Out of the Blue: A Narrative of September 11, 2001

by Richard Bernstein, Howell Raines (foreword)

A gripping & authoritative account of the 9/11 attack, its historical roots & its aftermath: Few news stories in recent memory have commanded as much attention as the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center & the Pentagon, but no news organization rivaled The NY Times for its comprehensive, resourceful, in-depth & thoughtful coverage. This effort may well emerge as the finest hour in the paper's distinguished 150-year history. In an unprecedented commitment, the Times assigned one of its most skilled reporters, Richard Bernstein, to turn the newspaper's incisive reporting into a riveting narrative of 9/11. Following the lives of heroes, victims & terrorists, he weaves a complex tale of a multitude of lives colliding in conflagration on that fateful morning. He takes us inside the AlQaeda organization & the lives of the terrorists, from their indoctrination into radical Islam to the harrowing moments aboard the aircraft as they raced toward their terrible destiny. We meet cops & firefighters & become intimate with some of the Trade Center workers lost on that day. We follow the lives of the rest of America-ordinary citizens & national leaders alike-in the hours & days after the attack. Finally, he chronicles the nation's astonishing response in the aftermath. No account of this singular moment in American history will be as sharp, readable & authoritative as Out of the Blue.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, American History, Historical, Terrorism

304 pages, Hardcover

First published September 11, 2002

About the author

Richard Paul Bernstein was an American journalist, columnist, and author. He wrote the Letter from America column for the International Herald Tribune. He was a book critic at The New York Times and a foreign correspondent for both Time magazine and The New York Times in Europe and Asia.

Reviews

[Rob Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Out of the Blue” (published 2002) is the third full-length account of the 9/11 attacks I’ve read. Each had its particular focus, and each was fascinating and moving in its own ways.

Last year I read (2024) “American Ground” (published 2002), which goes into detail about the massive undertaking of cleaning up after the buildings fell, an aspect of the tragedy that “Out of the Blue” just touches on in the end.

In 2020, I read “102 Minutes” (published 2005), a heart-pounding account of what happened minute by minute in the two towers after the airplanes struck them, which “Out of the Blue” also delves into during its final quarter. It is heart-breaking to read about the final minutes of so many people, even as it is heartening to read the stories of some of those who survived. Both outcomes can make you cry.

So often the difference between survival and death seemed to a large extent randomly determined: what floor someone was on; whether they arrived late to work; which staircase they attempted to escape on; if they encountered someone who needed help and so lingered to give them assistance; if they stayed in the South Tower after an announcement was made telling them that, despite the North Tower’s being struck, it was safe to remain in the South Tower and that evacuation was unnecessary, etc.

The first ¾ of “Out of the Blue” alternately tells stories about some of the victims – what their lives were like prior to 9/11– and some of the hijackers – how they became involved in radical Islam and wound up on the planes used to create such devastation. This part of the book also provides some background about the rise of Osama bin Laden, Al Qaeda, and the Taliban, some of which I’d picked up through the ether over the years but much of which was new to me.

The stories of the victims are, of course, very touching and profound, though if one didn’t know what the future held for them, their stories might seem commonplace – ordinary lives with their typical ups and downs, filled with family and friends, acts of kindness, worries and joys. The selection of those portrayed –while always moving–can feel a bit random, considering how many people died (approx. 3000) and how many escaped the buildings successfully (14,000 - 18,000).

Intelligently and empathetically written, “Out of the Blue” is definitely worth picking up if you wish to know more about the 9/11 attacks, as are the other two books mentioned above. Also, if you haven’t seen the movie “United 93”, do so: it is an intense and impactful speculation about what the passengers on that flight might have experienced.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's not that Berstein's book isn't good, it's more that I feel like it tries to do too much. It tackles both the story of the hijackers and the stories of people who either survived or died (more of these people than the former) in the trade center. While this is a noble endeavor and it's nice to get a complete picture, I feel like it would have worked better if it was or the other. To this end, I think 102 Minutes, which is about what happened in both trade center towers during the 102 minute period between the first plane hitting the North Tower and the North Tower's collapse and The Looming Tower, which is about radical Islam, the rise of Osama bin Laden, and what our intelligence community knew about this kind of terrorism before 911, are better, more satisfying books. I found the sections about the victims far more interesting than the ones about the hijackers, but that might just be because I'd already read The Looming Tower, which is far more comprehensive.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Detailed account of the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001. Everything you want (or don't want) to know about the terrorists/hijackers is included. I was more drawn to the hero stories like Rick Rescorla and Peter Gancin. I learned a lot but this is heavy stuff given the subject matter. Why did I wait until 2018 to read it? I don't know. Maybe I needed some distance from the event itself. Very good book.

[Brady · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really good book. I liked this book because it was about the firefighters and not the police or someone who saw it. The firefighters had some of the most action in this. I love reading books about history and this was just really interesting point of view. The stories of the firefighters are really intense because they were the ones running into the towers while everyone was running out and had to climb all the stories to try and save everyone they could. While they were doing this the planes were still crashing into the buildings and it just showed the bravery that the men had.

[Miriam Villazón Valbuena · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was 8 years old when 9/11 happened. And I lived in Spain by the time, so all the information about the following months after the terrorist attack was vaguely spread by the international media and mostly forgotten by the memory of a child. This book offers an impressive story of the before, the “whys” and “hows” of the tragedy, and the testimonies of those that carry on. Throughout the entire book, it kept surprising me the fact that this book was published in the following year of the events. Bersntein and the team did a great job putting the pieces together to show the puzzle of an event that changed the history of the entire world.

[Sarah - All The Book Blog Names Are Taken · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not sure of the rating yet, though trying to keep in mind it was published very soon after the attacks. I feel very strongly that no book should ever include photos of the murderers because there is no place for them. We should honor the heroes, the victims, and the survivors. I never want to see the faces of those 19 monsters ever again. Review to come.

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

On the eve of the ten-year commemoration of the attacks on the twin towers of the World Trade Center, I decided to look at this event through the eyes of a staff member of the New York Times writer, Richard Bernstein in his 2002 report. This book is not only about the attack itself but also a study of the terrorists who carried it out. The fact that these 19 men could pull this off is remarkable. It is a reminder that determined humans, with a great deal of luck and a nation unprepared, can accomplish such acts in the future. Those who ignore history are doomed to relive it. An interesting read.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Published within 2 years of the attacks. Provides a good overview of what was known at the time: a quick history of the terrorists, some of the victims, some of the heroes of the event. Covers the possible route to emergence of Bin Laden as pivotal historic figure, what the lives of the terrorists and victims may have been prior to the fateful day, and a fairly-detailed look at the day itself. A good read, would be interesting to contrast this account with more updated information that has been learned over the intervening decade.

[Jenny.p · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was hoping this book would help guide my students the back story of the September 11 attacks, however it didn't work out like I had hoped. Written in 2003, it is now outdated and lacks the benefit of historical perspective and new insights we now have on al Qaeda and the 9/11 plot that have come with the capture of those who helped mastermind the attacks such as Khalid Sheik Mohammed and investigation and killing of Bin Ladin, etc. It served a purpose for a time, but since it's publication there have more books in this realm that better accomplish what Bernstein tries to do.

[Jackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is not for the faint of heart, but it is a thorough and accurate account of 9/11. I walked away from it with incredible sadness but feeling like I knew a bit more about the victims, the heroes, the terrorists, and the timeline.

[Erik Graff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Instant history and the official story--what you'd get by pasting together the articles in the establishment press. Nothing new here beyond some personal stories. No serious questioning of the gaps in the government's story.

[Kathryn Sallee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really interesting read if you are interested in international politics or the events leading up to September 11th. It is one of the most engaging non-fiction books I've ever read.

[Pat Tucker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well written with an interesting way to introduce us to some of the players of 9/11.