WAKE UP CALL: THE POLITICAL EDUCATION OF A 9/11 WIDOW by Kristen Breitweiser

Ironically, I began reading Wake Up Call: the political educaiton of a 9/11 widow, by Kristen Breitweiser, a 9/11 widow and now author, just a few days before the fifth anniversary of the tragic attacks that rocked New York City, the Nation and ultimately the world. As I neared the middle of the book, I found myself with the television on at the close of that infamous day. Reading Breitweiser's story that night, I continually found myself gazing at the tv screen that was displaying the C-SPAN broadcast of the reading of the 2000+ names of those who perished that day. It was only after I gave my full attention back to the book the next night that I could try to comprehend even a fraction of how Breitweiser must feel.
Breitweiser lost her husband who worked for Fidicuary Trust in tower two of the World Trade Center. Ron Breitweiser was killed when the tower finally collapsed just minutes after the planes impact. Unlike others, Breitweiser was able to speak with her husband prior witnessing his death on television. Infuriated at the government, its representatives and its response to the terrorist attacks, Breitweiser explains why she and her fellow 9/11 widows, the Jersey Girls, as they have been dubbed, began what can only be a practically-grassroots campaign to answer the hardest question, "how did this happen to our loved ones?" Their efforts alongside others 9/11 families, directly resulted in the formation of the 9/11 investigative commission as well as continued prodding of the government's response to many of the questions the Jersey Girls, as well as the nation, had following the attacks.
Her dedicated activisim and lobbying as told through her no-nonsense and frill-free method of story-telling combined with the heart-wrenching personal account, gives readers a tug large enough to imagine what it must feel like to be so close to the events of 9/11.
Not a political-minded reader by any means, I surprisingly found Wake Up Call to be less political and more poignant than anything. I found myself pondering the same questions that she and her friends had and really, that we all should have. While Breitweiser has been considered a critic of the Bush Administration, the book is thankfully, not political in nature. Somewhat raw with emotion, and rightfully so, Breitweiser ventures from grief, to anger, to action, to resolution and back again during her time asking the hard questions, demanding answers and finding internal peace for her sake and the sake of her daughter and helping readers began striving towards that peace as well.
Unfortunately, Breitweiser is not yet a true household name unlike that of Ann Coulter, the conservative pundit, who attacked the Jersey Girls and their campaign. Breitweiser's response to Coulter is included at the end of Wake Up Call and should be read by all as well.
For someone who had no personal ties to 9/11, other than what will become the proverbial "where were you" question down the road, I was deeply touched by Wake Up Call. If you are not, perhaps you should read it again.
OVERALL: Moving without being grief-filled; have some tissues handy, her letters to her husband will definitely start the sniffles. P.S. I am poised to read Coulter's latest Godless, where she makes the claim against the Jersey Girls-keep an eye out.