Review: Channel of Peace: Stranded in Gander on 9/11 by Kevin Tuerff

by Susan Roberts

English: Gander golf club, Gander, Newfoundland (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Channel of Peace is a true story of 9/11 and the after effects on one man.
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About the book:

February 2017; River Groves Books; 9781632991201
ebook, print (126 pages); memoir

When Kevin Tuerff and his partner flew from France to New York City on September 11th in 2001, they had no idea that the world—and their lives—would change forever.

When US airspace closed after the terrorist attacks, Kevin, who was experiencing doubts about organized religion, found himself in the small town of Gander, Newfoundland in Canada with thousands of other refugees or “come from aways.”

Yet, when all seemed dark, the people of Gander rallied and the “plane people” experienced boundless acts of generosity. Channel of Peace tells the story of how Gander’s compassion, then and now, has ignited a spirit of kindness that renewed Kevin’s spirituality and has inspired an annual and growing “giving back” day.

My Review:

Channel of Peace is a short little feel good book that is a clear antidote to all the ugliness going on in the world around us right now. This is the true story of 9/11 and the after effects on one man. The author was on a flight from Paris to NYC on the morning of 9/11 when his flight was diverted to Gander due to the closure of US airspace. When the people on his plane were finally able to leave the plane 12 hours after they landed, there were 39 international jumbo jets on the tarmac. Over 6500 people arrived in the town of 10,000 and were greeted with open arms by the citizens. The citizens of Gander provided food, bedding and, most important of all, friendship to the 'plane people' during their stay in the small town. At the end of their stay, many passengers donated money to set up a scholarship fund for the students in the town. Several years after Kevin returned home, he decided to start an annual giving back day every 9/11. This is a wonderful story of kindness and love shared with people from all over the world and the effect that it had on so many people. I felt so much better about the state of our world after I read it.

COME FROM AWAY IS A BROADWAY MUSICAL BASED ON THE BOOK CHANNEL OF PEACE AND WAS NOMINATED FOR SEVEN TONY AWARDS.

FROM PLAYBILL:

COME FROM AWAY takes you into the heart of the remarkable true story of 7,000 stranded passengers and the small town in Newfoundland that welcomed them. Cultures clashed and nerves ran high, but uneasiness turned into trust, music soared into the night and gratitude grew into enduring friendships.

Don’t miss this breathtaking show, written by Tony® nominees Irene Sankoff and David Hein and directed by two-time Tony® nominee Christopher Ashley (Memphis), that Newsweek cheers, “It does what the best musicals do: takes you to a place you never want to leave.”
On 9/11, the world stopped. On 9/12, their stories moved us all.

Buy Channel of Peace at Amazon

Susan Roberts lives in North Carolina when she isn't traveling.  She and her husband enjoy traveling, gardening and spending time with their family and friends.  She reads almost anything (and the piles of books in her house prove that) but her favorite genres are Southern fiction, women's fiction and thrillers. Susan is a top 1% Goodreads Reviewer. You can connect with  her on Facebook.

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