National Book Award Winner
Let the Great World Spin
by Colum McCann
Summary
A panoramic novel set in New York City in August 1974, anchored by the famous tightrope walk between the Twin Towers and radiating outward through the lives of priests, mothers, prostitutes, and artists across the boroughs. McCann braids these stories into a portrait of a battered, resilient city, using the tightrope act as a recurring image of grace under strain. It is widely read as an oblique, hopeful response to the trauma of September 11.
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Historical Context & Significance
McCann used the 'tightrope walk' as a metaphor for a city (and a world) recovering from trauma, specifically the aftermath of 9/11.