True stories of compassion, heroism, and kindness in the midst of a historic tragedy. Every tragedy has its heroes, and there were many in the terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington, D.C., on 9/11 and in the difficult days that followed. In this inspiring volume, Jackie Waldman, author of The Courage to Give, has collected the dramatic stories of some of the firefighters, rescue workers, police, medics, relatives searching for missing loved ones, and everyday people who, in the face of horror, sprang into action to save lives and help their communities. From the ASPCA leader who lost a sister that day and went on to lead an effort to rescue abandoned pets from the area, to the music student who went to Ground Zero to play for the toiling rescue workers, these vivid accounts, written in the immediate aftermath, paint a vivid picture of that infamous event—and remind us of what is best in us even in the worst of times.

Every tragedy has its heroes, and there were many in the attacks on New York and Washington, D.C. Jackie Waldman has collected the stories of some of the firefighters, rescue workers, police, medics, relatives of missing loved ones, and strangers who, in the face of horror, sprung into action to save lives and help their communities.

The true story of a group of people devastated by loss—and inspired to save others from the same heartbreak: “Very personal and moving accounts.”—Publishers Weekly Told through essays and correspondence, this is the tale of Peaceful Tomorrows—an anti-war organization made up of survivors of the 9/11 attacks as well as friends and family members of those who died that day. In the midst of shock, rage, and a rush to war, these are people who, though they had every reason for anger, consciously chose a different path—persisting even as others accused them of naiveté, cowardice, or a lack of patriotism. In the hope of sparing others from the suffering they had endured, they protested the dropping of bombs on civilians in Afghanistan and Iraq, and advocated for nonviolent solutions to the problem of terrorism—to seek justice and problem-solving rather than a cycle of retaliation—and were twice nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. This is their remarkable story.

From the senior counsel to the 9/11 Commission, a mesmerizing real-time portrayal of that day, why we weren?t told the truth, and why our nation is still at risk. As one of the primary authors of the 9/11 Commission Report, John Farmer is proud of his and his colleagues? work. Yet he came away from the experience convinced that there was a further story to be told, one he was uniquely qualified to write. Now that story can be told. Tape recordings, transcripts, and contemporaneous records that had been classified have since been declassified, and the inspector general?s investigations of government conduct have been completed. Drawing on his knowledge of those sources, as well as his years as an attorney in public and private practice, Farmer reconstructs the truth of what happened on that fateful day and the disastrous circumstances that allowed it: the institutionalized disconnect between what those on the ground knew and what those in power did. He details ?terrifyingly and illuminatingly?the key moments in the years, months, weeks, and days that preceded the attacks, then descends almost in real time through the attacks themselves, portraying them as they have never before been seen. Ultimately, Farmer builds the inescapably convincing case that the official version not only is almost entirely untrue but serves to create a false impression of order and security. The ground truth that Farmer captures suggests a very different scenario?one that is doomed to be repeated unless the systemic failures he reveals are confronted and remedied.

The tragic events of September 11 will never be forgotten, not only for the horror they wrought, but for the acts of bravery, generosity, and extraordinary courage. Cynicism was replaced by compassion and strangers reached out to one another for comfort and support. This touching tribute to those who lost their lives includes poems, prayers, children's drawings, and heartfelt exchanges drawn from the material posted on America Online, where millions of people gathered during the first week for support and information and to express grief and love. Inspiring and uplifting, Because We Are Americans serves as a portrait of this country at its best and a powerful reminder of all that is good in America. All proceeds will go to the relief funds set up to help families of victims of the attacks. Will also include quotes from President George W. Bush and New York City mayor Rudolph Guiliani.