Sunday September 11th, 2011 Honouring September 11th

This year marks the tenth anniversary of the first terrorist attack targeting the United States. While we all remember where we were during that historic day, only a few experienced it firsthand. The rest of us watched from a distance, keeping vigil by our televisions; we empathized with the families and the victims, but it is difficult for us to really imagine what it was like for those directly affected. But over the last ten years some fantastic authors have given the rest of the world a glimpse into the disaster’s wake.

Don DeLillo's Falling Man is the story of Keith, a man who walked out of the towers. Escaping just before they collapsed, he decided to head home to his estranged wife. Falling Man is about Keith’s family coming back together and then slowly drifting apart again as time moved on after the event. Falling Man makes you feel as though you are in the collapsing towers along with Keith, which makes this a valuable book for empathizing with those who survived.

A Widow's Walk is Marian Fontana's memoir of her life in the year after 9/11. Her husband Dave was a firefighter who died trying to rescue people from the Towers. September 11 was Marian and Dave’s 8th wedding anniversary. But before they could meet as planned at a coffee shop, Dave was called to the Towers. Dave died a hero trying to save others from the collapsing Towers. Marian documents everything during that first year without Dave: from the terrible grief, endless funerals and the newfound struggle of single parenthood, to the kindness of strangers and her desire to help the remaining firefighters of her husband’s squad. A Widow’s Walk is a beautiful book that offers a glimpse into both the despair and the hope that was the aftermath of the September 11 attacks.

Jonathan Safran Foer’s Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is the story of Oskar Schell, whose father was killed in the Twin Towers. While snooping in his dad's room afterwards, Oskar discovers a strange key hidden in a vase. He decides he will find what the key opens, even if he has to try every lock in New York City! Interspersed throughout Oskar's story are chapters written from both of his grandparents' perspectives. These narratives are just as interesting as the main story; they serve to parallel the Dresden bombings with the terrorist attack on September 11. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close reminded me of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time by Mark Haddon. So if you enjoyed that book, definitely consider giving Foer’s book a try!

Mohsin Hamid's The Reluctant Fundamentalist is a story within a story. The main character, Changez, narrates the entire book. He tells an American visitor to Pakistan his prior history as a student in America, about his love for a woman named Erica, and the circumstances that brought him back to Pakistan. The narration is rather unusual, as the American never directly speaks; in his narration, Changez simply replies to what the man says. This alone makes for a really interesting read. Changez himself is an intriguing fellow: sophisticated in speech, but never snobbish. And while his is an uncommon narrative in North America, tending to be a bit anti-American near the end, The Reluctant Fundamentalist is an important read because it gives this alternative viewpoint. The September 11 events had implications for the entire world, not just for America; it is important that we do not forget this.

So in honour of the tenth anniversary of the September 11 attacks, why not read one of the many stories available at your Public Library?

Shauna Kosoris