Everything about this book is wonderful, from the source of inspiration to the path and all that it took to create that marvelous Broadway musical. Plus, there are pictures of the entire production, Gander (the Canadian Island where the passengers where stranded because of the 9/11) and the actors with the real persons that the portrait on the musical. A profound story about bringing light in time of darkness through the simple act to help another human being.

This book is a great celebration of the musical, COME FROM AWAY. The musical tackles the 9/11 tragedy in a fresh and unique way. It is based on the book, The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland, by Jim DeFede. It describes what happens when the American airspace was closed and the planes had to be diverted. Gander happened to have a large enough airfield, because at one time they were a busy airport for refueling. The story is heartwarming and heartbreaking and well worth learning more about. The musical is a delight and I enjoyed learning more about how the musical came together. I'd highly recommend this book to all fans of the musical and those who want to learn more about this moving story.

This book is a fantastic companion to a fantastic show. I grew up in NYC and was there on 9/11. Since then I've actively avoided all shows, books, movies etc. about that day until Come From Away. I saw it with my father last fall & we both loved it. This book made me love the show even more now that I know the care that went into telling everyone's stories. I enjoyed reading all the anecdotes provided by the show's writers, cast members and their real-life counterparts, particularly the notes within the lyrics showing how Come From Away evolved into the show I saw on Broadway. Thank you to everyone who was involved with the show & book for showing us that something beautiful can come out of something so dark.

What a delightful book! Earlier this year, I saw the Broadway musical Come From Away, and the music and story grabbed a part of my heart. When I saw this advance copy that intertwines the story of the land and the people of Newfoundland with the lyrics to the musical, I was sold and definitely not disappointed.
I learned so much about the geography of the land, the history of Gander's airport, and the events that led up to this small island taking in so many people from the grounded planes on 9/11/2001. Intertwined with all of this is the story of David Hein and Irene Sankhoff and their creation of the musical--starting with interviews and leading up to how they got the musical into production.

Within the lyrics/lines of the musical are various notes about why certain lines and incidents were highlighted by the writers and the choices for certain decisions they made, which made it so much more meaningful to me. They also talk about the parts that were cut and some of them are even included. It is almost like sitting down with the writers and going through the entire thing with them, what a fun and enlightening treat. I pulled up the soundtrack on Apple Music and listened along while reading which made for an amazing experience with the book.

The book also does profiles of the real people from Gander, as well as shows photographs taken during the events of 2001. These all give a face to the story, the people behind the actors, the people who make Gander the town that it is--a caring amazing place.

I cried when I saw the musical. I cried when I read the book. But they are tears of joy at the spirit of human kindness. It is an inspiration to all of us. The 18th anniversary of 9/11 is two days away as I write this review. The actions of those in Gander are now being watched and appreciated all over, and hopefully that inspiration will encourage all of us to show kindness and care to others as we are immensely grateful for what we have.

I knew that the musical, Come From Away, was quite successful. However, since I was living in Manhattan on that fateful 9/11, I thought that I would never see Come From Away. I thought that it would bring back too many memories of an impossibly stressful, sad and difficult time. Then, this past spring, a friend got tickets for us and off we went, only for me to conclude that Come From Away was a fantastic show and one that was uplifting. I immediately began proselytizing for this musical, telling friends to see it. Of course, not everyone can get to Broadway, but this book will give readers a rich flavor of the play and its context.

Illustrated with photos of Gander and its surroundings, with sections on history and context, comment and information on the folks whose creation it was (the authors of this book, by the way), interviews with the cast and residents, and dialogue from the play's book, Come From Away includes so much.

Given how much I loved the show and the people of Gander as they were portrayed, I was absolutely thrilled to be given an e galley of this title by NetGalley and the publisher, in return for an honest review. I give it 4.5/5 stars.

Musicals are so special. I think a lot of people disregard them, because they may seem silly or ridiculous, and no one in real life just bursts into song. But what they don't realise is that musicals are such a unique form of art that they cannot be replicated anywhere else. There is no other medium that you can choose to get the same experience. And they can be about anything! And they can be any kind of music! Broadway is definitely becoming more popular in recent years due to shows like Hamilton and Dear Evan Hansen, and for that I am extraordinarily glad because it is high time that musicals get the worldly recognition that they deserve.

Come From Away shouldn't work. It's a musical about 9/11, for crying out loud. It absolutely should not have been approached. But it WAS. And it's BEAUTIFUL. Irene Sankhoff and David Hein have done something magical and profound. They have done something that is incredibly difficult, if not impossible, to do. They have captured the very essence of human decency and kindness, and put it on stage in one of the greatest musicals we have ever seen. You can only appreciate a musical so much as a soundtrack - because so much of the artistry is found in the movements, the choreography, the blocking of the physical show. Having only listened to the cast recording, there was so much I didn't know about how the show was actually staged, and reading this book not only tells me that, but also tells the story of why specific movements are made, how those movements came to be, and how, at its very core, this show is about helping people. Just helping. Because that's what you do.

I can't even imagine what kind of journey it must have been to interview all those people in Gander for those few days, people who were actually involved in the events that happened there. The book talks a lot about how intense and worrisome it is to play a character on stage whose inspiration is not only still alive, but can actually come and see it. It must be absolutely nerve-wracking. I could have never done it. But that's the beauty of this show. So much of it is built upon these actual experiences of these actual people. It's not just based on a true story, it IS a true story. And the world now remembers it.

Structurally, I really like how this book is laid out. Several other books about Broadway shows similar to this one separate the libretto and the stories behind the scenes, but this one blends them together so that when you hear about a specific background piece, you can immediately see it reflected in the script, which is really lovely. I think what is also special about this book is that it goes much deeper than just telling how the musical came to be. I think because the process of creating it went much deeper than research usually does. And part of that is the nature of the subject matter they are working on - but most of it is because Sankhoff and Hein have so much passion and honour and respect for those they are writing about. You don't see that in every musical in its creation. Come From Away is truly so special, and this book tells you exactly why, detail by detail and piece by piece. It is magical, and wonderful, and I can't wait to have a physical copy in my hands.

Randi Reviews-
I received an E-ARC of the fabulous Come From Away Libretto from @netgalley and @hachettebooks, and I’ve had a wonderful time reading it!

Come From Away: Welcome to the Rock is an incredibly interesting look into what it takes to create a hit Broadway musical, starting with finding an important story to tell and taking the readers all the way to the beloved show sweeping the nation. As a fan of the musical who has never gotten to attend a performance of Come From Away, I loved learning more (previously unknown) insiders information on how they researched the show, and about the stories that went into the making of this historical piece of theatre. Come From Away tells the story of Gander, the island that became a safe haven for passengers stranded by the events of 9/11. It is a story of the goodness of people in the darkest of times, and one that I believe everyone should look into! I am especially fond of the photographs in the books, which really demonstrate the topics the book discusses.
Authors Irene Stankoff, David Hein and contributer Laurence Malson, did an amazing job of compiling so much information about Come From Away into an enjoyable and appealing format. @wecomefromaway should be very proud of the art they’ve created in this libretto!

You can get your copy of Come From Away: Welcome to the Rock on September 24th!

My Recommendation-
I would recommend this book to all broadway fans (regardless of your interest in Come From Away) because of its in depth exposure of how a hit show is crafted!

Any true fan of musicals will love this companion piece to the "Come From Away" show. Along with the complete book and lyrics of the musical, they've included tons of interesting side notes of how the play came into development (and the history of how it went from a small regional theater piece to a Tony award-winning hit). I especially loved the inclusion of lines and songs that were actually cut from the finished product. Because "Come From Away" is based on a true story, it was also super helpful to have the real historical events described in this book as well (with interviews directly from the people who were there). I learned so much about the real people of Gander and how they worked to become the ultimate hosts and caretakers of thousands of stranded airplane passengers on 9/11. I would absolutely recommend this book to Broadway lovers, as well as anyone who has seen and fallen in love with this beautiful show.

I haven’t yet seen Come From Away but I have a ticket for a performance in Chicago in a few weeks and was excited that this book was available. It is a thorough treatment of the history of the development of the productions interwoven with the actual story of the role Gander played during the 9/11 redirection of all aircraft inflight over the United States or irreversibly headed to the U.S. the book is richly illustrated with photos, it’s prose is lively and interspersed with many references and side notes. With its explanations of what was included, what was excluded, and why and all its background information the volume is a must for people preparing to see the award-winning show and, I assume, for those who have seen it, as well as anyone interested in theater history.

I first came across the music for Come From Away, while listening to the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Network). It was so lively, so singable, I sought out the album, and much like I did with Andrew Lloyd Webers Cats, many years ago, I listened over and over again.

You would think that a story about what happened during the attacks on the United States on Sept. 11, 2001 would be depressing, and not something to enjoy, but the show, which is about the 38 planes that hand to land in Newfoundland, Canada, when the American airspace closed, is a story of people helping others. Of people reaching out, and making thousands of people feel at home.

And the most amazing part of this whole story, which is revealed in this companion book, is how much of it was not just based on what happened, but is well researched enough that the people it was based on approved of how they were portrayed.

The authors did years of research on what happened that week, in Gander, and this book not only documents how they went about it, but also gives stories that did not make it into the musical, which were just as fantastic.

This book is full of pictures, and quotes, and footnotes galore.

If you have seen this musical, this is a must have.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.