On this special edition of the podcast, marking the 25thanniversary of September 11, 2001, we welcome JEFFREY ROBINSON—international bestselling author, investigative journalist, and one of the most accomplished storytellers working today. The author of more than 30 books, both fiction and nonfiction, ROBINSON's remarkable body of work includes The Laundrymen: Inside the World's Third Largest Business, biographies including Grace of Monaco: The True Story, and an extraordinary library of investigativeand narrative nonfiction. A native New Yorker who spent 37 years in Europe as a writer and investigative journalist, ROBINSON now lives in New York City. ROBINSON joins us to discuss his powerful and timely newbook, Ash and Honor: The Untold 368 Minutes of 9/11 (ST. MARTIN'S PRESS), published for the 25th anniversary of September 11, 2001. On that terrible morning, four commercial aircraft were hijacked and used incoordinated terrorist attacks: two struck the World Trade Center in New York City, one crashed into the Pentagon, and UNITED AIRLINES FLIGHT 93 went down in Pennsylvania after passengers and crew fought back. Nearly 3,000 innocentpeople lost their lives in the deadliest terrorist attack in American history, a tragedy whose impact continues to be felt a quarter-century later. Drawing upon the testimony of more than 60 eyewitnessesto history, many of whom had never previously spoken publicly, ROBINSON takes readers inside the crucial 368 minutes that followed the attacks. From AIR FORCE ONE and the skies over America to the PENTAGON, NORAD, the WHITE HOUSE, military command centers, and communities suddenly overwhelmed by diverted aircraft, Ash and Honor offers a gripping and often astonishing account of the confusion, courage, fear, and split-second decisions that shaped one of the darkest days in American history. In our conversation, ROBINSON sheds new light on the actions and responses of PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH, the SECRET SERVICE, DEFENSE SECRETARY DONALD RUMSFELD, military and aviation officials, and those charged with protecting the nation amid unprecedented chaos. We discuss extraordinary moments aboard AIR FORCE ONE, including a classified phone call between RUMSFELD at thePENTAGON and PRESIDENT BUSH in the air—and the startling moment when PRESIDENT BUSH gave RUMSFELD permission to shoot down a suspected aircraft, a revelation that may surprise many listeners. What exactly happened, what information was believed atthe time, and how close did the nation come to an even more unimaginable decision? That is one of the remarkable stories we explore in this compelling conversation. As we mark the 25th anniversary of 9/11, we remember with profound sorrow the nearly 3,000 innocent lives taken that day, the families whose lives were forever changed, and the first responders who made the ultimate sacrifice whilerushing toward danger to save others. We offer our sincere prayers and deepest condolences to all who continue to carry the pain of that terrible day, and we reaffirm a simple but enduring promise: we will remember, we will honor, and we will never forget. Email this podcast: byrnedesk@gmail.com