Sept. 11th: Their stories

My heart aches for the families and loved ones of those killed six years ago tomorrow. In the past few years, I've been mesmerized by many nonfiction novels written by widows, survivors, journalists and others about the Sept. 11th attacks.

My favorite book (and the one that piqued my interest in this genre) is "Love, Greg & Lauren" by Greg Manning. The novel is essentially a compilation of his frequent journal-styled e-mails that he sent updating loved ones about the status of his wife, who suffered burns on 82.5 percent of her body in the Twin Towers, as she recovered. Miraculously, she survives. I was thrilled when the latest edition was published, with a new chapter updating readers about their lives.

Another gripping read is "Let's Roll!" by Lisa Beamer, wife of Todd Beamer, who died on United Flight 93. This one, for obvious reasons, was much more difficult to read. You better have a box of Kleenex nearby if you're going to crack open this one. My mother-in-law loved this book so much that one Christmas she gave copies to many of her friends.

Brian asked me once why I put myself through the emotions of reading such books. To me, it boils down to wanting a glimpse into these people's lives and into the life lessons Sept. 11th taught them. Many are blatantly honest about the rage, sorrow and hatred they've felt. But their stories of survival, courage and how they've moved on -- even simply getting out of bed each day -- paints a picture that depicts life and humanity in ways no other experience could produce. Sept. 11th created so many heroes in our country, and for me, many of them are the writers.