I feel pretty grown up and pretty darn cool saying that I am in a book club. My high school girlfriends decided that we needed to find an excuse to get together on a regular basis {outside of weddings and baby showers} and figured a book club was the perfect way. Our very first meeting was a raging success filled with wine, pizza and actually talking about books {we weren't entirely confident we would ever actually discuss books at our book club and were prepared to be more of just a club}. For our first read we decided on The Woman Who Wasn't There by Robin Gaby Fisher and Angelo J. Guglielmo, Jr.
This book is about a 9/11 survivor with an incredible story about her experience in the South Tower and her husband who died in the North Tower. This women uses her incredible story to spearhead a 9/11 survivors network and works tireless to help heal survivors suffering from survivor guilt and get their group noticed and heard amongst all the support geared towards families who lost loved ones and the rescuers. But it turns out, much of this story doesn't match up.
Synopsis via Amazon.com: "Tania Head’s astonishing account of her experience on September 11, 2001, was a tale of loss and recovery, of courage and sorrow, of horror and inspiration. It transformed her into one of the great victims and heroes of that tragic day. But there was something very wrong with Tania’s story—a terrible secret that would break the hearts and challenge the faith of all those she claimed to champion.
Told with the unique insider perspective of Angelo J. Guglielmo, Jr., a filmmaker shooting a documentary on the efforts of the Survivors’ Network, and previously one of Tania’s closest friends,The Woman Who Wasn’t There is the story of one of the most audacious and bewildering quests for acclaim in recent memory—one that poses fascinating questions about the essence of morality and the human need for connection at any cost."
Overall, I thought this was a good book. It's always interesting reading about 9/11 and this book was no exception. I did feel like the book was filled was a lot of unnecessary information that really didn't add anything to the story - it felt like the authors were just throwing in some historical information just to beef up the content. I was also a little disappointed in the ending. Going in I knew the gyst of how it would end, but overall I thought it was a bit anti-climatic. But, with that being said, it's a quick and interesting read that will definitely inspire some post-read google time to find out more about this woman who told a pretty incredible lie and maintained it for quite some time.
Next up for book club, Where'd You Go, Bernadette?
Anyone read either of these books?
Thoughts?
7 comments:
Book clubs, with great girls, are so much fun! I'll put this book on my list, thanks for sharing.
you will LOOOOOVE were'd ya go bernadette!! such a fun and perfect book!! i'm in a neighborhood book club-- and i'm the youngest by at least 15 years. BUT its totally fun (even if we actually talk about the book!), and it got me reading things i would never pick up!
Never read that one, but sounds interesting.
Where'd You Go, Bernadette is SO GOOD. You're going to love it - well written and the story keeps you guessing!
I read The Woman Who Wasn't There and loved it. I do agree that the ending was a bit disappointing. The documentary movie of the same name (done by the author Angelo Guglielmo) is better than the book was, in my opinion. There is a lot of film of Tania in the documentary that is fascinating to watch when you know she is lying the whole time.
I haven't read The Woman Who Wasn't There, but I watched the documentary and it was amazing! And as for Where'd You Go, Bernadette, I read it in one sitting. It's definitely a good choice.
You really are cool and grown-up once you're in a book club. I wish I could be more like you!!!! ;) You've intrigued me with this book now, I might just have to check it out!
i need to be in a book club ASAP. life dream. no seriously. HAHA
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