BOOK REVIEW: THE GREATEST LOVE
By Tim Brown / Convergent Books
Reviewed by: Joe Zacks
The Reviewer — Joe Zacks is the former Deputy Assistant Director of the CIA for Counterterrorism, the Co-founder and Managing Partner of Aardwolf Global Solutions and a Cipher Brief Subject Matter Expert.
REVIEW: Let me start this review by thanking The Cipher Brief for allowing me to review Tim Brown’s special book The Greatest Love. Tim Brown is a good friend of mine and Cipher Brief generally does not allow friends of authors to review their books – but as you will read this is a special book and circumstances.
The Greatest Love is authored by one of the most courageous and selfless men I am honored to know. Tim Brown is a highly dedicated and decorated former New York Fire Department (FDNY) firefighter who just barely survived the collapse of the Twin Towers on 9/11. His book is an homage to the heroic firefighters and first responders who perished that fateful day as well as an eye-opening first-hand account of battling PTSD, dealing with grief, finding help, and giving back through helping others.
Tim visited CIA’s Counterterrorism Mission Center a few years ago to recount his Ground Zero tale of 9/11 to Agency officers who have been at the forefront of the nation’s on-going efforts to bring justice to the perpetrators of that dastardly act. I was among the officers who attended his mesmerizing presentation, and we developed an enduring friendship.
Tim’s life has in many ways been defined by 9/11 and the days and years after. In addition to having undergone the trauma of being amongst the first responders at the site of this horrific devastation, he suffered from survivor’s guilt. This feeling ultimately manifested itself in PTSD, and in Part II of his book, Tim writes candidly of this pain and his efforts to treat it. His chapters on handling grief and refusing isolation are particularly powerful and a must read for both people working to overcome PTSD and those trying to help family and friends suffering from PTSD. He provides a checklist of what to do and not do when struggling with this affliction.
Tim’s life is about service, and in Parts I and III he focuses on the meaning of service and its value both to self and others. While providing incredible examples of service and heroism by the FDNY, he explains how serving others is not only the purview of first responders and the military. He illustrates the meaningful ways each of us can be of service to others and the richness that serving others adds to one’s life. In addition, Tim includes his call to service with the religiosity that is core to his life.
At the end of each chapter, Tim pays special tribute to one heroic FDNY firefighter who died at Ground Zero. These were his friends and brothers. It is the strength of brotherhood and blind trust in one’s compadres that propels firefighters to rush into a building engulfed in flames to protect and save lives. This same brotherhood exists in the military and other high-risk jobs where team performance and unflinching trust in one’s partner is critical for mission success.
There may be those who find it hard to relate to Tim’s book because it is too distant from their lives. That may be one’s good fortune, and he is okay with that. He is far from judgmental. He has penned a very personal story, and in doing so he offers us an opportunity to reflect on how others deal with pain and grief, how we can help those who suffer, and how we can more broadly serve our communities and make our lives richer.
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All statements of fact, opinion, or analysis expressed are those of the author and do not reflect the official positions or views of the US Government. Nothing in the contents should be construed as asserting or implying US Government authentication of information or endorsement of the author’s views.
