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Miracle on the Hudson: The Survivors of Flight 1549 Tell Their Extraordinary Stories of Courage, Faith, and Determination
In this heart-stopping tale, the passengers of the Hudson River crash landing evoke in compelling detail the terrifying explosion as both engines were destroyed, the violent landing on the river, and the thrill of their rescue from the wings and from rafts. Jay McDonald, a thirty-nine-year-old software developer, had survived brain-tumor surgery just two years earlier and now faced the unimaginable. Tracey Wolsko, a nervous flier, suddenly became other people’s “Just pray. It’s going to be all right.” As the plane started sinking, Lucille Palmer, eighty-five, told her daughter to save “Just leave me!” Featuring moments of chaos and stoicism, fortuitous mistakes and quick instincts, Miracle on the Hudson is the chronicle of one of the most phenomenal stories of recent years, one that could have been a nightmare and instead became a stirring narrative of heroism and hope.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
90 people are currently reading
400 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
December 2, 2011
Not sure why I decided to read this, since I'm insanely afraid of flying already! It was really interesting though to read about this amazing story from the passengers point of view. I read it really fast, I couldn't stop reading! It was really sad to read about the thoughts and emotions and actions of the passengers when they truly thought they were going to die. Made me think a lot. It was also interesting to read about all of the chaos and drama that occured AFTER they landed. I never thought about those moments of when they were trying to all get out and had to stay alive in that freezing water until help arrived. I gave it 3 stars because I did feel like the end sort of dragged. And I was also hoping to hear a LOT more about Captain Sully's actions and point of view. It hardly mentioned the cockpit at all. Definitely a great read, but for me, if I give a book 4 or 5 stars, it means I'd read it again.
September 12, 2016
This book is based on interviews the authors conducted with the passengers of Flight 1549. The manner in which they weave together the accounts of each individual story to form this coherent, highly readable account of the events of 01/15/2009 is a remarkable journalistic feat. I found the book to be informative and in many places quite moving.
January 15, 2014
I’M DYING! AND I DIDN’T MAKE THE BED
Five years ago, on January 15, 2009, Flight 1549 took off for Charlotte, North Carolina and, 3 minutes later, made an emergency landing in the Hudson River, with no serious harm to anyone but the geese who caused the problem. (They were liquefied into something called, in aviation jargon, snarge.)
Miracle on the Hudson, the subsequent book about this incident by William Prochnau and Laura Parker, focuses not on the uber-competence of Pilot “Sully” Sullenberger, but on the reactions of the plane’s passengers after they realized both engines had failed. Some screamed. Some cursed. (A direct quote: “Oh, crap, we‘re crashing!”) A few were furious. Others remained calm.
My favorites were the folks who remained in denial. They flat-out refused to believe a disaster was happening. . “Problem? There isn’t a problem,” they insisted, right up to the moment the plane plunked into the drink.
Experts who have studied how folks behave in crisis situations tell us that when the shit hits the fan, some people are survival-oriented, some totally flip out, and a third group sits frozen in shock and does absolutely nothing. (When the oxygen masks drop, these folks stare at them blankly until they pass out.)
So how do you know which group you’re in?
You don’t. Until your plane loses both engines.
The passengers on Flight 1549 prayed to a smorgasbord of Supreme Beings. There were Jews and Muslims and a variety of Christians on the plane. Also one Buddhist (who later reported that she felt kind of “left out.”) Some folks reached for their cells and tried to phone their loved ones, although one passenger aborted her call when her seatmate said, “Don’t phone your husband now -- you don’t want to bother him.”
Come again? If when you’re plunging toward almost certain death isn’t the right time to trouble your hubby, I don’t know when is. I applaud the woman who phoned her man the instant she realized the plane was in trouble and kept him on the line through the whole ordeal.
“Kudos to Verizon,“ she said later, “They were right there.“
Now there’s an ad -- “We’ve lost both engines! We’re headed toward the water! Can you hear me now?”
A variety of last thoughts went through people’s heads. Many said mental goodbyes to loved ones. Some asked God for forgiveness. Others were pierced by regret that they’d never see their daughter graduate or play catch with their son. One woman actually fretted about the fact that she hadn’t made her bed that morning. (Easy there, Martha.) And the overly-practical among us can surely relate to the woman, who, as the plane went down, hoped her husband would realize that, because she was traveling on business, he could collect double on her insurance.
We’ve all wondered what it would be like to be in a crashing airplane. We‘re seen the movie version (too) many times. But Flight 1549 provided a rare opportunity to learn what it’s actually like.
I’m glad they all made it out alive.
(This review first appeared on www.broadstreetreview.com)
Five years ago, on January 15, 2009, Flight 1549 took off for Charlotte, North Carolina and, 3 minutes later, made an emergency landing in the Hudson River, with no serious harm to anyone but the geese who caused the problem. (They were liquefied into something called, in aviation jargon, snarge.)
Miracle on the Hudson, the subsequent book about this incident by William Prochnau and Laura Parker, focuses not on the uber-competence of Pilot “Sully” Sullenberger, but on the reactions of the plane’s passengers after they realized both engines had failed. Some screamed. Some cursed. (A direct quote: “Oh, crap, we‘re crashing!”) A few were furious. Others remained calm.
My favorites were the folks who remained in denial. They flat-out refused to believe a disaster was happening. . “Problem? There isn’t a problem,” they insisted, right up to the moment the plane plunked into the drink.
Experts who have studied how folks behave in crisis situations tell us that when the shit hits the fan, some people are survival-oriented, some totally flip out, and a third group sits frozen in shock and does absolutely nothing. (When the oxygen masks drop, these folks stare at them blankly until they pass out.)
So how do you know which group you’re in?
You don’t. Until your plane loses both engines.
The passengers on Flight 1549 prayed to a smorgasbord of Supreme Beings. There were Jews and Muslims and a variety of Christians on the plane. Also one Buddhist (who later reported that she felt kind of “left out.”) Some folks reached for their cells and tried to phone their loved ones, although one passenger aborted her call when her seatmate said, “Don’t phone your husband now -- you don’t want to bother him.”
Come again? If when you’re plunging toward almost certain death isn’t the right time to trouble your hubby, I don’t know when is. I applaud the woman who phoned her man the instant she realized the plane was in trouble and kept him on the line through the whole ordeal.
“Kudos to Verizon,“ she said later, “They were right there.“
Now there’s an ad -- “We’ve lost both engines! We’re headed toward the water! Can you hear me now?”
A variety of last thoughts went through people’s heads. Many said mental goodbyes to loved ones. Some asked God for forgiveness. Others were pierced by regret that they’d never see their daughter graduate or play catch with their son. One woman actually fretted about the fact that she hadn’t made her bed that morning. (Easy there, Martha.) And the overly-practical among us can surely relate to the woman, who, as the plane went down, hoped her husband would realize that, because she was traveling on business, he could collect double on her insurance.
We’ve all wondered what it would be like to be in a crashing airplane. We‘re seen the movie version (too) many times. But Flight 1549 provided a rare opportunity to learn what it’s actually like.
I’m glad they all made it out alive.
(This review first appeared on www.broadstreetreview.com)
May 12, 2018
Compelling due to its content, but this account is a formulaic "survivors tell their stories" publication, partly, perhaps, because it was published so soon after the January 2009 accident. Competently written, but with no insight or poignancy. Apparently accurate and well researched, but it reads like the authors arranged their interview excerpts and factual notes chronologically and then just typed them up one by one. The bird strike -- what happened -- then survivor response #1, #2, #3, etc. Plane evacuation -- basic facts -- then survivor response #1, #2, #3, etc. When helpful, there are basic sidebars into the background of bird strikes, water ditchings, etc., but similar aspects that needed such background are missing. Sully and co-pilot Skiles -- they make minimal appearances in this account. True, their perspectives received much coverage elsewhere, but, uh, they too are "survivors of Flight 1549," they too had to prepare for impact, they too had to evacuate the plan and get on rescue vessels. Their near total omission from this account is glaring. So what do I consider a good account of a plane crash? Flight 232: A Story of Disaster and Survival by Laurence Gonzales, about UA Flight 232 that crashed in Iowa in 1989. That's an engrossing insightful account that gives you a closer sense of the crew and survivors and fascinating knowledge about aircraft, air crashes, and crash investigations.
October 5, 2016
THe book I hoped somebody had written
After seeing the movie, "Sully, " I wanted to know more: surely there were some who prayed, who later thanked God, although this was entirely omitted in the movie. And what of the survivors since that day? Have their lives changed? Have they sought the purpose for a second chance at life? Thankfully, the authors have done extensive research. Not only are these questions answered, but I learned so much more. The harrowing rescue onto the boats are one hundred and fifty-five separate miracles, many told in this book, many requiring others who valued the lives of strangers. I learned there were many heroes that day. And, as a personal bonus for me, I have recently moved to the Charlotte area and the small hometowns of the survivors are towns where I now visit and shop and recognize. At the time of the event, I was thankful like others, but had not noticed that this was a story about North Carolina as well as New York. This book is excellent. Thanks to the authors for writing it.
After seeing the movie, "Sully, " I wanted to know more: surely there were some who prayed, who later thanked God, although this was entirely omitted in the movie. And what of the survivors since that day? Have their lives changed? Have they sought the purpose for a second chance at life? Thankfully, the authors have done extensive research. Not only are these questions answered, but I learned so much more. The harrowing rescue onto the boats are one hundred and fifty-five separate miracles, many told in this book, many requiring others who valued the lives of strangers. I learned there were many heroes that day. And, as a personal bonus for me, I have recently moved to the Charlotte area and the small hometowns of the survivors are towns where I now visit and shop and recognize. At the time of the event, I was thankful like others, but had not noticed that this was a story about North Carolina as well as New York. This book is excellent. Thanks to the authors for writing it.
February 22, 2025
It was interesting to see the perspectives of the passengers. This book is not about the captain, as the movie is. The writing style is strange- not in a good way, but very detailed. I decided to rewatch the movie after reading this. I unexpectedly recognized several of the passengers: Jim Whittaker, the Sosas, Takigawa, the golfing guys, Diane and her elderly mother, there's even a split second where you hear Irina praying in Russian in the last seat- basically offscreen. So you remember the people and get to know them through the interviews and narrative of this book.
February 12, 2022
3.5 stars.
Overall, interesting and informative and engaging. The author is to be commended on weaving together so many interviews into a book. My one (minor) complaint is that, at times, it feels too drawn out- for example, the initial opening of the emergency door and exit onto the wings was told by four or five different people- so we go over the exit five times. A minor complaint, to be sure, but it dragged out the book for me.
Overall, interesting and informative and engaging. The author is to be commended on weaving together so many interviews into a book. My one (minor) complaint is that, at times, it feels too drawn out- for example, the initial opening of the emergency door and exit onto the wings was told by four or five different people- so we go over the exit five times. A minor complaint, to be sure, but it dragged out the book for me.
November 22, 2016
I read the book Miracle On The Hudson written by William Prochnau. The author's purpose in writing this book was to inform readers about the real life story of U.S Airways flight 1549 that crash landed on the Hudson River in New York. This event took place on January 15th, 2009. The author of this book was a survivor of the crash who lived to tell his story to others.
The theme of this book was that not all bad situations have a bad outcome. After U.S Airways flight 1549 took off from LaGuardia International Airport in New York City, it headed to Charlotte Douglas International Airport in Charlotte, North Carolina. No one onboard thought it would be anything but an ordinary flight. Well this was all about to change when they encountered dual engine loss at a lower altitude than any flight ever before. They had been hit by a flock of Canadian Geese. Now with both engines out, they had to try to return to LaGuardia. They were too low to manage that kind of emergency landing. So, they had all of the runways at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey cleared, That would not work either. Captain Chesley Sullenberger came on the intercom and said “This is the Captain speaking, brace for impact” They were going to end up in the Hudson River on a cold day in New York City.
This book was a description. The author did a very good job describing the details of this horrific accident. All of the 155 passengers on board survived the crash, only because Captain “Sully” Sullenberger was such a good pilot and had over 40 years of experience. If it had been any other pilot in the cockpit on that early and old January morning some of the passengers would have died.
I absolutely Loved this book!! I would rate is five out of five stars. I think the author did an amazing job writing this book, and I also think it is amazing that one of the survivors lived to write this book. I have never read another book like this because almost every other one is written by someone that was not on U.S Airways flight 1549. I would not change anything about this book because it is amazingly written and nothing could be better
The theme of this book was that not all bad situations have a bad outcome. After U.S Airways flight 1549 took off from LaGuardia International Airport in New York City, it headed to Charlotte Douglas International Airport in Charlotte, North Carolina. No one onboard thought it would be anything but an ordinary flight. Well this was all about to change when they encountered dual engine loss at a lower altitude than any flight ever before. They had been hit by a flock of Canadian Geese. Now with both engines out, they had to try to return to LaGuardia. They were too low to manage that kind of emergency landing. So, they had all of the runways at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey cleared, That would not work either. Captain Chesley Sullenberger came on the intercom and said “This is the Captain speaking, brace for impact” They were going to end up in the Hudson River on a cold day in New York City.
This book was a description. The author did a very good job describing the details of this horrific accident. All of the 155 passengers on board survived the crash, only because Captain “Sully” Sullenberger was such a good pilot and had over 40 years of experience. If it had been any other pilot in the cockpit on that early and old January morning some of the passengers would have died.
I absolutely Loved this book!! I would rate is five out of five stars. I think the author did an amazing job writing this book, and I also think it is amazing that one of the survivors lived to write this book. I have never read another book like this because almost every other one is written by someone that was not on U.S Airways flight 1549. I would not change anything about this book because it is amazingly written and nothing could be better
August 13, 2014
Unlike many of the other big events to happen in my lifetime, the crash of flight 1549 and rescue of the passengers occurred in just a few hours' time. Therefore, to write an entire book based on a flight that lasted less than half an hour takes talent, and it was essential to have the input of those who survived the flight in order to generate enough content. The multiple perspectives the author provided allowed readers to get to know the truth about what was going on, rather than just what mainstream media covered in the immediate aftermath. While much of the focus of the news channels, etc. was deservedly directed to pilot Chesley Sullenberger and his expertise in flying planes to guide the disabled jet to a safe landing, Sullenberger got only a couple passing mentions here.
Instead, the book covers what was going through the passengers' minds before, during, and after the crash. Some were already survivors, having lived through things such as another plane crash or a brain tumor. Others were nervous flyers saying many prayers and taking medications long before takeoff. Many were business commuters though, just taking what they expected to be a routine jaunt from New York to Charlotte. Passengers ranged in age from a baby being held on his mom's lap to an elderly lady of 80+ years flying with her daughter, and came from multiple countries and religious and ethnic backgrounds. Somehow, all of them worked together to ensure all of their survival despite the presence of jet fuel all around and frigid temperatures both in the Hudson River and the January air.
Overall, I enjoyed the book quite a bit, as it's been a couple years since the incident and I liked getting the refresher on the events that occurred,
Instead, the book covers what was going through the passengers' minds before, during, and after the crash. Some were already survivors, having lived through things such as another plane crash or a brain tumor. Others were nervous flyers saying many prayers and taking medications long before takeoff. Many were business commuters though, just taking what they expected to be a routine jaunt from New York to Charlotte. Passengers ranged in age from a baby being held on his mom's lap to an elderly lady of 80+ years flying with her daughter, and came from multiple countries and religious and ethnic backgrounds. Somehow, all of them worked together to ensure all of their survival despite the presence of jet fuel all around and frigid temperatures both in the Hudson River and the January air.
Overall, I enjoyed the book quite a bit, as it's been a couple years since the incident and I liked getting the refresher on the events that occurred,
May 6, 2018
Even as the title of the book said that this was the story of the survivors of those on flight 1549 I did not realize that that's basically all it is. Those survivors as well as those who rescued them.
Who they were, why they were taking that flight, what they thought from before takeoff through the crash to rescue and the days, weeks and months that followed. How their lives changed as well as their viewpoints on flying and what was truthfully most important to them. How they felt after the Colgan crash in Buffalo just four weeks later.
It didn't go into the cockpit. It only touched on what actually happened and why.
The reason I gave it 3 stars was due to as each moment went by, several people had comments to be relaying and very quickly it got confusing who was who and why they were there and.... I constantly wished that the listing in back of the book also included where they worked or why they were on the plane - the golfers for example or the two pilots being transported to another airport.
Who they were, why they were taking that flight, what they thought from before takeoff through the crash to rescue and the days, weeks and months that followed. How their lives changed as well as their viewpoints on flying and what was truthfully most important to them. How they felt after the Colgan crash in Buffalo just four weeks later.
It didn't go into the cockpit. It only touched on what actually happened and why.
The reason I gave it 3 stars was due to as each moment went by, several people had comments to be relaying and very quickly it got confusing who was who and why they were there and.... I constantly wished that the listing in back of the book also included where they worked or why they were on the plane - the golfers for example or the two pilots being transported to another airport.
March 11, 2022
No wonder the writers one of which won a Nobel Prize could write such an impelling true story! I loved the history of the birds mainly the Canadian Geese and all that entailed
The humor that was put into each of the accounts was great because it’s real life and heart warming in the face of danger! Each passengers account will grab you by the ropes and you will feel that you know each of them personally by the end of the book. Captain Sully is a true life Hero! He is my Hero and I wasn’t even on that plane! He will be your Hero too!
My husband actually met him in real life at a Financial Conference in Florida just a few years ago, Captain Sully was a speaker there! Very Inspirational
The humor that was put into each of the accounts was great because it’s real life and heart warming in the face of danger! Each passengers account will grab you by the ropes and you will feel that you know each of them personally by the end of the book. Captain Sully is a true life Hero! He is my Hero and I wasn’t even on that plane! He will be your Hero too!
My husband actually met him in real life at a Financial Conference in Florida just a few years ago, Captain Sully was a speaker there! Very Inspirational
July 12, 2023
William Prochnau & Laura Parker definitely did their homework.....I really enjoyed reading this book and recommend it to every one.....The detail of the 3 minutes that the plane was in the air before it made a water landing was riveting and I was on the edge of my seat.....I can't imagine experiencing anything close to this......
A really good read...
A really good read...
April 23, 2023
On January 15, 2009 U.S. Airways Flight 1549 was hit by a flock of geese and lost its engines shortly after takeoff from New York City. Captain Chesley Sullenberger was piloting the plane and had to make a split second decision on what to do. He expertly landed the plane, with 150 passengers, on the Hudson River. Not a single passenger was lost and there were very few injuries.
This book does not go into any detail about the captain at all. It is all about the passengers and their memories of terror and survival in the face of near death. I thought this book was riveting. Some of the passengers were so stunned that they didn’t have time to process what was happening, while others prayed out to God to save them. Once the plane was on the water, the passengers exited the plane and stood on the wings until they were rescued. It was freezing cold and some of them were in the water. What intrigued me was the thoughts of the people on the plane when they thought they would die and how it did change the way that some of them lived their lives after the accident.
This book does not go into any detail about the captain at all. It is all about the passengers and their memories of terror and survival in the face of near death. I thought this book was riveting. Some of the passengers were so stunned that they didn’t have time to process what was happening, while others prayed out to God to save them. Once the plane was on the water, the passengers exited the plane and stood on the wings until they were rescued. It was freezing cold and some of them were in the water. What intrigued me was the thoughts of the people on the plane when they thought they would die and how it did change the way that some of them lived their lives after the accident.
June 27, 2021
Purposefully, I read this book in calm/quiet surroundings so I could focus on trying to put myself in the stories that so many bravely shared. This event took place from takeoff to landing and rescue in:
ninety seconds, plus five minutes and nine seconds, plus exactly twenty four minutes. An amazing 30 minutes... and 39 seconds recounted in this book!
My 3 favorite quotes from the passengers.
1. "My three year old is coming up with new words every day and riding her scooter. I cannot believe I almost missed out on all this." -Nick Gamache, age 32
2. "I'm still kind of scattered. Everything that was big is little and everything little is big. There are places in your life when there is a very thin veil between you and God. I was at a very thin place." -Steve O'Brien, age 44
3. "From the ferry, I had to look back at the scene. Did we really land in the river? Is that the plane sinking? Ohmygod. Was I really on that plane?" -Beth McHugh, age 64
ninety seconds, plus five minutes and nine seconds, plus exactly twenty four minutes. An amazing 30 minutes... and 39 seconds recounted in this book!
My 3 favorite quotes from the passengers.
1. "My three year old is coming up with new words every day and riding her scooter. I cannot believe I almost missed out on all this." -Nick Gamache, age 32
2. "I'm still kind of scattered. Everything that was big is little and everything little is big. There are places in your life when there is a very thin veil between you and God. I was at a very thin place." -Steve O'Brien, age 44
3. "From the ferry, I had to look back at the scene. Did we really land in the river? Is that the plane sinking? Ohmygod. Was I really on that plane?" -Beth McHugh, age 64
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 7, 2025
I ended up liking this book overall, but some of it was a struggle to get through.
I would have liked to have known more about Sully, the copilot and the flight crew, but they were hardly mentioned. I would have liked to learn more about their experience, actions and thoughts.
The layout was messy, too. Random facts were thrown into different spots. The survivors experiences were told in a disorganized manner, sometimes telling one’s story from the impact to the rescue, then going back to tell another’s, but then jumping back and forth from the left wing survivors to the right wing. I became confused about who was where and when. And each event was told by 50 different people, which didn’t help clear the confusion
In the end, it was interesting to read a story about what could have been a horrible disaster turn into such an amazing story. I liked reading about how they came together (and sometimes didn’t) and the way they felt during and after the event.
I would have liked to have known more about Sully, the copilot and the flight crew, but they were hardly mentioned. I would have liked to learn more about their experience, actions and thoughts.
The layout was messy, too. Random facts were thrown into different spots. The survivors experiences were told in a disorganized manner, sometimes telling one’s story from the impact to the rescue, then going back to tell another’s, but then jumping back and forth from the left wing survivors to the right wing. I became confused about who was where and when. And each event was told by 50 different people, which didn’t help clear the confusion
In the end, it was interesting to read a story about what could have been a horrible disaster turn into such an amazing story. I liked reading about how they came together (and sometimes didn’t) and the way they felt during and after the event.
September 3, 2019
I saw this book at the library and decided to check it out. Although it's been over 10 years since this event, I have wondered about what must have been going through the passengers' minds through this ordeal. The book is very thoroughly researched; it seems like the authors interviewed all passengers who were willing to participate. I never realized that there was a lot of drama in the minutes after the landing, and the part about the lemming-effect as the first person to leave the aircraft jumped in the river was interesting. I was kind of disappointed in Captain Sullenberger's book where he only credits his training for surviving, so it was interesting to hear what the other survivors had to say.
October 11, 2022
i've read this in one sitting. Altho I kinda skipped some parts because it feels repetitive. I enjoyed this book. I've seen a lot of interviews abt this but in most cases, it's the captains account of the event and not much of the survivors', so reading this book gave me a new perspective of the crash.
It mainly focused on the survivors account, experience, and perspective.There's not much mention of the Pilot which is okay since I've already read a wonderful book he'd written and it didn't focus much on the passengers as well. I mean, I like the fact that this book only highlighted the survivors experience. Also, the way it was written was simple, not too much highfalutin words or jargon.
It mainly focused on the survivors account, experience, and perspective.There's not much mention of the Pilot which is okay since I've already read a wonderful book he'd written and it didn't focus much on the passengers as well. I mean, I like the fact that this book only highlighted the survivors experience. Also, the way it was written was simple, not too much highfalutin words or jargon.
January 22, 2024
I lived in Charlotte when this plane went down, so it is obviously a bigger deal there, with so many Charlotte/Carolina residents on board. I've been incredibly interested in anything related to the crash, especially from the NTSB. But this book wasn't what I was expecting. It dragged on about every single action. It's filled with everyone's thoughts, and the heroic pilot makes a small appearance twice. I lost interest several times but decided to finish the book anyway. The authors did a good job weaving the story together. There were just a bunch of parts I didn't care about. And the number of stories (and back stories that had noth to do with this event) got hard to follow.
January 17, 2024
This is not what type of story I usually read. I like mysteries. A friend gave me this book so I thought I would read it since I remember the story when it happened The book details the survivors actions and thoughts as they feel they were facing certain death. I enjoyed it so much as I tried to virtualize what I would have done in similar circumstances. I can’t swim and am deadly afraid of water. I don’t think I would have survived. People still managed to come together to help others. Worth reading.
February 1, 2024
Such a good complement to “Sully”! Gives you the whole picture of the actual flight, before, during, and after the bird strike. You wanna know the timeline minute by minute? Check. You wanna know the reactions of the passengers? Check. You wanna know the details about bird strikes and how they actually affect an engine and how big the birds needed to be to shut down those engines? Check. You wanna know how the response was set in motion, from the helicopters and divers to the ferries and tugboats? Check. Fantastic book.
December 16, 2024
I enjoyed reading this book. Having seen the movie staring Tom Hanks, I was curious about how accurate the movie was, and was interested in the personal experiences of the passengers. I found the detail I was hoping for. I thought that the individual stories were far more harrowing than the news coverage and the movie seemed to indicate. Both the countdown to the landing and the evacuation in the icy water were covered in detail. The latter seemed to be worse because it was real rather than expected/imagined deaths (before the landing). Individual injuries and hospitalizations were not covered very much. Without going into detail, the book mentioned the inaccuracies in the recount of the NTSB investigation as shown in the movie.
August 6, 2025
This is a very interesting read. It's great to hear the perspective of the various passengers who were on the flight, and you really can't help but admire their bravery. The structure of the story is strange. Frankly, it wasn't as neat as I wanted it to be, and my nitpick about this book is related to how it was written. But still, you cannot deny that this is such a powerful story that needs to be told. The Miracle on the Hudson is still one of the most mesmerizing aviation stories you'll ever hear.
September 21, 2018
I saw the movie “Sully” which showed us the steps Capt. Sullenberger took to make the instantaneous and right decision on landing that plane. This book delves into the passengers and what they experienced, in their own words. It was an emotional read, often bringing me to tears. It details the incredible response of rescuers and the fortitude of the prevailing human spirit during a crisis.
Now I’m on to “Highest Duty” written by Capt. Sullenberger himself.
Now I’m on to “Highest Duty” written by Capt. Sullenberger himself.
May 10, 2019
I usually read books about aviation from the industry’s or outsider’s point of view, so this is a refreshing and emotional account from the passengers that I thoroughly enjoyed - though maybe enjoyed is not the right word for how traumatic the accident was, despite there being no deaths. I definitely recommend this to anyone with any interest at all in what happened that day on the Hudson, from inside out. I pretty much finished the entire book in one sitting.
November 27, 2022
Generally well-written with some interesting tidbits, but overall a bit repetitive and drawn out. I understand that the authors wanted to capture comments from as many survivors as possible, but many of them had the same comments so it dragged some. Helpfully, the authors do briefly reintroduce people every time they come up. This does add to the repetitivenes of the book, but I'm not sure how anyone would be able to keep all the individuals straight otherwise.
May 9, 2017
This book was so detailed that it put you in the plane with them. It put you out on the wing and in the water with them. The things going through each passenger's mind as things were unfolding. You never know how you are going to react in a traumatic situation, and how it will change your life in a matter of minutes. Excellent Book!
July 22, 2018
As a person who "tolerates" flying, I wasn't sure about reading this book. However, I found it informative and honest which helped me think through what I might have felt if I had been in a similar situation. If nothing else, it reminded me just how important it is to listen to the safety instructions on EACH flight you take "just in case".
January 6, 2023
A fascinating look at the crash into the Hudson from the passengers points of view
I found this so interesting and emotional. At times it really gets to you. Each passenger's story is fascinating and raw. This covers a lot bit its not too heavy on the details focuses more on the feelings. A really good read.
I found this so interesting and emotional. At times it really gets to you. Each passenger's story is fascinating and raw. This covers a lot bit its not too heavy on the details focuses more on the feelings. A really good read.
February 27, 2018
Would’ve liked to hear more of Sullenberger’s perspective of the experience. Otherwise a page-turner. Amazing how many emotions and the storylines that unfold in just 3.5 minutes of a flight and just 21 minutes following. Remarkable.
August 25, 2019
This is the story(stories) of the passengers of flight 1549 that ditched in the Hudson river after hitting a flock of geese. I would have liked a bit more from the flight crew, but it was still good and satisfied my yen for survival stories.
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