4.22

4

Sep 11, 2016

This book is based on interviews the authors conducted with the passengers of Flight 1549. The manner in which they weave together the accounts of each individual story to form this coherent, highly readable account of the events of 01/15/2009 is a remarkable journalistic feat. I found the book to be informative and in many places quite moving.

3

Dec 01, 2011

Not sure why I decided to read this, since I'm insanely afraid of flying already! It was really interesting though to read about this amazing story from the passengers point of view. I read it really fast, I couldn't stop reading! It was really sad to read about the thoughts and emotions and actions of the passengers when they truly thought they were going to die. Made me think a lot. It was also interesting to read about all of the chaos and drama that occured AFTER they landed. I never thought Not sure why I decided to read this, since I'm insanely afraid of flying already! It was really interesting though to read about this amazing story from the passengers point of view. I read it really fast, I couldn't stop reading! It was really sad to read about the thoughts and emotions and actions of the passengers when they truly thought they were going to die. Made me think a lot. It was also interesting to read about all of the chaos and drama that occured AFTER they landed. I never thought about those moments of when they were trying to all get out and had to stay alive in that freezing water until help arrived. I gave it 3 stars because I did feel like the end sort of dragged. And I was also hoping to hear a LOT more about Captain Sully's actions and point of view. It hardly mentioned the cockpit at all. Definitely a great read, but for me, if I give a book 4 or 5 stars, it means I'd read it again. ...more

5

Oct 05, 2016

THe book I hoped somebody had written

After seeing the movie, "Sully, " I wanted to know more: surely there were some who prayed, who later thanked God, although this was entirely omitted in the movie. And what of the survivors since that day? Have their lives changed? Have they sought the purpose for a second chance at life? Thankfully, the authors have done extensive research. Not only are these questions answered, but I learned so much more. The harrowing rescue onto the boats are one hundred THe book I hoped somebody had written

After seeing the movie, "Sully, " I wanted to know more: surely there were some who prayed, who later thanked God, although this was entirely omitted in the movie. And what of the survivors since that day? Have their lives changed? Have they sought the purpose for a second chance at life? Thankfully, the authors have done extensive research. Not only are these questions answered, but I learned so much more. The harrowing rescue onto the boats are one hundred and fifty-five separate miracles, many told in this book, many requiring others who valued the lives of strangers. I learned there were many heroes that day. And, as a personal bonus for me, I have recently moved to the Charlotte area and the small hometowns of the survivors are towns where I now visit and shop and recognize. At the time of the event, I was thankful like others, but had not noticed that this was a story about North Carolina as well as New York. This book is excellent. Thanks to the authors for writing it. ...more

5

Dec 12, 2009

William Prochnau & Laura Parker have definitely did their homework.....I really enjoyed reading this book and recommend it to every one.....The detail of the 3 minutes that the plan was in the air before it made a water landing was riveting and I was on the edge of my seat.....I can't imagine experiencing anything close to this......

A really good read...

3

May 06, 2018

Even as the title of the book said that this was the story of the survivors of those on flight 1549 I did not realize that that's basically all it is. Those survivors as well as those who rescued them.

Who they were, why they were taking that flight, what they thought from before takeoff through the crash to rescue and the days, weeks and months that followed. How their lives changed as well as their viewpoints on flying and what was truthfully most important to them. How they felt after the Even as the title of the book said that this was the story of the survivors of those on flight 1549 I did not realize that that's basically all it is. Those survivors as well as those who rescued them.

Who they were, why they were taking that flight, what they thought from before takeoff through the crash to rescue and the days, weeks and months that followed. How their lives changed as well as their viewpoints on flying and what was truthfully most important to them. How they felt after the Colgan crash in Buffalo just four weeks later.

It didn't go into the cockpit. It only touched on what actually happened and why.

The reason I gave it 3 stars was due to as each moment went by, several people had comments to be relaying and very quickly it got confusing who was who and why they were there and.... I constantly wished that the listing in back of the book also included where they worked or why they were on the plane - the golfers for example or the two pilots being transported to another airport.
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3

May 12, 2018

Compelling due to its content, but this account is a formulaic "survivors tell their stories" publication, partly, perhaps, because it was published so soon after the January 2009 accident. Competently written, but with no insight or poignancy. Apparently accurate and well researched, but it reads like the authors arranged their interview excerpts and factual notes chronologically and then just typed them up one by one. The bird strike -- what happened -- then survivor response #1, #2, #3, etc. Compelling due to its content, but this account is a formulaic "survivors tell their stories" publication, partly, perhaps, because it was published so soon after the January 2009 accident. Competently written, but with no insight or poignancy. Apparently accurate and well researched, but it reads like the authors arranged their interview excerpts and factual notes chronologically and then just typed them up one by one. The bird strike -- what happened -- then survivor response #1, #2, #3, etc. Plane evacuation -- basic facts -- then survivor response #1, #2, #3, etc. When helpful, there are basic sidebars into the background of bird strikes, water ditchings, etc., but similar aspects that needed such background are missing. Sully and co-pilot Skiles -- they make minimal appearances in this account. True, their perspectives received much coverage elsewhere, but, uh, they too are "survivors of Flight 1549," they too had to prepare for impact, they too had to evacuate the plan and get on rescue vessels. Their near total omission from this account is glaring. So what do I consider a good account of a plane crash? Flight 232: A Story of Disaster and Survival by Laurence Gonzales, about UA Flight 232 that crashed in Iowa in 1989. That's an engrossing insightful account that gives you a closer sense of the crew and survivors and fascinating knowledge about aircraft, air crashes, and crash investigations.
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4

Aug 12, 2014

Unlike many of the other big events to happen in my lifetime, the crash of flight 1549 and rescue of the passengers occurred in just a few hours' time. Therefore, to write an entire book based on a flight that lasted less than half an hour takes talent, and it was essential to have the input of those who survived the flight in order to generate enough content. The multiple perspectives the author provided allowed readers to get to know the truth about what was going on, rather than just what Unlike many of the other big events to happen in my lifetime, the crash of flight 1549 and rescue of the passengers occurred in just a few hours' time. Therefore, to write an entire book based on a flight that lasted less than half an hour takes talent, and it was essential to have the input of those who survived the flight in order to generate enough content. The multiple perspectives the author provided allowed readers to get to know the truth about what was going on, rather than just what mainstream media covered in the immediate aftermath. While much of the focus of the news channels, etc. was deservedly directed to pilot Chesley Sullenberger and his expertise in flying planes to guide the disabled jet to a safe landing, Sullenberger got only a couple passing mentions here.
Instead, the book covers what was going through the passengers' minds before, during, and after the crash. Some were already survivors, having lived through things such as another plane crash or a brain tumor. Others were nervous flyers saying many prayers and taking medications long before takeoff. Many were business commuters though, just taking what they expected to be a routine jaunt from New York to Charlotte. Passengers ranged in age from a baby being held on his mom's lap to an elderly lady of 80+ years flying with her daughter, and came from multiple countries and religious and ethnic backgrounds. Somehow, all of them worked together to ensure all of their survival despite the presence of jet fuel all around and frigid temperatures both in the Hudson River and the January air.
Overall, I enjoyed the book quite a bit, as it's been a couple years since the incident and I liked getting the refresher on the events that occurred, ...more

5

Nov 21, 2016

I read the book Miracle On The Hudson written by William Prochnau. The author's purpose in writing this book was to inform readers about the real life story of U.S Airways flight 1549 that crash landed on the Hudson River in New York. This event took place on January 15th, 2009. The author of this book was a survivor of the crash who lived to tell his story to others.


The theme of this book was that not all bad situations have a bad outcome. After U.S Airways flight 1549 took off from LaGuardia I read the book Miracle On The Hudson written by William Prochnau. The author's purpose in writing this book was to inform readers about the real life story of U.S Airways flight 1549 that crash landed on the Hudson River in New York. This event took place on January 15th, 2009. The author of this book was a survivor of the crash who lived to tell his story to others.


The theme of this book was that not all bad situations have a bad outcome. After U.S Airways flight 1549 took off from LaGuardia International Airport in New York City, it headed to Charlotte Douglas International Airport in Charlotte, North Carolina. No one onboard thought it would be anything but an ordinary flight. Well this was all about to change when they encountered dual engine loss at a lower altitude than any flight ever before. They had been hit by a flock of Canadian Geese. Now with both engines out, they had to try to return to LaGuardia. They were too low to manage that kind of emergency landing. So, they had all of the runways at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey cleared, That would not work either. Captain Chesley Sullenberger came on the intercom and said “This is the Captain speaking, brace for impact” They were going to end up in the Hudson River on a cold day in New York City.


This book was a description. The author did a very good job describing the details of this horrific accident. All of the 155 passengers on board survived the crash, only because Captain “Sully” Sullenberger was such a good pilot and had over 40 years of experience. If it had been any other pilot in the cockpit on that early and old January morning some of the passengers would have died.


I absolutely Loved this book!! I would rate is five out of five stars. I think the author did an amazing job writing this book, and I also think it is amazing that one of the survivors lived to write this book. I have never read another book like this because almost every other one is written by someone that was not on U.S Airways flight 1549. I would not change anything about this book because it is amazingly written and nothing could be better ...more

3

Jan 15, 2014

I’M DYING! AND I DIDN’T MAKE THE BED

Five years ago, on January 15, 2009, Flight 1549 took off for Charlotte, North Carolina and, 3 minutes later, made an emergency landing in the Hudson River, with no serious harm to anyone but the geese who caused the problem. (They were liquefied into something called, in aviation jargon, snarge.)

Miracle on the Hudson, the subsequent book about this incident by William Prochnau and Laura Parker, focuses not on the uber-competence of Pilot “Sully” I’M DYING! AND I DIDN’T MAKE THE BED

Five years ago, on January 15, 2009, Flight 1549 took off for Charlotte, North Carolina and, 3 minutes later, made an emergency landing in the Hudson River, with no serious harm to anyone but the geese who caused the problem. (They were liquefied into something called, in aviation jargon, snarge.)

Miracle on the Hudson, the subsequent book about this incident by William Prochnau and Laura Parker, focuses not on the uber-competence of Pilot “Sully” Sullenberger, but on the reactions of the plane’s passengers after they realized both engines had failed. Some screamed. Some cursed. (A direct quote: “Oh, crap, we‘re crashing!”) A few were furious. Others remained calm.

My favorites were the folks who remained in denial. They flat-out refused to believe a disaster was happening. . “Problem? There isn’t a problem,” they insisted, right up to the moment the plane plunked into the drink.

Experts who have studied how folks behave in crisis situations tell us that when the shit hits the fan, some people are survival-oriented, some totally flip out, and a third group sits frozen in shock and does absolutely nothing. (When the oxygen masks drop, these folks stare at them blankly until they pass out.)

So how do you know which group you’re in?

You don’t. Until your plane loses both engines.

The passengers on Flight 1549 prayed to a smorgasbord of Supreme Beings. There were Jews and Muslims and a variety of Christians on the plane. Also one Buddhist (who later reported that she felt kind of “left out.”) Some folks reached for their cells and tried to phone their loved ones, although one passenger aborted her call when her seatmate said, “Don’t phone your husband now -- you don’t want to bother him.”

Come again? If when you’re plunging toward almost certain death isn’t the right time to trouble your hubby, I don’t know when is. I applaud the woman who phoned her man the instant she realized the plane was in trouble and kept him on the line through the whole ordeal.

“Kudos to Verizon,“ she said later, “They were right there.“

Now there’s an ad -- “We’ve lost both engines! We’re headed toward the water! Can you hear me now?”

A variety of last thoughts went through people’s heads. Many said mental goodbyes to loved ones. Some asked God for forgiveness. Others were pierced by regret that they’d never see their daughter graduate or play catch with their son. One woman actually fretted about the fact that she hadn’t made her bed that morning. (Easy there, Martha.) And the overly-practical among us can surely relate to the woman, who, as the plane went down, hoped her husband would realize that, because she was traveling on business, he could collect double on her insurance.

We’ve all wondered what it would be like to be in a crashing airplane. We‘re seen the movie version (too) many times. But Flight 1549 provided a rare opportunity to learn what it’s actually like.
I’m glad they all made it out alive.

(This review first appeared on www.broadstreetreview.com)
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4

Apr 11, 2013

The amazing story of the jet plane that crash-landed on the Hudson River in January 2009. What makes this particularly interesting is that it is put together from interviews with most of the passengers (all of whom survived the crash). I didn't realize that it all happened so quickly. The plane was only in the air for a few minutes, and all of the people aboard were rescued within 30 minutes of the crash. Only in New York, for real! I found it a quick and compelling read. Very skillfully The amazing story of the jet plane that crash-landed on the Hudson River in January 2009. What makes this particularly interesting is that it is put together from interviews with most of the passengers (all of whom survived the crash). I didn't realize that it all happened so quickly. The plane was only in the air for a few minutes, and all of the people aboard were rescued within 30 minutes of the crash. Only in New York, for real! I found it a quick and compelling read. Very skillfully compiled. ...more

5

Aug 18, 2016

If you don't want to read a book in public places that will make it hard not to burst into tears in public places...well, don't read this one. Otherwise, wow. What an amazing account of the passengers' experiences.

I read this now in anticipation of the upcoming Sully movie, although I followed the media craziness back in 2009 when many of these survivors were interviewed. Of course we know how their stories ended, yet this was still such a nail biting and anxiety inducing page-turner of a book If you don't want to read a book in public places that will make it hard not to burst into tears in public places...well, don't read this one. Otherwise, wow. What an amazing account of the passengers' experiences.

I read this now in anticipation of the upcoming Sully movie, although I followed the media craziness back in 2009 when many of these survivors were interviewed. Of course we know how their stories ended, yet this was still such a nail biting and anxiety inducing page-turner of a book for me, wanting to know what was going to happen next.

It was an especially good read after reading Sully's biography, the perspective from both the cabins and the cockpit being given. The passengers' thoughts and fears reminded me of how rare it is to be able to know what goes through one's head as he or she is faced what they think is certain death. Truly a stunning experience, with tragedy averted thanks to the competence of Captain Sully, his co-pilot and crew.

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4

Jan 05, 2010

An excellent book, albeit a bit short for the price. This is offset by the genuine testimony. However, the book suddenly cuts off just when we want a resolution. Otherwise, it would be a five-star rating. Read my entire review here.

UPDATE
The publisher sez:I will save you from your frustration and tell you that it was just the first five chapters – it is 12 chapters total. ;-) No worries – you will get the read the end!

It is not unheard of to publish advanced reader copies with only a few An excellent book, albeit a bit short for the price. This is offset by the genuine testimony. However, the book suddenly cuts off just when we want a resolution. Otherwise, it would be a five-star rating. Read my entire review here.

UPDATE
The publisher sez:I will save you from your frustration and tell you that it was just the first five chapters – it is 12 chapters total. ;-) No worries – you will get the read the end!

It is not unheard of to publish advanced reader copies with only a few chapters as a teaser. Especially as we were hoping very much to publish this book by the anniversary of the crash, we had to move quickly to get the advance reader copies out.

If the galley said that anywhere it wasn't obvious. However, imagine my relief!

I'd count this #2 read this year but the publisher didn't give me the entire thing. Cheapskates.
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4

Dec 18, 2014

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

The Miracle on the Hudson, by William Prochnau and Laura Parker, is one incite on to how god performs true miracles. This non-fiction steller talks through all the most important moments of flight 1549. This book focuses on mostly the passengers and their experiences through put the book. This plane was filled with all different types of people which makes it so interesting. Another cool addition to this book is, the setting is in the air and on the water. I love this because I feel like it

The Miracle on the Hudson, by William Prochnau and Laura Parker, is one incite on to how god performs true miracles. This non-fiction steller talks through all the most important moments of flight 1549. This book focuses on mostly the passengers and their experiences through put the book. This plane was filled with all different types of people which makes it so interesting. Another cool addition to this book is, the setting is in the air and on the water. I love this because I feel like it adds so much complexity and depth to the story. **spoiler alert** In the beginning of the book the airbus dramatically strikes a bird which sets the mood for the whole book, while the plane looses both engines many people either feared for the worst or stayed calm. Tracy Wolsko “suddenly became peoples rock,” telling people to “just pray,” this woman really stepped up since she is usually a nervous flyer.

The best thing I enjoyed about the book was how the main pilot was not afraid nor did he panic, he stayed calm and saved everyone. I also really liked how detailed the book was during scenes, like in chapter 3 when they first hit the bird they say “ At that moment, the fight to charlotte effectively ended. ‘My airplane’ Sullenberger said as he took the controls back form Skiles, and the two men put their minds on a kind of computerized human autopilot.” This is a good example because it shows how focused the pilots were. One thing I would change is how the book jumps around from person to person, I think that is kind of confusing in a way because sometimes you don’t know who’s saying what. I can’t really give an example of this but if/when you read this book you will see what I mean. But I would definitely recommend this book, to a lot of people actually. I would recommend this book because it shows someone about when it seems that there is no hope, there is still hope. I think the type of person who would really enjoy this book is a person who always knows what's going on, always watching the news, etc. But if you're into romantic books or things like that, this isn't the right choice for you, there is little, to no romance. Overall this was a great book and im proud that I choose such a great book.
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3

Nov 20, 2015

Miracle on the Hudson, a non-fiction book written by William Prochnau and Laura Parker, tells the story of U.S. Airways Flight 1549, which had to make an emergency landing in New York’s Hudson River. Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, a 58-year old pilot from Texas, and his co-pilot, Jeff Skiles, were operating a routine flight from New York’s LaGuardia Airport to Charlotte, North Carolina, on a sunny, calm day when, just three minutes after takeoff, a flock of geese slammed into the nose Miracle on the Hudson, a non-fiction book written by William Prochnau and Laura Parker, tells the story of U.S. Airways Flight 1549, which had to make an emergency landing in New York’s Hudson River. Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, a 58-year old pilot from Texas, and his co-pilot, Jeff Skiles, were operating a routine flight from New York’s LaGuardia Airport to Charlotte, North Carolina, on a sunny, calm day when, just three minutes after takeoff, a flock of geese slammed into the nose and engines of the plane, making both of its powerful engines completely unusable. Gliding about 2,800 feet above Manhattan, the pilots had to act swiftly to put the plane back on the ground. Losing speed and altitude, they realized that they were too far away from any neighboring airport to land safely. The pilots gazed outside of the cockpit, scouring the landscape for any clear spots in which they could land. They found that, despite the low probability of success when trying to land a commercial plane on water, the Hudson River’s long, straight figure was the only plausible option. The flight crew readied their passengers, and within three minutes of losing power, the plane had touched down on the Hudson without any deaths or serious injuries. Everybody was quite shaken up, and most had been expecting death. On the way down, the cabin had been very quiet, with the only sound being the whispers of people’s prayers. After a swift evacuation, all of the passengers were freezing, either standing on the wings, sitting in the plane’s rafts or swimming in the river. What was known as the quickest rescue in history became underway, and every passenger had been picked up by a nearby boat and taken to shore. People’s injuries and reactions to the accident were different; some went out for drinks later that night, and some were having surgery in the hospital. But nobody died, thanks to Sully Sullenberger’s and his copilot’s work.
What appealed to me was the fact that I was receiving multiple people’s perspectives on the crash and the events leading up to it. Many different thoughts and perspectives were offered around by the diverse group of victims, and I liked that the author could convey that well. Immediately after hearing somebody’s story about nervously counting seconds from the moment of takeoff--the most dangerous part, along with the landing, of the flight--on every flight to wait out the “danger,” I was hearing a story about somebody who was drinking champagne and trying to nap. There were so many different thoughts, and it was interesting to me that all these different people had the exact same experience--nervous fliers, frequent fliers, first class passengers, coach passengers and everyone else.
What didn’t appeal me, though, was the repetitiveness of the book. For every progressive event, the same moment was described by many, many different people. There were points in the book in which thirty seconds of the flight took ten pages to describe. I was reading how one passenger was praying because they thought they were going to die, then I was hearing how another passenger was praying because they thought they were going to die, too. Many of the thoughts were the same between most passengers. Although it’s good to be very descriptive, it was a bit unnecessary, in my opinion.
Overall, the book was very intense, and I would recommend it to anybody who likes incredibly descriptive, detailed, suspenseful books. Though the book itself isn’t very long compared to many novels, most of it takes place in a thirty minute span of time. I don’t think a reader who likes to get straight to the point would enjoy this book. It has so much content describing an event of so little time that it would gnaw with boredom at a reader who likes to get straight to the point in their books. ...more

5

Jan 25, 2017

WOW! This was a very good book. The plane crash as told by the passengers. A must read.

3

Aug 03, 2017

Interesting contrast to the movie. Much more detail about the individuals on that flight and their perspectives about the incident. I felt like I was on the plane with them. Nice, easy read.

5

Jul 16, 2019

Amazing story and the authors did a great job telling it. It certainly kept me on the edge of my seat!

3

Sep 17, 2017

As advertised, gives some interesting, behind-the-headlines insight into what was going through the minds of all those VERY LUCKY folks standing on two wings in the Hudson.

4

Aug 24, 2019

This is the story(stories) of the passengers of flight 1549 that ditched in the Hudson river after hitting a flock of geese. I would have liked a bit more from the flight crew, but it was still good and satisfied my yen for survival stories.

4

Feb 27, 2018

Would’ve liked to hear more of Sullenberger’s perspective of the experience. Otherwise a page-turner. Amazing how many emotions and the storylines that unfold in just 3.5 minutes of a flight and just 21 minutes following. Remarkable.

4

Jul 22, 2018

As a person who "tolerates" flying, I wasn't sure about reading this book. However, I found it informative and honest which helped me think through what I might have felt if I had been in a similar situation. If nothing else, it reminded me just how important it is to listen to the safety instructions on EACH flight you take "just in case".

5

May 09, 2017

This book was so detailed that it put you in the plane with them. It put you out on the wing and in the water with them. The things going through each passenger's mind as things were unfolding. You never know how you are going to react in a traumatic situation, and how it will change your life in a matter of minutes. Excellent Book!

4

May 09, 2019

I usually read books about aviation from the industry’s or outsider’s point of view, so this is a refreshing and emotional account from the passengers that I thoroughly enjoyed - though maybe enjoyed is not the right word for how traumatic the accident was, despite there being no deaths. I definitely recommend this to anyone with any interest at all in what happened that day on the Hudson, from inside out. I pretty much finished the entire book in one sitting.

4

Sep 21, 2018

I saw the movie “Sully” which showed us the steps Capt. Sullenberger took to make the instantaneous and right decision on landing that plane. This book delves into the passengers and what they experienced, in their own words. It was an emotional read, often bringing me to tears. It details the incredible response of rescuers and the fortitude of the prevailing human spirit during a crisis.
Now I’m on to “Highest Duty” written by Capt. Sullenberger himself.

4

Sep 03, 2019

I saw this book at the library and decided to check it out. Although it's been over 10 years since this event, I have wondered about what must have been going through the passengers' minds through this ordeal. The book is very thoroughly researched; it seems like the authors interviewed all passengers who were willing to participate. I never realized that there was a lot of drama in the minutes after the landing, and the part about the lemming-effect as the first person to leave the aircraft I saw this book at the library and decided to check it out. Although it's been over 10 years since this event, I have wondered about what must have been going through the passengers' minds through this ordeal. The book is very thoroughly researched; it seems like the authors interviewed all passengers who were willing to participate. I never realized that there was a lot of drama in the minutes after the landing, and the part about the lemming-effect as the first person to leave the aircraft jumped in the river was interesting. I was kind of disappointed in Captain Sullenberger's book where he only credits his training for surviving, so it was interesting to hear what the other survivors had to say. ...more