Book info

• Title Sully: Miracle on the Hudson
• Author Chesley B. Sullenberger
• Year 2016
• Genre Memoir

Now a major motion picture from Clint Eastwood, starring Tom Hanks—the inspirational autobiography by one of the most captivating American heroes of our time, Capt. ‘Sully’ Sullenberger—the pilot who miraculously landed a crippled US Airways Flight 1549 in New York’s Hudson River, saving the lives of all 155 passengers and crew. On January 15, 2009, the world witnessed a remarkable emergency landing when Captain 'Sully' Sullenberger skillfully glided US Airways Flight 1549 onto the Hudson River, saving the lives of all 155 passengers and crew. His cool actions not only averted tragedy but made him a hero and an inspiration worldwide.

Thoughts

Read this after watching the film adaptation of this story. The book reminded me very much of Chris Hadfield’s memoir, as they both had quite similar starts to a flying career, and also similar methodical and logical outlooks on life.

The book dips back and forth in time to talk about the Hudson river landing and how life leading up to that day prepared Sully for everything that happened. I found it inspirational to read about how he doesn’t consider himself a hero, but that working hard and diligently preparing for every eventually allowed him to land the plane successfully. It’s not always about being the brave hero, but sometimes being the one squirrelling away in the background doing the job well can also make a difference.

Great book, modest and honest, and a nice insight behind a tale that could have been a disaster but worked out as one of the most positive incidents in New York for a long time.

Rating: 5 / 5