Genre: Non-fiction
Four stars: * * * *
This is a harrowing true story of deception centered around survivors of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Centre towers. I had the fortune of standing on top of the towers one month before the attacks on my first visit to the US. The day of the attacks, all the video footage and panic is still etched vividly in my memory and I was at home, across the Atlantic from where it happened. It's still inconceivable to me now that they literally crumbled to the ground. I can't imagine the experience of those who were there that day. This unbelievable story is captivating and moving and is an account beyond survival of this harrowing moment in history and deals with betrayal, loneliness, mental illness, friendship and much more.
Synopsis
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.
My thoughts
I've always been fascinated by human psychology, stories that are hard to comprehend and somewhat mysterious and bizarre. It's why I studied psychology and it drives my entire career in social research. Naturally this book too piqued my interest right away. I was immediately heavily immersed in the writing. It's easy to read and follow the story and the people who feature in it. There are many detailed descriptions of the events that day and personal accounts of the horrors experienced and witnessed so please consider this before reading if you're sensitive to this.
I think there could have been more focus on Tania's mental health issues and personal struggles that spurred on her deception. While some suggestions to her background are made, she's left as somewhat of an enigma in many ways. Perhaps this is simply because the authors and others are not entirely aware of it. None the less, this was a fascinating story of an unfolding deception and additionally of the plight of the 9/11 survivors to be better recognised in the aftermath of the atrocities - something I didn't know anything about.
About the authors
Robin Gaby Fisher is a news feature writer for The Star-Ledger in Newark, New Jersey's largest daily newspaper. She specializes in telling stories about regular people living through extraordinary circumstances. She has twice been a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for feature writing, in 2001 and 2005. She has been the recipient of the National Headliner Award and the Nieman Foundation at Harvard's Taylor Family Award for Fairness in Newspapers. She lives with her family in New Jersey and Vermont. (As taken from her Goodreads profile).
Angelo J. Guglielmo Jr. is an award-winning documentary filmmaker. He is the producer and director of the documentary The Woman Who Wasn't There. Born in New York, he was accepted into the American Film Institute but chose to make the award-winning documentary Idling Brando instead. Idling Brando follows Hollywood legend-in-the-making Dennis Woodruff, a homeless actor searching for his big break while living out of his car on the streets of Los Angeles. The film was screened in over 21 film festivals around the world, including Slamdance, Chicago and Columbus. He has written screenplays for the feature films Days of Grace, which has been optioned by Academy Award-winner Lee Grant, and the thriller Sleeping Dogs Lie, which is in development. His 9/11 documentary, The Heart of Steel was an official selection at The Tribeca Film Festival, The American Film Festival, and has played at The White House, The United Nations, The US State Department, and is on exhibition at the Tribute Visitor Center at Ground Zero. His latest project, The Woman Who Wasn't There, is in post production and is produced by Academy Award winner, Ross Kauffman (Born Into Brothels) in association with Meredith Vieira Productions. (As given on Amazon.com.au).
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