A Review
The first woman President of the United States is faced with a crisis with the impact of September 11, 2001. Five cities, New York, Washington DC, Miami, Chicago, and Los Angeles, have each been hit with one or more bombs designed to kill and destroy major city landmarks. Coming together are members of President Charlotte Kramer and her cabinet - with the Secretary of Defense being flown home on an emergency flight from the Middle East.
Most of the book focuses on the 24 hours leading up to and immediately following the explosions that rocked the country. The final few chapters take a few minutes to reflect back on the events of the following year. Not unlike the events of September 11, this tragedy, that claimed lives, families, and national heroes, would not be forgotten and buried.
The book left an emotion mark on this reader as he waded through the events that led up to the bombings and that followed their execution. Whether it was the Press Secretary, the Secretary of Defense, the Chief of Staff, or the President herself, and their families, the day’s events were not just a national tragedy, but also an individual one for many in Washington DC.
The author made it clear that the President is human, not super-human. He or she will be hit with the same emotions that hit the general public, though they may be hidden behind sound bites and aides seeking to shelter the most powerful person in the world from the world’s evils.
The story’s climax comes literally at the halfway point of the book. Up till that point, I was almost ready to put the book down - I am glad I did not. The rather routine day leading up to the exploding bombs seemed mundane and of little importance; but if omitted, the significance of the response of so many individuals would have been lost.
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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are my own.
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