Let the Great World Spin

Laura selected the book for last night's meeting: Colum McCann's Let the Great World Spin. A 2009 National Book Award winner, a New York Times Bestseller, Amazon.com's 2009 Book of the Year, and one of Oprah's 25 Books of Summer, this title obviously has much critical acclaim to its name. Luckily, this time, the members who attended agreed: the novel was well-written, had characters one could identify with, and was overall a very enjoyable read.

The book, which is told from the perspective of many seemingly unconnected characters, is underlined by funambulist Philippe Petit's tightrope walk between the Twin Towers in 1974. (The event was also highlighted in the 2008 documentary Man on Wire.) Not unlike the movie Crash or the television show Lost--although not in the least bit cheesy, campy, or unrealistic--this single event ties together the lives of everyone from an Irish priest to a group of mothers who lost their sons in the Vietnam War to a bunch of prostitutes working the stroll beneath the Major Deegan--raising to mind the theme that while everything in our lives happens by chance, some things happen for a reason.

While the majority of the book takes place in the 1970s, when the World Trade Center was being completed, its timeline spans into 2006 and makes an unobtrusive comment on the world post-9/11.

The book spurred some great discussion topics last night, from perspectives on death to John Mayer and bathing suits, but the overall consensus was that it was a worthy read. Buy it from Amazon.com, or read more about it on Colum McCann's website. And of course, comment on it below!