(Hardcover)
On the fifth anniversary of the attacks of September 11, 2001, former NYPD detective and lifelong photographer John Botte unveils his powerful, penetrating portraits of America’s unforgettable tragedy. Asked by the police commissioner to document the aftermath, Botte spent countless hours at Ground Zero in the moments, days, and weeks following the attacks, and was given privileged access to the behind-the-scenes rescue and recovery efforts of 9/11.
Aftermath is a work of deep personal resonance and great historical import. Botte writes, "Along with thousands of others who lost loved ones to 9/11, I relive the events of that day every day. It took the lives of many of my colleagues and friends, caused an early retirement from a career I loved, and gave me a chronic lung condition that nearly ended my life." But, he goes on to remind us, "Many of the true heroes of 9/11 are still among us." Through the searing immediacy of these images, Botte takes us on a journey down the ash-covered streets, atop smoking mountains of twisted metal, and across heartbreaking cityscapes of human endeavor. His vision is at once stark and horrifying, respectful and compassionate, suffused with unexpected poetry and a quiet heroism.
Aftermath is a work of unparalleled vision and integrity, and serves as a haunting reminder of the events of 9/11 in New York City. With more than one hundred and thirty hand-developed, black-and-white photos and selected captions by the photographer himself, the book memorializes the unforgettable images we all recall from those days---and captures countless scenes previously known only to those who worked the devastated area so tirelessly. The result is an extraordinary historical record that stands to become the definitive photographic retrospective of September 11.
John Botte retired in 2003 from the NYPD, reaching a rank of detective second grade. He is considered a world-class photographer and is a sought-after adviser in the film and television industry. He lives in New York.
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October 26, 2008:
Former officer John Botte has done a wonderful job putting together images of the immediate aftermath of 9/11. The black-and-white photos show both the tragedy and hope of the people involved in the rescue -- and later, simply the clean-up -- of this horrific event.
The only thing I would have enjoyed more would have been captions for all of the photographs. As it stands, only about one in ten of the pictures has any type of explanation.