It took me awhile to get through this one, and that's because it was heartbreaking. It had me on the verge of tears numerous times. Also - I didn't finish it...
The book tells the stories of many of the canines that were involved in recovery of remains from the World Trade Center site, a place where they took rubble from the initial event (Fresh Kills), the Pentagon, and the Pennsylvania site. There are lots of pictures, and those really would've looked better in color (I was reading this on my Paperwhite). It really was a great book. I loved how the dogs performed their duty, but almost all of them also served as therapy dogs. Those were the stories that really got me. Stoic firefighters, policemen and other rescuers wrapping their arms around these dogs and sobbing for a few minutes because they've lost their friends in one tragic morning. It was just heartbreaking.
I didn't finish it because about 2/3 of the way through, it switched from telling the stories of the individual dogs to describing the history and role of search and rescue in general. I read a bit of that, but I realized it wasn't what I was looking for in this book. I have great respect for working dogs and their handlers, but this part of the book just wasn't as interesting for me.
I'd definitely recommend this book. I think it's important to recognize the role that was played by so many after the disaster that was 9/11. It was a long process that isn't talked about enough. Every one of these wonderful workers have gone over the rainbow bridge by now, so it's important to never forget. Good Book!
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