It’s hard to believe that today is the 11th anniversary of the September 11th, 2001 attacks on the US. It feels like only yesterday. And yet, a lot can happen in eleven years. One big difference is that more people are writing fiction about it.
In the initial days and months after the tragedy, we saw many books coming out on the subject. There were accounts from people who managed to escape the Twin Towers. There were memoirs from firefighters and other rescue personnel. And there were books by family members of those who managed to call out from one of the planes or offices. If you’re interested in picking up a book about that day, you might want to try:
These are just a few of the books we have available at the library. If you’d like something else, please drop by the front desk and ask…we’ll point you in the right direction.
However, in the last couple of years, an interesting change has taken place. Fiction, with 9/11 as the backdrop. While I’m sure the subject was too sensitive for many people to read about in the early years, especially in fiction, it seems we are ready now. There are many books for both adults, teens and even middle grade ages, that use 9/11 as a basis for their setting or plot.
I wonder how many publishers were swamped with fictional stories using September 11th as the backdrop immediately after the event? It would have been a hard sell to anyone at that point, I think. But now, the stories are coming and the weight of the event provides a deep backbone to the stories. Do you think this is a topic which should remain off limits, or is it time for the tragedy to become a part of our literary world?
I’m sure we’ll all take a few minutes to remember this tragedy today. The world is a very different place because of it, including books.
