The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland | Jim Defede

The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland | Jim Defede | One of the nicest stories you'll ever read

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The Day the World ...

	The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland Jim Defede Harper Paperbacks, 2003 - 256 pages average customer review:based on 56 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Brought me back

Having only recently been given this book it brought back to me those few days I spent in a remote but truly wonderful town. I was on American Airlines flight 101 from Heathrow to JFK and was diverted to Gander that morning. To say I met some of the most amazing people ever would be an understatement. My friend and I were looked after so well. A woman took us to her home so I could call my parents, another took us to her home to shower. Those I remember most fondly are Doug Brittain & his wife who took us into their home to sleep. Amazing people.

One of the nicest stories you'll ever read

I am a first order Canaphile (a person fascinated with anything Canadian) so naturally I devoured this book. I learned a lot about Newfoundland (and how it's actually quite separate from the rest of the maple leaf.) But most importantly, I learned about how a whole province can come together and lend a hand without being asked. It's the story of how people from all walks of life that ended up in the same place during a tragic time, and the people that took care of them. Stories that may seem unreal to some people, like that of George, who just offered a ride to the nearest tavern (and later opened his home) to a group of Texans who were just walking down the road. Countless people opening their homes for a shower or just a few minutes peace. About the mother that invited a US National Security Advisor to her child's birthday party. It also talks about how other passengers dealt with their stranding. Like the chairman of Hugo Boss, the mayor of Frankfort, adoptive parents returning from abroad, and a very colorful prodigal Newfie. Some cried, all ate, and plenty drank enough to "embalm a herd of moose" as the author states. My favorite part of the book in fact was about the Screech-In ceremony which sounds like as much fun as you can have legally.

The author does an excellent job blending all these elements together, and really capturing the feel of a historic moment in time. You can sure bet I'm going to Newfoundland someday.

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A love Story for all Nations

Teachers take note! This is a must read for all future leaders. Jim DeFede tells the reality of people coming together to be "in the moment" during a very difficult moment.
Clergy, this is a must read for religious studies!This is a how to book for adults -- how to turn evil into good, how to step across politics, religion, take down the borders that separate us and take charge, how to work for peace.
Parents, a family read! Young and old, children, women, men and animals, every one is counted and made to be accountable for making life go on!
A fine gift book --Heart warming sincerity at its best!

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Close View of a Huge World

Newfoundland is a grand place. It's mountains, it's shore, its unindustrialized heartland, its exploited sea -- all enormous. But the mighty beauty of its people has rarely been captured -- and never so well -- as in this depiction of the events, on the ground in Gander, Newfoundland -- that immediately followed the catacylsmic calamity of 9/11/01.

Newfoundland is usually portrayed in aerial shots, showing contours and outlines but little detail. Jim Defede's brilliant portrayal of the people of this place masterfully focuses attention on the small detail of those rich souls who give Gander and its surrounding towns their meaning and weight. He does so simply and in plain tones, never overburdening the reader with overwrought rhetorical distractions, but telling the story and revealing the characters plainly. In so doing he captures the essence of their heroism --good people rising fully to the enormous challenge of this historic occasion.

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Another definition of community and grace

I just finished reading _Plainsong_ and told my wife how I enjoyed this story of community and grace. Then my wife recommended _The Day the World Came to Town_ as another non-fictional demonstration of the same themes. I started it and couldn't quit reading it ... finished it in less than 24 hours.

This is a great and reassuring story how a group of people reach out and embrace others in a time of need. While I love reading, I don't find myself often emotionally touched by books ... DeFede succeeded in finding the right words, images and stories that touched my emotions time and time again.

There is another book that I would recommend as well. It's a similar story of how a community reaches out to those affected by world events and provides a touch of humanity when it's needed. Bob Greene's _Once Upon a Town: The Miracle of the North Platte Canteen_ tells about how North Platte NE (and surrounding towns) greeted WWII servicemen and servicewomen on their journeys across America. The shift in time and story is an interesting counterpoint to a common theme in both books: how people reach out in times of uncertainty and pain to make strangers' lives a bit more comfortable and how grace is defined in human terms.

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reviews: 1, 2, 3, page 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

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