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Don't Look Back: The 343 FDNY Firefighters Killed on 9-11 and the Fight for the Truth
The mother of a FDNY firefighter killed on 9/11 teams up with a crusading journalist to fight City Hall and uncover the truth about why over 300 firefighters perished during the World Trade Center attack.
Don’t Look Back is a thriller that takes readers into the hearts and minds of a FDNY family who lost their son during 9/11, and set out on a mission to find out what really happened to him and the other 342 firefighters who perished needlessly. Sarah Murphy, a savvy community organizer from the Bronx, teams up with a local investigative reporter and other 9/11 families as they take on City Hall to unearth the failures at the FDNY. In this fast-paced novel by former Daily News investigative reporter, Joe Calderone, the families risk everything to expose a corruption scandal that put faulty radios in the hands of the FDNY, leading to the worst loss of life in the history of the department. This compelling story, based on true events, takes a different perspective on a worldwide event and gives voice to the 343 members of the FDNY who perished, largely unaware that the buildings were about to come down upon them.
Advance Praise for Don’t Look Back
Don't Look Back (Post Hill Press) was selected as a “Best New in Paperback” by People Magazine , which named it a “People picks” and called the book “a suspenseful, eye-opening thriller about the firefighters who lost their lives on 9/11...” Dan's Papers called the novel “a riveting read...”
“A crisply written page-turner, Don't Look Back ? is a story of tragedy, tenacity, and the continued importance of a free press. From the terror of the final moments inside the World Trade Center towers, to the incompetence that doomed hundreds of city firefighters, to the principled mutiny inside a major newspaper to get that story out, the story never lets up. Calderone writes with moving affection and respect for the blue-collar men and women who do the hard work in our democracy, who fight to preserve it, and who sometimes pay for that struggle with their lives.”
—Mark Bowden, author, Black Hawk Down
“Joe Calderone, one of the city’s great reporters, uses those skills in a brilliantly suspenseful novel about 9/11, the city’s worst tragedy, and the first responders who lost their lives that day and their families' search for the truth.”
—Nick Pileggi, author Wiseguy and its screenplay, Goodfellas
“Joe Calderone is a former NY Daily News investigative reporter who knows his stuff when it comes to the FDNY and he has crafted a novel that helps shine a light on the incredible challenges and sacrifices firefighters made on 9/11, including the 343 members of the FDNY we lost that day under the most tragic of circumstances. There were communication failures on 9/11 that no doubt contributed to the loss of life and this novel will help remind us to not repeat those mistakes ever again. Calderone has done the FDNY a service.”
—Michael Regan, former First Deputy Commissioner, FDNY
"This is a novel about the most painful day in New York City history and its aftermath, as reporters and investigators struggled to uncover the official blunders of Rudy Giuliani's City Hall that made a tragic day worse. Joe Calderone uses all his tools as one of New York’s best investigative reporters, as well as a panoramic knowledge of the city, to offer a vivid tale of people in search of a difficult truth."
—Tom Robbins, Pulitzer Prize finalist and Investigative Journalist In Residence at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY
Don’t Look Back is a thriller that takes readers into the hearts and minds of a FDNY family who lost their son during 9/11, and set out on a mission to find out what really happened to him and the other 342 firefighters who perished needlessly. Sarah Murphy, a savvy community organizer from the Bronx, teams up with a local investigative reporter and other 9/11 families as they take on City Hall to unearth the failures at the FDNY. In this fast-paced novel by former Daily News investigative reporter, Joe Calderone, the families risk everything to expose a corruption scandal that put faulty radios in the hands of the FDNY, leading to the worst loss of life in the history of the department. This compelling story, based on true events, takes a different perspective on a worldwide event and gives voice to the 343 members of the FDNY who perished, largely unaware that the buildings were about to come down upon them.
Advance Praise for Don’t Look Back
Don't Look Back (Post Hill Press) was selected as a “Best New in Paperback” by People Magazine , which named it a “People picks” and called the book “a suspenseful, eye-opening thriller about the firefighters who lost their lives on 9/11...” Dan's Papers called the novel “a riveting read...”
“A crisply written page-turner, Don't Look Back ? is a story of tragedy, tenacity, and the continued importance of a free press. From the terror of the final moments inside the World Trade Center towers, to the incompetence that doomed hundreds of city firefighters, to the principled mutiny inside a major newspaper to get that story out, the story never lets up. Calderone writes with moving affection and respect for the blue-collar men and women who do the hard work in our democracy, who fight to preserve it, and who sometimes pay for that struggle with their lives.”
—Mark Bowden, author, Black Hawk Down
“Joe Calderone, one of the city’s great reporters, uses those skills in a brilliantly suspenseful novel about 9/11, the city’s worst tragedy, and the first responders who lost their lives that day and their families' search for the truth.”
—Nick Pileggi, author Wiseguy and its screenplay, Goodfellas
“Joe Calderone is a former NY Daily News investigative reporter who knows his stuff when it comes to the FDNY and he has crafted a novel that helps shine a light on the incredible challenges and sacrifices firefighters made on 9/11, including the 343 members of the FDNY we lost that day under the most tragic of circumstances. There were communication failures on 9/11 that no doubt contributed to the loss of life and this novel will help remind us to not repeat those mistakes ever again. Calderone has done the FDNY a service.”
—Michael Regan, former First Deputy Commissioner, FDNY
"This is a novel about the most painful day in New York City history and its aftermath, as reporters and investigators struggled to uncover the official blunders of Rudy Giuliani's City Hall that made a tragic day worse. Joe Calderone uses all his tools as one of New York’s best investigative reporters, as well as a panoramic knowledge of the city, to offer a vivid tale of people in search of a difficult truth."
—Tom Robbins, Pulitzer Prize finalist and Investigative Journalist In Residence at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY
- GenresHistorical Fiction
288 pages, Paperback
Published July 26, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
July 10, 2022
4.5 Stars. We know about the horrific and traumatic events of 9/11. The images are forever engraved in our brains. Many watched the heartbreaking attacks on the WTC as they unfolded live on TV. It was a shocking tragedy where thousands lost their lives; among them, 23 NYPD police officers were killed in the attack. An astounding number of 343 firefighters lost their lives on that fateful day, most when the North Tower exploded, collapsed and burned.
This riveting, well-researched book is a fictionalized account based on fact and told through the thoughts, emotions, and actions of the novel's three main characters. They probably correspond to real people, composites, and witnesses who were present on 9/11. Don't Look Back was written by Joe Calderone, a former renowned investigative reporter for the Daily News, who knows New York City well. The book is informative, compelling, and believable. It is also a heartbreaking reminder of what happened on that horrible day of infamy and grief.
Three characters are determined to find out the reason so many firefighters died. Juan, a newspaper reporter joins two women in the search for the truth. Mary, an aide to Mayor Giuliani at City Hall desperately wants to get to the truth about her fireman husband's death. Sarah lost her talented son with a promising future. He was an ex-marine and an enthusiastic new recruit in the FDNY.
They come to the realization that there was a failure of communication due to outdated radio equipment. Many firefighters never received Mayday orders to evacuate, and could not readily communicate with command, other firefighters, and the NYPD. They were unaware that while searching floor to floor, going door to door, attempting to locate and rescue people trapped in the building. that the other tower had already collapsed. Requests to upgrade the fire department's faulty, outdated radios had been rejected. City Hall tries to cover up any failure in communication and the denial of requests for more effective radio equipment that could have saved many lives.
Sean now has proof from reliable sources and a document in letter form reporting the lack of communication due to faulty equipment. It is a reporter's story of a lifetime. The head of his newspaper is in league with city politicians and trying to prevent Juan's powerful newspaper article from being published. While at work on his laptop ready to send the story to the newspaper, men rush into the room with guns and attack Juan and Mary. They and their families are threatened, they are tied up and the article and its proof are stolen. Luckily, Mary has a backup plan. Sarah's group of women connected with 9/11 deaths in their families continue to harass city politicians to admit the truth and apologize for a series of errors.
I want to express my thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this intense, character-driven advance copy of Don't Look Back.
This riveting, well-researched book is a fictionalized account based on fact and told through the thoughts, emotions, and actions of the novel's three main characters. They probably correspond to real people, composites, and witnesses who were present on 9/11. Don't Look Back was written by Joe Calderone, a former renowned investigative reporter for the Daily News, who knows New York City well. The book is informative, compelling, and believable. It is also a heartbreaking reminder of what happened on that horrible day of infamy and grief.
Three characters are determined to find out the reason so many firefighters died. Juan, a newspaper reporter joins two women in the search for the truth. Mary, an aide to Mayor Giuliani at City Hall desperately wants to get to the truth about her fireman husband's death. Sarah lost her talented son with a promising future. He was an ex-marine and an enthusiastic new recruit in the FDNY.
They come to the realization that there was a failure of communication due to outdated radio equipment. Many firefighters never received Mayday orders to evacuate, and could not readily communicate with command, other firefighters, and the NYPD. They were unaware that while searching floor to floor, going door to door, attempting to locate and rescue people trapped in the building. that the other tower had already collapsed. Requests to upgrade the fire department's faulty, outdated radios had been rejected. City Hall tries to cover up any failure in communication and the denial of requests for more effective radio equipment that could have saved many lives.
Sean now has proof from reliable sources and a document in letter form reporting the lack of communication due to faulty equipment. It is a reporter's story of a lifetime. The head of his newspaper is in league with city politicians and trying to prevent Juan's powerful newspaper article from being published. While at work on his laptop ready to send the story to the newspaper, men rush into the room with guns and attack Juan and Mary. They and their families are threatened, they are tied up and the article and its proof are stolen. Luckily, Mary has a backup plan. Sarah's group of women connected with 9/11 deaths in their families continue to harass city politicians to admit the truth and apologize for a series of errors.
I want to express my thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this intense, character-driven advance copy of Don't Look Back.
August 28, 2022
Many thanks to Post Hill Press, and NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of Don't Look Back.
This is a novel about the most painful day in New York City history, and its aftermath, as reporters and investigators struggled to uncover the official blunders of City Hall that made a tragic day even worse. It's a compelling story, based on actual events, that gives voice to the 343 members of the FDNY who perished, largely unaware that the buildings were about to come down upon them.
Don't Look Back is historical fiction written by Joe Calderone, who served as Investigations Editor of the New York Daily News at the time of the World Trade Center attack, and helped cover the FDNY in the aftermath of 9/11, including documenting the problems firefighters had communicating via radio that day.
What an eye-opening read. I kept having to remind myself that I wasn't reading non-fiction, only to find out at the end of the book that it had been based on the fact that the radios the firefighters had used that day actually WEREN'T working as they should have. The author told the story with compelling realism. It was heartbreaking, and yet I wanted to cheer as I read about the power of the families' fight to bring the firefighters' deaths the respect they deserved!
This is a novel about the most painful day in New York City history, and its aftermath, as reporters and investigators struggled to uncover the official blunders of City Hall that made a tragic day even worse. It's a compelling story, based on actual events, that gives voice to the 343 members of the FDNY who perished, largely unaware that the buildings were about to come down upon them.
Don't Look Back is historical fiction written by Joe Calderone, who served as Investigations Editor of the New York Daily News at the time of the World Trade Center attack, and helped cover the FDNY in the aftermath of 9/11, including documenting the problems firefighters had communicating via radio that day.
What an eye-opening read. I kept having to remind myself that I wasn't reading non-fiction, only to find out at the end of the book that it had been based on the fact that the radios the firefighters had used that day actually WEREN'T working as they should have. The author told the story with compelling realism. It was heartbreaking, and yet I wanted to cheer as I read about the power of the families' fight to bring the firefighters' deaths the respect they deserved!
May 27, 2022
Oh wow! This book had me gripped from the outset. Descriptions of inside the North Tower had me remembering the images on the news from 9/11 and Joe really did well.
I had to remind myself a number of times that this is a fiction book as everything was so believable and could have been true.
I had to remind myself a number of times that this is a fiction book as everything was so believable and could have been true.
February 12, 2023
9/11 will be a day that anyone who was alive at the time will never forget. I, and all my family and friends, can all vividly remember where we were and what we were doing when the first plane hit the first tower. Everyone was horrified by what we all assumed was a terrible tragic accident.
When the second plane flew into the other tower with millions of us watching it happen in real time, those of us in the United States and Canada lost our innocence and our sense of being indestructible. We all realized that we were vulnerable for the first time.
As if this realization were not enough, we watched in horror as members of the NYPD and the FDNY entered the burning buildings to try to rescue as many people as possible. When the first tower collapsed, the firefighters inside the other tower were ordered to retreat. BUT, as the world learned later, most, if not all, of those heroic men and women never heard the evacuation order. WHY?
Faulty, outdated radios meant that the firefighters were unaware of the collapse of the first tower and never heard the evacuation orders. The result?
343 firefighters lost their lives.
This book is a fictionalized version of the fight to find out the truth of what happened and why their loved ones died.
Sarah Murphy, is a community organizer from the Bronx, who joins forces with an investigative reporter and other firefighter's families as they search for the truth.
This book is heart-racing and heart-rending from start to finish.
They discover a corruption scandal of epic proportions and put their own lives and reputations on the line to expose the truth.
Because this story is "based on true events" it is my opinion that this story (with the exception of the names of the characters) is actually 100% true and that the only way they could legally disseminate the information was to publish the story as fiction rather than fact.
Every U.S. citizen, and especially residents of New York need to read this book. We must never be allowed to forget the devastating loss of life and must not allow anything like this to ever happen again.
I rate this book as 5 out of 5 Stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
I highly suggest that every North American citizen, age 18 and over, read this book immediately, and take the lessons learned to heart. The Heroes of 9/11 deserve nothing less.
When the second plane flew into the other tower with millions of us watching it happen in real time, those of us in the United States and Canada lost our innocence and our sense of being indestructible. We all realized that we were vulnerable for the first time.
As if this realization were not enough, we watched in horror as members of the NYPD and the FDNY entered the burning buildings to try to rescue as many people as possible. When the first tower collapsed, the firefighters inside the other tower were ordered to retreat. BUT, as the world learned later, most, if not all, of those heroic men and women never heard the evacuation order. WHY?
Faulty, outdated radios meant that the firefighters were unaware of the collapse of the first tower and never heard the evacuation orders. The result?
343 firefighters lost their lives.
This book is a fictionalized version of the fight to find out the truth of what happened and why their loved ones died.
Sarah Murphy, is a community organizer from the Bronx, who joins forces with an investigative reporter and other firefighter's families as they search for the truth.
This book is heart-racing and heart-rending from start to finish.
They discover a corruption scandal of epic proportions and put their own lives and reputations on the line to expose the truth.
Because this story is "based on true events" it is my opinion that this story (with the exception of the names of the characters) is actually 100% true and that the only way they could legally disseminate the information was to publish the story as fiction rather than fact.
Every U.S. citizen, and especially residents of New York need to read this book. We must never be allowed to forget the devastating loss of life and must not allow anything like this to ever happen again.
I rate this book as 5 out of 5 Stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
I highly suggest that every North American citizen, age 18 and over, read this book immediately, and take the lessons learned to heart. The Heroes of 9/11 deserve nothing less.
February 12, 2023
9/11 will be a day that anyone who was alive at the time will never forget. I, and all my family and friends, can all vividly remember where we were and what we were doing when the first plane hit the first tower. Everyone was horrified by what we all assumed was a terrible tragic accident.
When the second plane flew into the other tower with millions of us watching it happen in real time, those of us in the United States and Canada lost our innocence and our sense of being indestructible. We all realized that we were vulnerable for the first time.
As if this realization were not enough, we watched in horror as members of the NYPD and the FDNY entered the burning buildings to try to rescue as many people as possible. When the first tower collapsed, the firefighters inside the other tower were ordered to retreat. BUT, as the world learned later, most, if not all, of those heroic men and women never heard the evacuation order. WHY?
Faulty, outdated radios meant that the firefighters were unaware of the collapse of the first tower and never heard the evacuation orders. The result?
343 firefighters lost their lives.
This book is a fictionalized version of the fight to find out the truth of what happened and why their loved ones died.
Sarah Murphy, is a community organizer from the Bronx, who joins forces with an investigative reporter and other firefighter's families as they search for the truth.
This book is heart-racing and heart-rending from start to finish.
They discover a corruption scandal of epic proportions and put their own lives and reputations on the line to expose the truth.
Because this story is "based on true events" it is my opinion that this story (with the exception of the names of the characters) is actually 100% true and that the only way they could legally disseminate the information was to publish the story as fiction rather than fact.
Every U.S. citizen, and especially residents of New York need to read this book. We must never be allowed to forget the devastating loss of life and must not allow anything like this to ever happen again.
I rate this book as 5 out of 5 Stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
I highly suggest that every North American citizen, age 18 and over, read this book immediately, and take the lessons learned to heart. The Heroes of 9/11 deserve nothing less.
When the second plane flew into the other tower with millions of us watching it happen in real time, those of us in the United States and Canada lost our innocence and our sense of being indestructible. We all realized that we were vulnerable for the first time.
As if this realization were not enough, we watched in horror as members of the NYPD and the FDNY entered the burning buildings to try to rescue as many people as possible. When the first tower collapsed, the firefighters inside the other tower were ordered to retreat. BUT, as the world learned later, most, if not all, of those heroic men and women never heard the evacuation order. WHY?
Faulty, outdated radios meant that the firefighters were unaware of the collapse of the first tower and never heard the evacuation orders. The result?
343 firefighters lost their lives.
This book is a fictionalized version of the fight to find out the truth of what happened and why their loved ones died.
Sarah Murphy, is a community organizer from the Bronx, who joins forces with an investigative reporter and other firefighter's families as they search for the truth.
This book is heart-racing and heart-rending from start to finish.
They discover a corruption scandal of epic proportions and put their own lives and reputations on the line to expose the truth.
Because this story is "based on true events" it is my opinion that this story (with the exception of the names of the characters) is actually 100% true and that the only way they could legally disseminate the information was to publish the story as fiction rather than fact.
Every U.S. citizen, and especially residents of New York need to read this book. We must never be allowed to forget the devastating loss of life and must not allow anything like this to ever happen again.
I rate this book as 5 out of 5 Stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
I highly suggest that every North American citizen, age 18 and over, read this book immediately, and take the lessons learned to heart. The Heroes of 9/11 deserve nothing less.
December 15, 2024
I don’t remember how it is I chose this book. The title was really tiny on my screen and I couldn’t see anything other than “Don’t Look Back,” no clue what the story was about. Didn’t have much available on my audiobook list at the time, so I went ahead. I was enthralled from the start and couldn’t stop listening. Good writing, no wasted words, fast-paced for historical fiction.
July 6, 2022
Truly a great read. It stirs up a lot of emotions based on the context but doesn't stop there. It also offers a compelling perspective that's new and unique. Definitely a page turner to get your hands on!
September 26, 2022
WELL WRITTEN REPORT OF THE FAILURES OF GOVERNMET
I enjoyed this riveting report of the problems of corrupt government and its cost of lives. Well written report of what occurred.
I enjoyed this riveting report of the problems of corrupt government and its cost of lives. Well written report of what occurred.
October 2, 2022
The book makes looking back worthwhile
As hard as it is to remember every emotion this
book explains so much. Bravo. One of worst nightmares brought into the light.
As hard as it is to remember every emotion this
book explains so much. Bravo. One of worst nightmares brought into the light.
October 10, 2022
Could have used some editing - of 12-18ish characters, 4 named Peter and 2 named Bill. Hard to keep track of who was who.
June 28, 2023
Very interesting story about NY journalism and lawsuits post 911
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews