American Ground: Unbuilding the World Trade Center

by William Langewiesche

Overview

Selected as one of the best books of 2002 by The New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times, and Chicago Sun-Times

Within days after September 11, 2001, William Langewiesche had secured unique, unrestricted, round-the-clock access to the World Trade Center site. American Ground is a tour of this intense, ephemeral world and those who improvised the recovery effort day by day, and in the process reinvented themselves, discovering unknown strengths and weaknesses. In all of its aspects—emotionalism, impulsiveness, opportunism, territoriality, resourcefulness, and fundamental, cacophonous democracy—Langewiesche reveals the unbuilding to be uniquely American and oddly inspiring, a portrait of resilience and ingenuity in the face of disaster.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780865476752
Publisher:	Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Publication date:	09/11/2003
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	5.64(w) x 8.30(h) x 0.53(d)

About the Author

William Langewiesche is the author of four previous books, including the National Book Critic’s Circle Award finalist American Ground. He is currently the international correspondent for Vanity Fair.

Editorial Reviews

The one book to read, if you're only reading one.” —Detroit Free Press

“Slim but powerful . . . truth, unclouded by sentiment.” —The New York Times Book Review

“One of the most compelling, dramatic, and uplifting pieces of writing you are likely ever to read.” —St. Louis Post-Dispatch

“Extraordinary . . . An amazing piece of journalism, full of colorful characters and astonishing scenes.” —Peter Carlson, The Washington Post

“Says more about our essential character than a thousand maudlin tributes.” —Boris Kachka, New York

From the Publisher

An extraordinary story…Langewiesche was the only reporter granted total access to Ground Zero…He spent nine months there and emerged to write American Ground…It is an amazing piece of journalism, full of colorful characters and astonishing scenes.”

Washington Post

The most thoughtful and original [9-11] book to appear so far is American Ground, William Langewiesche’s meticulous description of the rescue effort at Ground Zero and the subsequent excavation of the 1.8 million tons of debris at the literal and emotional heart of this calamity.”

Newsweek