"For the better part of a week, nearly every man, woman, and child in Gander and the surrounding smaller towns stopped what they were doing so they could help. They placed their lives on hold for a group of strangers and asked for nothing in return. They affirmed the basic goodness of man at a time when it was easy to doubt such humanity still existed."

Great book! Loved that there was Newfoundland history mixed in, but it wasn't too heavy. Loved the stories of the travellers, including the pets, and that it follows some of them as they finally travel home. Loved the stories of the Newfoundlanders who helped. Just a wonderful book!

Sending to AKSarah as tagged in the wishlist tag thread! I'm really glad I tagged you with it because it moved up my TBR list! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Received yesterday. Thank you so much for the book and bookmark!

Mailed (finally) to Miss Cyn for Wishlist Tag.

Received today when I really needed something new to read. I've packed up my shelves and I'm going a bit crazy trying to find something of interest to read without having to leave the house.
Thanks for sending this. I will move it on soon.

This had to be my best read of the year.
I was living in Houston and starting a new job on 9/11. It was the 2nd birthday of the little autistic guy I was to take care of. His parents and I sat glued to the Tv. My brother and the grandpa of my little guy both worked at the WTC. (They were ok. )
I never thought of what happened to all the people who were stranded for days. I think stupidly assumed they found hotel rooms. I know the US pretty much ran out of rental cars near all Airports as people joined others to drive home.

Being stranded on an island with a hurricane on its way brought so many of these people together.
I'd love to read a follow up to learn what happened in the lives of those who were stranded and those who so generously gave of their time and energy.
Newfoundland sounds like the perfect place to be stuck.
Made me sob to read of so many generous people.

This book arrived today along with a surprise sheet of labels from MyssCyn - thank you!

I'll start this after my current read and check the forum thread to see where it should go next.

I hope all the Canadians had a wonderful Thanksgiving. :)

Other copies on my BookCrossing shelf: 15017942 • 15053128

I'm so glad this story is being told: the people in Newfoundland deserve credit for taking in the refugees of the closed US airspace resulting from the September 11 attacks.

Thank you for sharing this book.

Off to JDT via media mail - enjoy! Counting this as a release for RockDg9's The The challenge.

JDT pointed out that the mailing order was not in the journal entries for the book, so I'm adding it here based on MyssCyn's post on 10/12/12. But it's always good to check the forum thread for the latest update.

JDT (US if possible)
minesayn (US if possible)
southernfryed US
amberC (Australia ship anywhere)
katrinat (Essex but will ship intl if needed)
pam99 (Scotland will ship intl)
Icila (France ~ ship anywhere)
Maranlin (Canada ~ ship anywhere)
AlterEgoZoe (US ~ near end if possible)

BookCrossing: making the whole world a library!

happy to receive MyssCyn's bookray today!

Thanks, hyphen8 - for the book as well as the lovely labels and bookmarks!
Looking forward to an uplifting read - then will send on to minesayn.

(I put the bookray list (from MyssCyn's forum post) in the book. Let us know if there are any changes.)

oh my - I loved reading this book - the stories of such a variety of people affected, the wonderful hospitality/generosity of the people of Gander, the way the lives of both stranded passengers and gracious locals intersected for a few days - leaving everyone the better for the intense experience.

mailing on to minesayn - with thanks to the BC friends before me!

Received in the mail from JDT along with a few BCID tags. I have heard so much about this book and can't wait to read it. Will get reading as soon as humanly possible (considering I am currently reading about 5 others...try keeping that many plot lines straight; it can be done, however). Thanks JDT for the book and thanks MissCynn for starting this ray.

Thanks, MyssCyn, for including me in this book ring. I really enjoyed it although at times it was difficult emotionally to read. Fabulous.

In short vignettes, Jim Defede tells the various stories of the people whose flights were diverted on September 11, 2001 to Gander, Newfoundland (and other cities and towns close by). So many stories, so many positive reactions from the local Newfies as counterpoint to the tragedies unfolding in New York, Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania. For the better part of a week, these people took in stranded passengers (and their animals) and fed, clothed, and sheltered them with open arms . Definitely worth reading if only to realize that there is good in the world. That there are people who are giving without regard to self.

By the way, took only one of the BCID labels so others could have some, too, added another of my own, and will send on to the next reader.

Book arrived today, from my dear friend minesayn who included many little treats (postcards, bookmark, mycokereward points) thanks so much! I'm looking forward to reading this book. It will be up next as soon as I finish my current book.

1/31/2011
Fast, enjoyable read. Not what I was expecting, but still good. It is always great to be reminded that there are good, kind, generous people in the world. Contacting amberC who is next on the bookring list.

dropped in the mail

Arrived today with some labels. I've been wanting to read this book ever since I heard about it.

An excellent, feel-good book. I couldn't put it down.

Katrinat has asked to be skipped, so it's on the way to Pam99.

On the way to Pam99

this one really did come by surface mail (a couple of times recently I've been lucky and it's skipped on to the plane) - my nephew and his girlfriend are now living in our old house, and were suitably impressed at this - luckily its only round the corner so the book came to me quickly! It looks really interesting, I've got a ring book I've nearly finished and another lined up after it, but I'll get to this one very soon!

fantastic book and quite appropriate that it made its way to me by boat from the other side of the world, really. Very moving accounts, especially the couple stranded whose son was a firefighter missing in the twin towers. My brother lives in the States now but was still here in Scotland when 9/11 happened, however he was missing for a few hours on 7/7, when the London tube bombings happened, and it was absolutely awful - he turned up safe and sound, he'd actually had a doctor's appointment in the morning and gone home to bed feeling unwell, but then couldn't get through to anyone to tell them he was OK as by this time the bombs had gone off and all of the phone lines were down.

Will pm icila for her address and get this on its way.

The book was safely waiting for me at home along with several fellows BC books while I was travelling in Portugal. (3 years ago people were standed by the Islander volcano everywhere in Europe.)

Very, very interesting ! Thanks for sharing.

On its way to Maranlin in Canada. Enjoy !

The book arrived in the mail today and I'm really looking forward to reading it. Thanks, Icila for sending it to me.

July 8: This was a great book and I am so glad I read it. Thank you, MyssCyn for including me in this bookray.

Mailed today to AlterEgoZoe. Enjoy!

Received yesterday and will read soon.

Finished the other day. I enjoyed it and I found another copy for my pc. Will contact next participant .

Sent today. Tracking #- 9114901075742305521864

I zipped right through this book. It was so well-written and highly engaging. I loved getting to know the individual people on the planes and in the towns. What an amazing testimonial to all of them. I'm so glad I read this.

Next two readers are 6of8 and dabercro. Heading off now by mail to 6of8. Enjoy!!

I just finished the book I was reading and the mailman knocked on the door to deliver this. Seemed like good timing -- I am ready for something upbeat.

I really enjoyed this book and the look at the logistics of accommodating 6000 strangers out of the blue. It was heartwarming to see the generosity of folks when the world had gone mad around them and I came away with a higher opinion of Hugo Boss, as one example. I have to say that I was not entirely surprised, though, and do not think this sort of response is completely isolated to Newfoundland.

As a child, I lived in Calgary -- one of Canada's largest cities -- and witnessed this same spirit of cooperation when circumstances required it. My father's favorite story about the nature of Canadians involved a particularly brutal and fast-moving snowstorm that shut down Calgary at rush hour. Local snowmobile clubs volunteered to transport people over the streets that were impassible and local shopping centers accommodated folks overnight, offering musical instruments to an impropmptu orchestra of customers who entertained in the center, free food from the food court, and the chance to try out the furniture -- including mattresses and sofas -- overnight in the stores until the streets could be cleared and people could return home.

What I was glad to see in this book, though, was the response of the people who stayed in Gander to repay the generosity of the Newfies who gave so much despite living in an economically disadvantaged area. I would love to see an update of this story now that more than 10 years have passed to see the long-term impact of these experiences on the individuals and the community.

"A book is a mysterious object, I said, and once it floats out into the world, anything can happen. All kinds of mischief can be caused, and there's not a damned thing you can do about it. For better or worse, it's completely out of your control." -- Paul Auster

On its way to Clinton, UT, to see dabercro. It will be just a few miles from my Canadian mother in Syracuse.

Arrived in the mail today. The timing of its arrival perfect. I'm leaving on a trip in the morning and will take this along to read. Thank you 6of8 for sending the book to me.

Adding a few more interested folks to the ray:

NancyNova (USA)
Bkind2books (USA)
wheepaperclips (USA) -- book is here
daffodil-2 (UK)
katrinat (UK)
Billbooks (Australia)
valpete (USA)
FancyHorse (USA)


(If necessary, you can send the book back to me before it goes to the UK and I will mail it.)

This was a heartwarming story of the response of the citizens of Gander and the surrounding communities to the unexpected arrival of thirty-eight jetliners on 9/11. The citizens opened their hearts and homes to the stranded passengers. I enjoyed getting to know some of the passengers and some of the citizens of Gander.

Sent to the next participant, NancyNova, in PA.

Arrived in Pa today. I read this a few years ago, but wanted to re-read it. Adding to the TBR stash by the bed.

Starting to read this. Changing status, so I can find it later.

reread for me. From a bookring.

The story of what happened when the US Airspace closed after the terrorist attacks, with lots of planes heading for the US still in the air over the Atlantic.

Gander ATC is responsible for all the air traffic crossing the Atlantic, and on 9/11 they were responsible for getting all the planes in the air down somewhere in eastern Canada. In the little town of Gander, 6000+ "plane people" landed and needed shelter, food, clothing and communication to the outside. The author interviewed 179 people after the fact, and documented how well the little town mobilized and dealt with their unexpected influx of people from all different nationalities (and the pets that were in the cargo hold too). From essentials, such as getting new scrips to fill prescriptions, to food and shelter, to providing internet and communication to the outside world, Gander thought of and did everything.

I was stranded away from home in Atlanta when the US airspace shut down. I personally know how much the little things, like shelter and being able to communicate with loved ones was. Wonderful that our neighbors to the North took every one in, no questions asked.

A bookray. Enjoy!

Tracking # 9114901075742325063337

Arrived today - will start as soon as I finish up a couple of books ahead of it. Thanks for sharing this - I am looking forward to it!

The only thing that kept me from rating this higher was the lack (?) of proofreading and fact checking. I can only assume that since this was published days before the one year anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on America that there was a rush to get this on the booksellers' shelves.

Examples (some, at least in my eyes, very glaring):

- the author discusses the Gander tragedy that occurred in December 1985. This involved the members of the 101st Airborne, headquartered since the 40s at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. How do I know? Well, I work at Fort Campbell. It sits on the Tennessee-Kentucky border. I pass the Gander memorial on Ft Campbell. I see the Gander Memorial bridge on my way home. Every December there is a ceremony to honor these men. So when the author states that they were returning home to North Carolina for Christmas - I think not!

- the author states that a person needs a prescription to obtain nicotine patches in the US but that they are OTC (over the counter) in Canada. Not so. I am a pharmacist. They are OTC and have been OTC in the US since 1999.

- the author also spoke of the problems with identifying drugs and named a drug called Atenol, a blood pressure medication. There is no drug called Atenol in either Canada or the US - it's called Atenolol. A quick search of my database found that only Italy and Brazil call it Atenol.

- the author spoke of Boze headphones they'd taken from the plane; if these are the ones I'm thinking of, the company is called Bose, not Boze.

- the author also speaks of a warrant office school in Dothan, Alabama at a Fort Rutger - wrong! The Army post is called Fort RUCKER.

All in all, it speaks of sloppy work and if this is what I see, how much don't I see?

Ok, now that I am off my rant. I liked this book - I liked it a lot. The story was heart-warming and needed to be told. When the terrorists attacked America, this small corner of Canada opened their hearts to folks that had been displaced. A town that numbered only about 10,000 took in over 6,000 people of all backgrounds and nationalities and welcomed them and made them feel a part of their community. Against the backdrop of the horrible terrorist attacks, it was important to see that people could be good and kind. Gander is the Mayberry of Canada - a place where people don't lock their doors and welcome total strangers into their homes to rest or take a shower or have a cup of tea.

I also found many items that reflect those "6 degrees of separation" that we all hear of so many times. There were things that popped up that mentioned those I knew or had a connection to in some way. My connections:

The general that was mentioned in the book came from US European Command in Stuttgart, Germany. My husband's last assignment before retiring was at USEUCOM in Stuttgart. We were stationed there from 1992 to 1994.

The general mentions later in the book that she counted several friends among the dead at the Pentagon, including Lt Gen Timothy Maude, the highest ranking officer killed on 9/11. General Maude was my husband's commanding general at US EUCOM while we were stationed in Germany. He truly cared for the men and women under his command and his marker at Arlington reads "He took care of soldiers". I am sure he would think there was no higher praise.

Of course, as I mentioned above, I work at Fort Campbell, the home of the 101st Airborne. Fort Campbell is also home to the 160th SOAR (Special Operations Aviation Regiment) and the 5th Special Forces. These men and women have served our nation from D-day to Korea to Vietnam to the Gulf War and beyond. They are the men and women of Band of Brothers and Black Hawk Down. They are the pilots that flew in Seal Team Six when they found Osama bin Laden. They are also the soldiers that perished in the Gander disaster - coming home from a peacekeeping assignment in the Middle East. The widows of these soldiers are still living in our community and we honor their sacrifice every December. It was nice to read of the memorial that the people of Gander erected in their memory.

Will mail out as soon as I get the address for the next person

Sending on to wheepaperclips - sorry this took so long to get out, I have been slammed at work and at home. This is a quick read and very enjoyable.

DC #9114 9012 3080 3015 1729 84

Wow, what a long ray! Looking forward to reading this one. Thanks so much for including me!