The 9/11 Commission Report

Final Report of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks

By: National Commission on Terrorist Attacks

Narrated by: Ken Borgers, Sal Giangrasso, Charlton Griffin, Mark Moran, Todd Mundt

On September 11, 2001, nearly 3,000 people died in terrorist attacks upon the United States. Hijacked planes struck the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, while an additional plane crashed into the fields of Pennsylvania. This series of events resulted in the single largest loss of life from enemy attack on U.S. soil.

The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, also known as the 9/11 Commission, was created by congressional legislation and the signature of President George W. Bush in late 2002. This independent, bipartisan commission had the task of producing a full and complete account of the circumstances surrounding the attack, including preparedness and immediate response, and providing recommendations designed to guard against future attacks.

The 9/11 Commission released their final report to the public on July 22, 2004. During the course of the Commission's 20-month investigation, the 10 commissioners and 80 staff members conducted more than 1300 interviews in 10 countries and reviewed more than 2 million documents. In the 17 days of public hearings, the commissioners heard testimony from 140 federal, state, and local officials, and private sector experts.

The Commission was composed of Chair Thomas H. Kean, Vice Chair Lee H. Hamilton, and Commissioners Richard Ben-Veniste, Fred F. Fielding, Jamie S. Gorelick, Slade Gorton, Bob Kerrey, John F. Lehman, Timothy J. Roemer, and James R. Thompson.

(P)2004 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

• Audie Award Finalist, Achievement in Production, 2005

"The prose is free from bureaucratese and, for a consensus statement, the report is remarkably forthright. Though there could not have been a single author, the style is uniform. The document is an improbable literary triumph." (The New York Times Book Review)

A Devastating Indictment

What the careful listener will hear in this report is what was publically buried for the sake of bi-partisan agreement - that while there had been a growing awareness of and response to terrorism the Bush Administration was so determined to destroy the legacy of the previous administration that they ignored the evidence of a clear, present and immediate danger to the citizens of this country. The report provides clear evidence of the ideological hubris which blinded (and blinds) those responsible for the security of our nation from their task. Written clearly and concisely the Commission's report shows why the security of our country was compromised and why it continues to be. A must-read (hear) for understanding the state of the world today!

Best $5 you will ever spend

Although the 5 star-rating seems a bit overly dramatic, I think the rubric here is 3 - does not meet the standard (but if you buy it you'll finish it), 4 - partially meets the standard (good read but not life changing) and 5-exceeds the standard (captivates and makes you think differently). In short, this one is worth a listen. I did not expect to be entertained by a congressional commission but this often surreal story was captivating because it was nonfiction. It was enlightening to hear the story behind the media sound-bites of this tragic event.

Fact is better than fiction.

Of course this was not a novel ? nor written as well as one. However, it was still a very hard story (intriguing historical account) to put down. Well organized and very understandable. The only bad thing is that it is nonfiction. Spend the $5 and get this report.

wow. i have the book but i just couldn't read it

this is a great piece of work. the emergency management pieces alone are priceless. let alone the story line.

Great way to understand

The 9/11 Commission Report is a great way to get a basic knowledge and understanding of 9/11. This report goes into depth of the events leading up to 9/11 and goes into the aftermath as well. For anyone looking for the facts and to gain a better understanding on 9/11 I recommend this report.

Chilliing Realities of 9/11

This report gives the unabashed truth to how exposed we were the day of 9/11/01. In our minds we like to believe that our life is secure and our govt. protects us. This report shatters that belief.
The events or 9/11/01 are described in shocking detail.
Every politician and citizen should read or listen to this report.

Fantastic!

I really enjoyed this book and found it riveting and compelling. Such detail and told in such a way that it was interesting from start to finish. If you like "Just the facts" type books, is one is for you!

A detailed snapshot of when it was written

A very thorough look at nearly every conceivable aspect of the attacks, their lead-up, the response to them, and recommendations put forward at the time. Anyone who is interested in history, government operation, international relations, preparing for attacks or WMDs, the nature of terrorism, or bureaucratic management should listen to the whole thing.

More interesting than Expected

My concern before listening to this Report was that it might be too dry. After all, it is a government report and it is 20 hours long. I was pleasantly surprised. To me, it read like a well-researched history book. I thoroughly appreciated the detailed accounts of the events on that day, the equally detailed history of Bin Ladin and Al Quaida, as well as the extensive review of the response of the U.S. on many fronts. I want to listen to it again, and for a 20 hour government report, that is really saying something.

Good content - Narrator marginal

The content is extremely informative and well worth listening to. However, the narrator becomes rather distracting. Too much emPHAsis on the wrong sylLAble. I will give him some credit, though, for reading 20 hours worth of report riddled with Arabic words, names and phrases. Definitely worth the price.