Wake-Up Call: The Political Education of a 9/11 Widow-Breitweiser

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FROM THE CRITICS
Publishers Weekly
In September of 2001, Breitweiser had a tumor in her breast, was suffering from colitis and lupus and recovering from the death of her mother from cancer of the mouth. Then terrorists crashed into the World Trade Center, killing her beloved husband and hundreds more. Devastated, the New Jersey stay-at-home mom became an activist, channeling her pain and rage into learning everything she could about the U.S. government's role in the attacks-an excruciating journey that is carefully chronicled in this emotionally charged memoir. Colloquial in tone, Breitweiser recounts how she and three widow pals-her fellow "Jersey Girls"-began lobbying the government to establish an independent 9/11 commission to explore all that went wrong that day. With narrative ease, the author, who has a law degree, breaks down complex arguments and political theories: one chapter is dedicated to a single footnote from The 9/11 Investigations, while another segment explains why negligence is cheaper than prevention for airlines and governments. But in episodes where she mouths off to Henry Kissinger and campaigns for the "awkward" John Kerry, her frustration palpably grows. Though not the most elegant storyteller, Breitweiser has produced a touching account of her history and ongoing mission that's bound to achieve prominence thanks to Ann Coulter's recnt attacks on the author. (Sept.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews
Eye-opening memoir by the spouse of a 9/11 victim. The near-miss courtship of Kristen and Ron Breitweiser was anything but a fairy tale. Seton Hall law student Kristen initially believed Ron to be a boozy stalker and spurned his advances. But he was exceptionally persistent and eventually proved himself to be a romantic husband and a proud father. Daughter Caroline was born a year after the death, from cancer, of Kristen's mother, and the author herself was diagnosed with a breast tumor just prior to September 11. Breitweiser's devastation over the loss of her husband-he died at the World Trade Center-quickly morphed into vengeful frustration with the "bureaucracy of death." Incapacitated for a time by grief and paranoia, she eventually began attending Victims' Rights meetings, where she was befriended and ultimately empowered by three other widows, all seeking answers from double-talking government agencies. She was disgusted by the manipulative machinations of the Victims' Compensation Fund, which the author believes set a precedent for "assigning a finite value for the pain and suffering of any victim" that encouraged airlines and corporations "to conduct a very cold calculation. . . . Is it cheaper to overhaul our product to make it safer for the public at large or is it just cheaper to pay for the dead and injured?" Just over a year after the tragedy, the author fired up her "Widowmobile," headed to Washington and spoke before the Joint Intelligence Committee of Congress, arguing for the formation of an independent 9/11 Commission to investigate the nation's intelligence failures. Illuminated by the media spotlight, Breitweiser's plight got its due, but questions remained unanswered.Among the grim moments that drive home the burdens survivors bear, the author describes the painful disposal of her New Jersey home's contents (including her dead husband's clothes) and the medical examiner's overdue delivery of Ron's right arm. Valiant and heartbreaking.

AUTHOR DESCRIPTION
RISTEN BREITWEISER is one of the nation's leading 9/11 activists. She appears frequently on national television as a commentator on matters related to terrorism and has been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Vanity Fair, Oprah, Glamour, and Ms., and is a frequent contributor to The Huffington Post and other publications. Breitweiser was named Woman of the Year by both Ms. and Glamour, and won the 2005 Ron Ridenhour Truth-telling Award. She lives in New York City with her daughter.

Hoping B&N is not mistaken in telling me that they have this book packed and ready to ship to me. Be anxious to check tomorrow with UPS shipping site to see if indeed it is on it's way since it is not supposed to be released till Sept 6th.

If they break the street date of Sept 6th there can be severe repercussions from Warner Books. We were always on the lookout for other companies that broke street date and had a hot line number to call on. It's a big industry No-No. Thre can be fines or refusal to sell to that company.

I think they mean they will ship it to arrive on the 6th.

and provided me with a UPS tracking link. UPS says they've received the electronic billing but haven't yet picked up which I assume is because it's a weekend.

I order too many books online so I know what the emails mean.

I'm really hoping someone screwed up so I can get the book early to read it.

shhhhhhh :evilgrin:

I will have to read this one, Ms. Breitweiser is the definition of plucky, IMHO.

It's a very personal account by Kristen, how she met and married her husband, her last interactions with Ron on 9/11, her reactions that day from the moment he called her from the South Tower to tell her about something happening to the other tower, and the rest of that awful day for her. The aftermath, and of course her meetings that would come with the "Jersey Girls" and their growing activism to getting a 9/11 commission.

Kristen writes with a sharp wit and has a wicked sense of humor. She and the Jersey Girls were more than a match for the politicos and officialdom they met with.

She covers how politics copromised any hope that the commission would get to the final truth. When you read what she uncovered about what the CIA knew about the hijackers in the country you can't help but wonder LIHOP or MIHOP. She very much believes in Able Danger which I personally had not, but I'm going to have to rethink and follow what comes of it.

Her experiences about what made her politically active in the Kerry campaign is interesting, and what she experienced behind the scenes in the campaign including the ineptitude of those in charge including Mary Beth Cahill and Bob Shrum spell out what many of us know. Interestingly she found the most productive and connected with the people part of the campaign was working with John Edwards and Elizabeth Edwards whom she grew close to and called "Lizzie". Kerry never called Kristen following the campaign, but John Edwards in the midst of dealing with Elizabeth Edward's cancer called her two days after the concession.

And she had time to get in the book at the very end a very classy 5 1/2 page letter to the vixen Ann Coulter. Here's the last 4 paragraphs.

Ann, I don't want to get in a debate with you. It's not because I am afraid of your or your nasty bullying tactics. I'm not going to debate you because we have many, many more important issues to deal with in our country right now.

But I will leave you with this: We live in America, the world's oldest democracy. Democracy can prevail (is that what you and your friends really fear?), but that requires hard work, as President Bush might say. Every citizen in this country is entitled to his or her beliefs, and every citizen is entitled to participate. We still have the right to speak our minds to effect change (within the parameters of the law, of course). So don't try to silence the voices of victims or anyone else, merely because you disagree with them or feel threatened by their political choices. In my opinion, your method of using intimidation and insults to "win" a debate is truly unpatriotic.

Actually, I expect that you will continue to scream and shout and smear as nastily as you want, so long as you think that that kind of behavior sells books. But we have tackled bigger bullies than you and lived through far worst circumstances than your book tour. We're not intimidated by you. We're not running away.

And under no circumstances will we be silenced by your "godless" rantings and ravings.

I am almost finished - I just have her letter to Ann Coulter to read yet. Great book, she even is spot on about Kerry not being genuine enough and not being forceful enough about being against the invasion of Iraq.