guide the plane down a glide path that allowed a controlled water landing. However, it is also true that the automatic systems on board faithfully supported the pilots to the end.

Many factors contributed to the successful landing and Langewiesche documents them all. It is unfortunate that some people think that giving some credit for the successful landing to a computer flight control system detracts from the feat accomplished by the human behind the control stick.

Eye Opener About Flying
Mr.Langewiesche, a lean elegant writer, tells the reader a gripping story about pilots,their stengths and weaknesses,andthe amazing A320 airplane that Mr. Sullenberger was flying when he made his dramatic landing in the Hudson river. It is all fascinating and anyone who flies should be entranced with it. The only problem I found is that it ended too quickly.

Just an Adveritisement for AirBus
The author became a captive of AirBus's public relations department at some point and largely lost his focus.While it's hard to fill a whole book with an event that occurred over less than ten minutes, he should have researched deeper into the human event that made this accident so compelling.It's not a bad book but it is certainly disappointing.

A very informed look at the "linked but distinct" roles of pilot and plane that led to this fortunate outcome
It took someone with the pedigree of William Langewiesche to write this book.Although now a journalist by stock and trade, he was also a professional airline pilot for a number of years.Moreover, his father Wolfgang was also an aviator and writer, one whose still-in-circulation work is considered as the definitive reference on fixed-wing flight.

Langewiesche fils' pedigree and fluency in French gives him extended access to Bernard Ziegler, test pilot, engineer and head of Airbus' A320 development program.Also of note is that Ziegler's father - also a test pilot and engineer - ran Air France for a number of years, managed France's national aerospace company and co-founded Airbus.That gives author and subject more than a little bit in common.Langewiesche describes the A320 as "the product of genius - an airplane that is highly unusual to be sure, but exquisitely wrought, a delight to handle, and extraordinarily easy to fly."

All this is important because the basic tenet of 'Fly By Wire' is that is was crew and plane together that created the Miracle on the Hudson.The author gives just and due credit to Chelsey Sullenberger, both in terms of his unimpeachable integrity and skill as a pilot.But Langewiesche also calls attention to the role played by the A320's 'envelope protection system' - not just happenstance but instead the product of much thinking and design by Ziegler and team.Here's what I think is the best paragraph describing the relationship between crew and plane during the final seconds of 'the glide':

"[T]hey had descended through 400 feet, and there nothing to do but fly.Sullenberger was brilliant at it, as was the automation he commanded.There roles were linked but distinct.His was to make the decisions that mattered.The automation's was to execute them.Together now they would have only one chance to set the airplane down."

To Airbus' frustration, Sullenberger didn't mention the A320's role in this regard during his Washington testimonies.Langewiesche's work speaks to the probable roots of that: the paradoxical relationship between the A320 and pilots...that perhaps the very system that seeks to protect has in fact marginalized the role of the pilot over time.The Miracle on the Hudson shines a light on these complex interrelationships between plane and the inhabitants of its cockpit.

Two other jewels in Langewiesche's book are his extended looks at two famous crashes:the American Airlines disaster in Cali, Colombia (reminds me of Malcolm Gladwell's KAL dissection in Outliers: The Story of Success); and the downright bizarre A320 'aerial baptism' crash in Mulhouse, France.These are two fascinating case studies that Langewiesche has rendered here.

The factors behind the miracle
I first read the excellent article in the June 2009 issue of Vanity Fair upon which this book is based, and so when I heard that Mr Langewiesche was extending it into a book, I couldn't wait to read it. My high expectations were easily met. If you have any interest at all in aviation, you will enjoy this short and well-written book.

The Vanity Fair article inspired me to take up flying lessons again after 10 years out of the cockpit. While not necessary, a little aviation knowledge will help you further understand some of the issues and incidents described in the book. Mr Langewiesche brings a pilot's viewpoint to the events, following a long tradition of writing about aviation: his father Wolfgang wrote the highly influential _Stick and Rudder_, first written in 1944 and still used as a reference by pilots today.

The book covers the different aspects of the crash landing:

-- the birds that knocked out both engines (Canadian Geese)
-- the pilots
-- the airline industry
-- the airplane, the Airbus A320
-- related airline accidents, with both happy and tragic endings

Mr Langewiesche is among the best writers when it comes to describing and analyzing aviation accidents and incidents. An earlier reviewer bemoaned the short length of the book, but its brevity is what gives it its power. None of the half dozen avaition accident/safety books that I own contain the succinct description and analysis of the different accidents that Mr. Langewiesche uses to explore the "what if"s of the Hudson landing. Many magazine articles that get turned into books often get stuffed with filler material, diluting its message and making it a chore to read. In "Fly By Wire", despite the diverse range of topics covered, every sentence is carefully considered. More words do not make a better book.

By the way, if you want to read another in-depth Langewiesche article about another airline incident, I point you to "The Devil at 37,000 Feet", available (for free) on the Vanity Fair web site. Again, well written, excellent analysis.

While this case is not directly made in the book, the tireless efforts of the NTSB (an independent government agency not part of any other government agencies) shows the benefits of an independent, investigative branch of government. The accident rates in the US per mile flown has decreased steadily over the last few decades. Could this have happened if the airlines were in charge of investigating their own accidents? My feeling is no.

And now, on to the "Fly By Wire" debate.

First of all, Mr Langewiesche gives credit where credit is due. Of Mr Sullenberger's performance he writes, "Given the circumstances, [Sullenberger's] timing was astonishing and almost perfect. Years in the future, when he looks back... he will have proof in the data from this flare that he was a pilot at the peak of human performance."

So Langewiesche does not say that the Airbus electronics landed the plane. In a Q&A attached to the original Vanity Fair article he refuses to speculate on whether Mr Sullenberger would have been able to execute a similar landing in a Boeing with fewer fly-by-wire capabilities. He rightly points out that the workload would have been higher in the Boeing, requiring more precise adjustments on the way down.

The problem is that few pilots come to professional flying via the same path that pilots did in Mr. Sullenberger's generation. Mr. Sullenberger first started flying in an Aeronca with no electronics in the plane. There are no instrument to tell you your bank angle, for instance -- you simply looked out the window. In this way you learn to feel the airplane responding to you. You get to test the limits of the plane, and learn how to fly in extreme situations. He also spent several years flying gliders.

We are also reaching the end of the era when most airline pilots get their training in the military. Sullenberger himself flew F-4's. Sure, we still have military pilots, just fewer of them going into the airlines.

An even more extreme illustration of this comes in 1983 (related by Langewiesche on pp 83-85) when a 767 ran out of fuel and Capt Robert Pearson executed a slip (a dangerous landing manuever usually performed in single engine planes, not 767's, used to bleed away speed and lose altitude quickly) onto a drag racing strip surrounded by people, without hydraulics (no flaps, speed brakes, or landing gear lock). No fatalities resulted, and the plane was fixed up and flew for another 25 years. Mr Pearson had previous sailplane experience that taught him how to pilot the plane in extreme considitons.

Compare this to many of today's pilots: they will to go a flying academy, get certified, then spend time as an instructor to build up their hours. Many pilots do not have the money to fly their own or rented planes, so they do not get the benefit of flying in many different (possibly extreme) situations like the old-timers.

Compare the Hudson landing to the Colgan crash near Buffalo on Feb 12, 2009. (This is a much clearer case for fly-by-wire than the Dec 20, 1995 Columbia crash he relates in great detail starting on p. 119, while reserving only a paragraph for the Colgan crash.)

With a stall imminent, the Colgan aircraft (a Dash-8) automatically pushes forward on the stick, trying to nose down to get more airspeed. Many beginning pilots learn that when a stall is imminent, you nose down to gain speed and avert the stall. If you spend a lot of time flying small aircraft, this reaction almost becomes automatic. Instead, the captain wrestled the stick back, overriding the automation, pulling the nose up,and further descreasing the speed. Lastly, the first officer -- who earned $16,000 the year before, was working in a coffee shop when she was hired by the airline, and lived with her mother to save money -- retracted the flaps, further reducing much-need lift to keep the plane in the air. The crash claimed 50 lives.

As a student pilot, I can tell you first-hand that once things start going wrong in the cockpit, the knowledge that you had on the ground does not necessarily get used in the air. Your brain does not function properly during high stress. In the Colgan crash, the time from the first warning to the crash took 28 seconds. The "knowledge" comes from years of flying, from muscle memory and intuition to feel the right thing to do. This really is the "miracle" part of Sullenberger's performance, that he was able to produce such a perfect landing in this situation. Absent that experience, you may want compensate with computers, which do not panic in times of crisis.

When you have an airline industry desperate to save money on pilot salaries, combined with the circumstances that today's pilots do not get the "raw flying" time that the old-timers and military pilots had, it seems reasonable to have very strict limits on the flight envelope that cannot be overriden by the pilot. There is simply no good reason why you'd want to stall an airliner, so make it impossible to do so. Similarly, it's difficult to see why you'd want to exceed 2.5G's or -1.0G.

To the reviewer who was opposed to PC's flying the airplane, the (fortunate) truth is that computers already control a huge portion of your flight, both on the ground and in the air. Autopilots are mandatory in aircraft over 20 seats. The debate is now over the degree to which the computer will handle the plane. I think Mr Langeweische makes a strong argument for limits that cannot be overridden by the pilot. ... Read more

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Using a countdown format, describes 10 of the world's most amazing survival stories. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Cheating Death...For Younger Readers!
Tim O'Shei examines ten men and women who cheated death in this 2006 Capstone Press release. Part of that publisher's 'World's Top Tens' series, THE WORLD'S MOST AMAZING SURVIVAL STORIES introduces readers 9-12 to some very gutsy individuals who faced down death.

In reverse countdown order, O'Shei describes the death-defying situations faced by Gareth Wood, Petra Nemcova, Scott O'Grady, Bethany Hamilton, Colby Coombs, Aron Ralston and others. Some were attacked by sharks. Others were trapped high on mountain tops, shipwrecked and so on. They survived mainly due to determination and resourcefulness.

Several of the people chronicled lost limbs which may be upsetting to 9- and 10-year olds. (One photo shows Bethany Hamilton after the shark attack that cost the 13-year old her left arm).

The stories in O'Shei's book should appeal to and perhaps inspire younger readers. Recommended. ... Read more

Product Description
Debbie Kiley was aboard a yacht headed to Florida. Just two days into its journey, the yacht sank. Debbie and her crewmates were stranded in a raft in the middle of the ocean with no food or water. Discover how Debbie fought to keep her life and her sanity during five horrible days. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

when you thought it would be safe to go in the water...
A former University of Texas student, who left academia to persue small craft life, Debbie Scaling Kiley knew the sea waters and its hazards, as she was the first American woman to finish The Whitbread Round the World Race, a famous yachting competition, at the age of of 24, in 1982.
Kiley reveals how she and one other crew member survived a sunk watercraft--and how and why the other crew members did not.

I wish that instead of many photos of water and waves,that there was a depiction of The Zodiac craft mentioned. Sometimes it was hard to visualize the positioning of the victims as I was reading the text, and I am an adult, surely children would have a hard time to conceive their positioning.

This book reminded me of "Alive!" the 1970's book I read when it first "came out",about the survival of an airplane wreck in the Andes Mountains. ... Read more

Product Description
Adrenaline Books' search for the world's best, most exciting writing has taken readers from the peaks of Everest to the jungles of Papua New Guinea. "Storm" reveals first-hand accounts of battling with the elements: hurricanes, blizzards, tornadoes and sand storms - in mountains, seas, plains, and jungles. Included are contributions from sailors, climbers, adven-tures, and other hardy souls; people like Patrick O'Brian, Stephen Venables, Chris Bonnington, Sebastian Junger, Joseph Conrad and Apsley Cherry-Garrard. Full of harrowing adventures that test human endurance, this volume contains stories of individuals who must fight to stay alive. Barry Lopez is trapped among arctic floes by a sudden squall; Art Davidson's team freezes in a wind storm on Mount McKinley as the temperature hits 148 degrees below zero; an idyllic sail turns tragic when Gordon Chaplin loses his ship and his lover in a South Pacific typhoon. Adrenaline Books presents the latest instalment of the most thrilling accounts of men and women facing the full force of nature's fury. ... Read more

Product Description
A bestselling author's terrifying and inspiring story of survival

In this extraordinary book, the author of such bestsellers as Snowblind and Smokescreen uses his journalistic gift to portray his own heartstopping brush with death. Around midnight on June 17th, 1979, Air New England flight 248 crashed into the woods on Cape Cod, killing the pilot and leaving nine survivors- including Robert Sabbag-wounded and stranded in the woods.

Based on interviews with fellow survivors and his own recollections, Down Around Midnight is Sabbag's gripping account of what happened on that foggy night and his attempt to come to terms with its impact. The result is a survival tale in the tradition of Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air and a deeply personal story of learning how to live with what can never be forgotten. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (32)

Bland
When I read the synopsis of this book, I thought it was going to be a great story.It comes from a highly acclaimed author (Snowblind, 1976) who actually survived a plane crash.You'd think that would be a recipe for success.Unfortunately, I found the telling of the crash very technical, and the subsequent interviews with his fellow survivors... clinical.It was actually really odd.For experiencing something so rare and intense, it seemed emotionless and detached.I wanted to enjoy it - I really did.It unfortunately just isn't a book that I could recommend.

Down Around Midnight:A Memoir of Crash and Survival
The book was ok.Other than the fact that the author survived the crash, which is remarkable and of which I respect him immensely, the writing and descriptions in the book were nothing special.Frankly, the fact that he waited twenty years to write about this event, makes me wonder if time and memory didn't deteriorate in those ensuing years.The writing is done from a very clinical point of view, in my opinion.It is certainly not a book I would read again.

Don't be fooled
I thought this would be a good disaster book,but only a relatively few pages dealt with the plane crash,and even then there was nothing very unique about the crash.Almost the whole book is devoted to the rambling thoughts of the author,and to a lesser extent of the other victims,with no great philosophies or insights.There is also boring descriptions of the geography of the places he visits.The back cover of the book has 7 complimentary statements,but they are for another book he wrote(about the drug trade)!This would have been a good short story for Readers Digest,but not for a 200+ page book.

A 50% Read
The first half of this book is pretty interesting but quickly deteriorates into a narcissictic ramble about the author's life...hardly about the plane crash

Imagine the terror that you or a loved one would go through if they were in a plane crash.
On June 17, 1979 at midnight Robert Sabbag and eight other passengers of a jet plane went through just that traumatic event at Cape Code.Through very descriptive prose, Robert takes us through a 216 page expedition into the psyche of the human mind.The will to survive helped him overlook all that transpired in the coming days to arrive alive. Writing a book about such an event and willing to feel the sting of the moment all over again is just another level of achievement that few can bear to handle.

The story however is almost entirely from a jumping perspective of the author and does not follow any real chronological order.I am a history reader and want order to try to piece together ways that events could have alternatively occurred.For that reason, I only can give the book four stars.

Down Around Midnight by Robert Sabbag is an engaging tale that I highly recommend for reading while on your next long plane flight or on a cold winter night.We can all learn from the heroism that is exhibited by any plane crash survivor from this well written tale.
... Read more

Product Description
Amidst a wicked hurricane in the Pacific Ocean, Tami Oldham was knocked unconscious below the deck of the yacht she was sailing with her fiancee.She awoke to find the yacht ruined and her fiancee missing.For 42 days, Tami fought heartbreak and depressions, while inching her way toward Hawaii.Discover the inner strength and priceless navigation tools that saved her life. ... Read more

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On October 12, 1972, an Uruguayan Air Force plane carrying a team of rugby players crashed in the remote snowy peaks of the Andes. Ten weeks later, only sixteen of the forty-five passengers were found alive. This is the story of those ten weeks spent in the shelter of the plane's fuselage without food and with scarcely any hope of a rescue. The survivors protected and helped one another, and came to the difficult conclusion that to live meant doing the unimaginable. Confronting nature at its most furious, two brave young men risked their lives to hike through the mountains looking for help -- and ultimately found it.

Customer Reviews (201)

One of the best books I have ever read
I won't go into a synopsis since there are already plenty, but I have to say this is one of the most compelling books I have ever read, and I have read thousands of books of all genres. I read it in one sitting.For years, whenever anyone has asked me about a good book to read, I always recommend this one-even people who don't read can't put this book down. Detailed but readable for anyone.The fact that the survivors collaboratedwith the author makes it really come to life.The human spirit in this book is amazing. And the group dynamics are fascinating.Any cultural anthropologist major could appreciate this story.

Awesome
Couldn't put the book down. Well written true story that makes you appreciate life. My heart goes out to all on plane and there courage to survive. A MUST read for those who enjoy bio's.

Christa

The Mysogynist. Piers Paul Read
Piers Paul Read"s recent novel, The Mysogynist, brought home to me what a great writer he is, and how under-estimated in an age of instant world wide best sellers

Phenomenal story of survival
If you enjoy stories of survival, you'll certainly enjoy this one. The details of what the crash survivors did is no secret, but reading the intimate details about their challenges was at times, gut wrenching.

Definitely not a page turner, in my opinion. But a fantastic read that will keep your interest throughout.

Got me through my deployment...
This story was even better than the movie, and the movies was great. I have read this book a few times now. I love the rawness of it. I would recommend it to anyone ready to face the bitter truth of what it takes to survive in horrible conditions. I read this while I was deployed in Afghanistan and I realized if these people could survive that then I would be just fine! ... Read more

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“A deeply moving account of the extraordinary strengths that ordinary people can display when tragedy confronts them. As emotionally powerful a book as you are likely ever to read.”
–David J. Garrow, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Bearing the Cross

In August 1995, twenty-six passengers and a crew of three board a commuter plane in Atlanta headed for Gulfport, Mississippi. Shortly after takeoff they hear an explosion and, looking out the windows on the left side, see a mangled engine lodged against the wing. From that moment, nine minutes and twenty seconds elapse until the crippled plane crashes in a west Georgia hayfield–nine minutes and twenty seconds in which Gary Pomerantz takes readers deep into the hearts and minds of the people aboard, each of whom prepares in his or her own way for what may come.

Ultimately, nineteen people survive both the crash and its devastating aftermath, all of them profoundly affected by what they have seen and, more important, what they have done to help themselves and others.

This is not so much a book about a plane crash as it is a psychologically illuminating real-life drama about ordinary people and how they behave in extraordinary circumstances. Each of us has wondered what we would do to survive a life-threatening situation: Would I survive? How would I conduct myself–would I act to save others in need or only myself?Would others try to save me? How would I be affected by the experience? Judging by what is revealed in Nine Minutes, Twenty Seconds, the answers are surprisingly optimistic.

In telling the remarkable stories of these twenty-nine men and women, Gary Pomerantz has written one of the most compelling books in recent memory. Open to any page and you’ll immediately be drawn into the dramatic pull of the narrative. But on a deeper level, Nine Minutes, Twenty Seconds speaks as powerfully about our capacity to care for others as it does about the strength of our will to live. This rich and rewarding book will linger in your mind long after you turn the last page.Amazon.com Review
An American could fly on a turboprop run by a regional carrier once per day and not expect to die in a crash for 8,000 years, according to one estimate. That's small consolation to the 29 people who found themselves on ASA Flight 529 in 1995, when a faulty propeller cracked and destroyed one of their plane's engines. As Gary M. Pomerantz notes in Nine Minutes, Twenty Seconds--the title refers to the length of time between the engine blowing and impact--"Of all the emergency checklists, there was none on how to fly with one wing." Pomerantz says his book is "not about a plane falling, but the human spirit rising." That's only part right. Nine Minutes, Twenty Seconds has plenty of human-interest angles, but it mainly holds a morbid fascination akin to rubbernecking at the scene of a highway accident. Ever wonder what people do when they know they're about to crash and believe they might die? Herein lie the answers. (Unexpectedly, they don't scream.) Pomerantz conducted hundreds of interviews for this book, from the flight's 19 survivors to family members of the deceased to the mechanic who refurbished the bad propeller before it went back on the plane. It is by turns interesting, poignant, and harrowing. Readers drawn to stories of adversity will find it riveting. --John Miller ... Read more

Customer Reviews (26)

Extremely well-crafted and exciting
Author skillfully and tautly tells the story of a plane crash, focusing on the biographies of a few key figures: the crew, including the stewardess; the engineer who mistakenly passed the propeller that would fail; some of the passengers.

The first half of the book is terrific, the part prior to the plane crash. The book was so well-written it was literally scary to read. The author, as he did in The Devil's Tickets, is one of the best out there at telling multiple stories in parallel while keeping their overall tone and rhythm.

The second half of the book, although skillfully written and quite interesting, was very disturbing. The injuries of some of the passengers were horrific, and their aftermath was tragic and painful to read.

At once the greatest satisfaction and the greatest mystery
And that's how the remarkable flight attendant on the doomed ASA Flight 529 viewed her passengers, even before she and they spent nine minutes and twenty seconds of life-altering time together.

These ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances prove themselves extraordinary. And the author, Mr. Pomerantz, in turn proves himself extraordinarily capable in capturing the drama, the feelings, the tragedy, and the triumph of the experience. This is one to listen to or reread again and again, perhaps when faced with our own crises, to bolster the spirit and know that we can face the unthinkable with courage and grace.

An Exellent Book!
Nine Minutes, Twenty Seconds, written by Gary M. Pomertantz, is a compelling, tragic story about ASA Flight 529. Shortly after takeoff, with a horrible explosion, the flawed propeller caused the left wing engine to break down. These circumstances left the crew with nine minutes, twenty seconds to prepare for a crash.In these nine minutes and twenty seconds, Gary Pomertantz goes deep into the hearts and minds of the passengers aboard who knew they were almost in the grip of death. Some people blamed God, others cried, and the crew members recalled their training.A dismal story with tragedies and triumphs, heroic deeds and cruel deeds, Gary Pomertantz clearly shows a person's true character will be seen through times of disaster in the scramble to survive. Gary Pomertantz writes with such lively descriptions and intense action that the reader will be experiencing the action as if it is happening right then. A truly indescribable book, Nine Minutes, Twenty Seconds will be an unforgettable read with horrific and inspiring moments that will touch your heart. Nine Minutes, Twenty Seconds is recommended to all readers who like a terrific drama-filled book. This book is a must-read and a real page-turner. Definitely a five-star book with two thumbs up, a reader simply cannot miss this book.

Pretty good, but a bit of the bait and switch
It strikes me that most reviews are gushingly postive more in honor of the deceased and the survivors of the airplane crash detailed in this book.That's understandable.The story here - which is about the precise details around the cause of, events preceding, passengers affected by, occurence of, reaction to, investgation of, and industry-wide impact of a particular commerical plane crash - is gripping, and one that will forever change your attitude about flight and the frailty of life in an aluminum tube surrounded by high-test fuel.My "bait and switch" remark is in regard to the title.Only a fraction of this book concerns the nine minutes and twenty seconds that elapsed from the time that ASA Flight 529's propeller exploded to the ground impact - in fact, that is about the amount of reading time needed to cover the pertinent text.That's disappointing insofar as that was a selling point of the book - a chance to hear from survivors who experienced what any modern traveler has thought about, which is to face the reality of the risks that underlie all those frequent flier miles and little bags of peanuts (American Way magazine never mentions the wisdom of wearing cotton clothing and running shoes, or the grit that might be needed to leap with broken bones through a blazing curtain of jet fuel).No - most of the book is a respectful biographical review of the living and dead, both pre- and post-crash.So, for the reader is more interested in the miracle and the consequences of flight, an account of some gutsy and selfless flying in the face of death, and a clinical review of crash mechanics, this book will leave you wanting.For the others who are willing to be exposed to some hard but true stories of tragedy and survival, this is a fair book.

Inside an Ill Fated Airliner and The Lives of Its Passengers
The term "page turner" is often overused and books described this way are all too often overrated. However this term applies perfectly to "Nine Minutes, Twenty Seconds : A True Story of Tragedy and Triumph" by Gary Pomerantz. The book provides fascinating insights into the aircraft, it's damaged propeller, the inspector was passed the propeller, the crash into a rural Georgia field and, most of all, the lives of the 29 passengers aboard ASA Flight 529.

It is clear from the details and insight in the book that Gary Pomerantz did extensive research into the crash, the people involved, and all the matters surrounding it and them. If there is any downside to this book, it is that it tends to become a little repetitive toward the end and finishes weakly.

But don't let that prevent you from ordering this book. Its a great read and highly recommended. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Too much of this does not ring true.
Tammy Kling's 'Exit Row' is her first hand account of her experience as a volunteer Emergency Response worker for American Airlines in the wake of a plane crash near Cali, Colombia in December of 1995. Kling, who worked in sales for American, is assigned the task of working as a liaison with the survivors of a young man who was killed in the accident. Ostensibly, her job was to provide the family with access to food, lodging, incidental expenses and a sympathetic ear as they waited in a hotel in Cali for positive identification of their loved one from the local morgue (a makeshift affair hastily erected at a soccer stadium). She may have been altruistic in her motives, but it seems obvious that the principle reason for the existence of an Emergency Response Team was to give families a favorable impression of the airline, creating a climate more favorable for modest insurance and legal settlements, thereby mitigating the financial damages of future litigation.

The story is reasonably well told and compelling, with a sprinkling of New Age psychobabble about Kling realizing that she had better live life one day at a time, etc. So...upon arrival back in the United States, she promptly divorces her husband to get on with the business of living. She later contacts a survivor of the crash who lost her parents in the accident. They hit it off and become fast friends, helping to facilitate closure (Ugh!) for all concerned. Kling buys a farm in Texas and becomes a full-time writer, the survivor marries a college basketball coach, they periodically get together for lunch and help a non-profit organization build playgrounds for underprivileged children in Romania and in Texas(a worthy endeavor to be sure). All's well that ends well, do I hear an "Amen!"? Not exactly. Still, although 'Exit Row' is no 'War and Peace', it is interesting in a lightweight, Up With People kind of way. It has about as happy an ending as could be expected.

So, what is the problem?

Tammy Kling, although a functionally competent writer, plays a little fast and loose with the truth, which makes one question the rectitude of the whole tale. A number of examples:

1. Her roomate in Colombia, another volunteer worker from American Airlines, claims to have worked a previous fatal accident five years previous to the one near Cali in 1995. One problem: American did not have a fatal accident in 1990. In fact, the last fatal accident for the company occured in May of 1979 near Chicago, a full sixteen and a half years before the Colombian crash. Hmm.

2. On page 229 of the hardcover edition, Kling states that "...early passenger jets were so rudimentary that they could not travel above 10,000 feet due to lack of pressure in the cabin. Oxygen levels would be reduced to dangerous levels..." No, not quite, Ms. Kling. The first passenger jet, the de Havilland Comet, introduced into service in the Fifties, was a fully pressurized aircraft with a certified service ceiling of 40,000 feet. As were all subsequent early generation jets. Oops!

3. On page 225,in a chapter titled, 'Flying Safe' Kling states that, "In one accident, in 1991, in what seemed like a minor runway collision, a US Air 737 collided with a Sky West commuter plane on the ground in Los Angeles... Every passenger should have survived [Kling goes on], but in the end there were thirty-four fatalities, eighteen of which were caused by smoke inhalation inside the fuselage...Tragically, passenger panic, combined with the smoke and toxins [from the ensuing fire] created a deadly mix that all the safety procedures and aviation experts could not control." Not so fast. While it is true that some passengers in the 737 died of smoke inhalation, the passengers in the commuter plane were killed when the big US Air jet landed on top of them, smashing them flat and dragging them down the runway. They were killed by nonsurvivorable downward inmpact forces. Kinda left that part out. Also, this is hardly the definition of a minor runway collision. Details...details...what a bother.

There are other discrepencies in 'Exit Row' but, suffice to say, if you are looking for a factual accurate book about a plane crash, you had best look elsewhere. Although not an all bad effort, this book could have been much better with a little more research and fact checking. Unfortunately, when a non-fiction work contains so many errors it casts suspicion on the entire piece. The reader has no way of knowing if these were isolated incidents of an innocent nature or a concerted effort by the author to decieve. At worst, it is purposeful disinformation to sell books. At best, it reveals an author with a lazy jounalistic ethic.

The worst book of any genre I've ever read.
The first chapter is gripping -- relating how Flight 965 to Colombia hit the side of a mountain in 1995. The writing is tight and sensitive. But -- I don't exaggerate -- the rest of the book reads like the diary of a suburban high school girl on her first internship... right down to what color jacket she packed, what kinds of sandwiches she ate for lunch and the first names of all the people she met who sat around mostly drumming their fingers' on their desks. The author spent 99% of her assignment to assist crash victims' families doing paperwork (!!!!) The other 1% of the story is revealed on the inside flap. Once you've read that, you've essentially read the book. How any editor could have published this air sandwich of a book, I really can't understand. It is so empty in the middle, I wanted to pull my hair out. Still I persevered, thinking it would redeem itself. It didn't.

Worth Reading, With Some Caveats
This review is long; please stick with me since my perspective on this book is different than most readers'. I was on the same Emergency Response Team as the author.

There's an interesting yin and yang in this book. At times author Tammy Kling writes with deep, touching insight, the kind that makes you pause and look into your own heart and soul. But at other times she seems quite superficial. She volunteered for the team and accepted the assignment (which could have been declined with no questions asked) yet seems to have regrets over doing so and the role she played. She relates numerous facts and details but I know some to be inaccurate, for example that ERT participation was considered critical to career advancement and some people were on the team strictly for that reason. In eight years of involvement with the ERT I never encountered anyone who wanted to step forward and work with crash survivors or the families of victims just to stay on a career advancement track. If there were such people, they were on the wrong team for the wrong reasons. In fact, participation was often *discouraged* by managers because employees were away from their regular jobs for weeks during a response.

This Jekyll/Hyde quality also describes what may be the book's main flaw. The ERT member's role - to faciliate logistics for the victims of an air disaster and/or their families - is made crystal clear in training. From her own writing, the author understood this role yet inexplicably states that families would be better off if airline employees did not assist them directly - that all ERTs should be comprised of trained mental health professionals. This makes no sense.

Some background is necessary for a thorough understanding. One consistent and highly annoying misconception is that airline ERT members offer counseling or other mental health services. Nothing could be further from the truth. Access to counselors and mental health professionals is mandated under the Aviation Disaster Family Assistance Act of 1996 and trained professionals fulfill that role.

So what do ERT members do? As a basic example, say a passenger loses his or her prescription glasses during an emergency evacuation. The assigned ERT member would take care of getting a replacement pair as soon as possible. It's really that simple. ERT members arrange travel, hotels, child care, buy clothes if needed and so on - the list is endless. And when the worst happens? Death is about details. Did you know that some states at one time required the name of a person's high school to appear on their death certificate? Neither did I until we had to gather that information from victims' families. People should not have to bother with those kinds of tasks when they're involved in an emergency or accident, and handling such details is exactly what ERT members are there for. It's unreasonable to think that a team solely comprised of mental health professionals could, would, or should fulfill that purpose.

The reason for her position is also suspect in that it seems based entirely on her own uncomfortable experience with a family in Cali. Well, working directly with people who have just lost a loved one in a horrific accident is obviously uncomfortable and this is also made crystal clear in ERT training, as is the fact that team members can opt out of an assignment at any time for any reason, no questions asked.

In addition, I personally know of many instances where ERT members' assistance was deeply appreciated, so much so that accident survivors and deceased passengers' families, even in their trauma or grief, took the time to write the airline and the ERT members expressing their gratitude. So in my opinion, properly trained volunteer airline employees operating within the role descriptions provided to them can play a critical part in helping survivors and families through the first few weeks after the disaster.

The author's relationship with a survivor of the accident she worked is best described by saying all's well that ends well. It seems to have worked out well for them but her contacting the survivor unexpectedly could have ended very badly on both sides. Just because it didn't should not be used as a retroactive justification.

The author does deserve credit for her descriptive writing, her charity work, and for telling her story. It was undoubtably difficult to delve into her memories of the deployment.

So with those caveats, this book is worth reading, mainly because there are so few books that offer any insight at all into the backstory of ERT deployments. Just don't blindly accept it as an unimpeachable source.

A MUST READ!!
This is a must buy/must read. The details are unbelievable and the storyline is very true.

Feeling as if I was there
I had been introduced to this author's work from a friend and am glad I was. The book is exceptionally well written containing both intense detail and unwavering compassion. The writing allows you to become one with the author's experience of sadness and joy. I particularly felt the pain as she mentioned the little boy, who took his grief out on her as a representative of the airline. This type of up close and personal writing style left me with a sense of closeness as if I personally knew the author. I would highly recommend reading any other books by Tammy Kling. ... Read more

Product Description

How to Survive Being Lost at Sea is a Capstone Press publication.

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Product Description

How to Survive on a Deserted Island is a Capstone Press publication.

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