9/11 Commision Report and the book Oscars

Hard as it might be to believe, a committee-produced government publication is a nominee for the 2004 non-fiction National Book Award. But once you take a close look at The 9/11 Commision Report (973.931N622), it's easy to see why it rates such praise. The narrative structure is quite compelling. The first chapter, "'We Have Some Planes,'" recounts the events of the day almost minute by minute. Then the second chapter steps back to reflect on the foundation of modern terrorism. The book provides detailed analyses of the country's intelligence services and our disaster preparedness systems. But it's not a dry tome, by any means. Chapter 9, "Heroism and Horror," is particularly poignant in its descriptions of the actions taken by first responders at the World Trade Center site. The book concludes with solid recommendations for the future. And about 117 pages of footnotes.

Winners of the National Book Award will be announced tonight.