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

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

4.0 of 5 stars 4.00 · rating details · 944 ratings · 265 reviews

"For the better part of a week, nearly every man, woman, and child in Gander and the surrounding smaller towns stopped what they were doing so they could help. They placed their lives on hold for a group of strangers and asked for nothing in return. They affirmed the basic goodness of man at a time when it was easy to doubt such humanity still existed."

When thirty-eight je...more "For the better part of a week, nearly every man, woman, and child in Gander and the surrounding smaller towns stopped what they were doing so they could help. They placed their lives on hold for a group of strangers and asked for nothing in return. They affirmed the basic goodness of man at a time when it was easy to doubt such humanity still existed."

When thirty-eight jetliners bound for the United States were forced to land in Gander, Newfoundland, on September 11, 2001, due to the closing of United States airspace, the citizens of this small community were called upon to come to the aid of more than six thousand displaced travelers.

Roxanne and Clarke Loper were excited to be on their way home from a lengthy and exhausting trip to Kazakhstan, where they had adopted a daughter, when their plane suddenly changed course and they found themselves in Newfoundland. Hannah and Dennis O'Rourke, who had been on vacation in Ireland, were forced to receive updates by telephone on the search for their son Kevin, who was among the firefighters missing at the World Trade Center. George Vitale, a New York state trooper and head of the governor's security detail in New York City who was returning from a trip to Dublin, struggled to locate his sister Patty, who worked in the Twin Towers. A family of Russian immigrants, on their way to the Seattle area to begin a new life, dealt with the uncertainty of conditions in their future home.

The people of Gander were asked to aid and care for these distraught travelers, as well as for thousands more, and their response was truly extraordinary. Oz Fudge, the town constable, searched all over Gander for a flight-crew member so that he could give her a hug as a favor to her sister, a fellow law enforcement officer who managed to reach him by phone. Eithne Smith, an elementary-school teacher, helped the passengers staying at her school put together letters to family members all over the world, which she then faxed. Bonnie Harris, Vi Tucker, and Linda Humby, members of a local animal protection agency, crawled into the jets' cargo holds to feed and care for all of the animals on the flights. Hundreds of people put their names on a list to take passengers into their homes and give them a chance to get cleaned up and relax.

The Day the World Came to Town is a positively heartwarming account of the citizens of Gander and its surrounding communities and the unexpected guests who were welcomed with exemplary kindness.(less)

Paperback, 256 pages

Published August 14th 2003 by William Morrow Paperbacks (first published 2002)

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Feb 19, 2009 george rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: grown-up-books

I read this book a few years back when I picked it up while visiting Newfoundland. While I don't remember enough details to give a complete review, I remember really enjoying it. It's basically the tale of what happened when a whole lotta planes and 6,000 passengers and crew were grounded in Newfoundland on 9/11 due to the air restrictions. The tiny airport that had been all but abandoned since the invention of the jumbo jet was suddenly inundated with planes and passengers. The locals find out...more

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Jan 06, 2013 Fuzzy rated it 3 of 5 stars

I had a very interesting 2012 and one of the most interesting things—visiting Istanbul—turned into another unusual experience: our plane back had an engine die and we had an unplanned landing in Gander, Newfoundland. I was fascinated by the town and how a local industry was taking care of stranded travelers.

One of the stories that came up several times from locals was about how the town had dealt with 9/11. When American airspace was shut down that day, 38 planes carrying 6,000 people had to lan...more

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Nov 19, 2012 Michael Poresky rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Day the World Came to Town
This book is setup in a very different way. Instead of the normal chapters that are narrated by the author, there are accounts of different people’s stories. The book is about the issues after 9/11 and how people dealt with them. After the attacks all planes in the US airspace and planes that were inbound were grounded. Thousands of people were now stranded all over the continent. All planes that were going to the northeast were forced to land in a small airport in...more

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Sep 27, 2011 Nancy rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book was great! Made you feel that people really do care out there. If only each community could have this spirit......what a better place this world would be!!

"For the better part of a week, nearly every man, woman, and child in Gander and the surrounding smaller towns stopped what they were doing so they could help. They placed their lives on hold for a group of strangers and asked for nothing in return. They affirmed the basic goodness of man at a time when it was easy to doubt such huma...more This book was great! Made you feel that people really do care out there. If only each community could have this spirit......what a better place this world would be!!

"For the better part of a week, nearly every man, woman, and child in Gander and the surrounding smaller towns stopped what they were doing so they could help. They placed their lives on hold for a group of strangers and asked for nothing in return. They affirmed the basic goodness of man at a time when it was easy to doubt such humanity still existed."

When thirty-eight jetliners bound for the United States were forced to land in Gander, Newfoundland, on September 11, 2001, due to the closing of United States airspace, the citizens of this small community were called upon to come to the aid of more than six thousand displaced travelers.

Roxanne and Clarke Loper were excited to be on their way home from a lengthy and exhausting trip to Kazakhstan, where they had adopted a daughter, when their plane suddenly changed course and they found themselves in Newfoundland. Hannah and Dennis O'Rourke, who had been on vacation in Ireland, were forced to receive updates by telephone on the search for their son Kevin, who was among the firefighters missing at the World Trade Center. George Vitale, a New York state trooper and head of the governor's security detail in New York City who was returning from a trip to Dublin, struggled to locate his sister Patty, who worked in the Twin Towers. A family of Russian immigrants, on their way to the Seattle area to begin a new life, dealt with the uncertainty of conditions in their future home.

The people of Gander were asked to aid and care for these distraught travelers, as well as for thousands more, and their response was truly extraordinary. Oz Fudge, the town constable, searched all over Gander for a flight-crew member so that he could give her a hug as a favor to her sister, a fellow law enforcement officer who managed to reach him by phone. Eithne Smith, an elementary-school teacher, helped the passengers staying at her school put together letters to family members all over the world, which she then faxed. Bonnie Harris, Vi Tucker, and Linda Humby, members of a local animal protection agency, crawled into the jets' cargo holds to feed and care for all of the animals on the flights. Hundreds of people put their names on a list to take passengers into their homes and give them a chance to get cleaned up and relax.

The Day the World Came to Town is a positively heartwarming account of the citizens of Gander and its surrounding communities and the unexpected guests who were welcomed with exemplary kindness.(less)

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Jan 03, 2011 Kathy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: inspirational, nonfiction, newfoundland, september-11

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this heartwarming book. Here's a little blurb from the summary: "When thirty-eight jetliners bound for the United States were forced to land in Gander, Newfoundland, on September 11, 2001, due to the closing of United States airspace, the citizens of this small community were called upon to come to the aid of more than six thousand displaced travelers." I loved reading about how the people of this small community and how the passengers reacted to such an extreme and...more I thoroughly enjoyed reading this heartwarming book. Here's a little blurb from the summary: "When thirty-eight jetliners bound for the United States were forced to land in Gander, Newfoundland, on September 11, 2001, due to the closing of United States airspace, the citizens of this small community were called upon to come to the aid of more than six thousand displaced travelers." I loved reading about how the people of this small community and how the passengers reacted to such an extreme and unusual circumstance and how they really went above and beyond. I still strongly remember how I felt on 9/11 when I learned about the attacks, the gradual dawning of understanding of the magnitude of what had happened, the shock, the fear, the anger. At the time I read all the newspaper articles I could and watched a lot of TV coverage, just trying to understand. Then a few months ago when it hit the 10-year anniversary I watched some of the television programs about it. I am always fascinated by the stories of people, what their first hint was that something was wrong, how they realized what had happened, how they reacted.

I actually found this book when I did a search for books about Newfoundland. My parents leave in February to serve a 2-year mission there and I hope to visit them during that time. I wanted to learn more about the area and people and this book was a good choice. The people were amazing. They jumped right in to take care of all these stranded passengers in any way they could. They set up shelters in churches and schools and many offered up their homes. They brought in all the towels, sheets, clothes, toiletries, etc that they could round up. The passengers did not have access to their checked luggage. They offered comfort and support, rides around town, and friendship. They cooked for them and watched over them in the shelters. One store offered up anything they had for free to those in need including tents, sleeping bags, toys, etc. The local pharmacist spent hours and hours on the phone working out prescriptions for passengers who needed them. The local vet and animal lovers diligently cared for the animals from the flight, which were not allowed to be released from a hangar at the airport. An employee at a school that had set up a shelter worked to find kosher meals for three Orthodox Jews that hadn't been eating. She also arranged to convert the kitchen to kosher, including acquiring new pots, pans, utensils, etc, so they could cook there. So many stories of people going above and beyond! It was really touching.

It was also interesting to hear the different stories of how people learned what had happened and reacted to it. Imagine being on a flight to the U.S. and then being told that due to an emergency in the United States all air space had been closed. One passenger describes hearing that and how the man in front of her said that he had never heard of the United States closing all its air space. He kept repeating, "Never." They couldn't imagine what it meant, what could have happened. It told of the pilots piecing together what had happened and the fear that there could be another terrorist on their plane. One couple had a son who was a firefighter in New York and the fear and uncertainty they felt the whole time as they waited for word on him.

I was tearing up through probably the majority of this book just from the intensity of all the feelings, the fear, the sadness, the enormity of the situation, and also because of the touching kindness of the people. The residents offered up all they had with such generosity and kindness and the passengers handled a difficult and confusing time in an admirable way. It's a part of the 9/11 stories that is always so inspiring, people coming together and finding strength and hope in the midst of the horror and fear. (less)

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Oct 23, 2010 Joyce rated it 4 of 5 stars

I had seen a television documentary in the spring of 2010 about this story, so sort of knew what to expect. As with the television documentary, the part about the attacks of 9/11 made me sick... I will never not be sick when I think or hear about those attacks that day.

The story is, for the most part, uplifting as it describes the way the people of Gander take in and care for the passengers of the international flights that were detoured to their airport after the US airspace was closed. It is n...more

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May 25, 2010 Zohar - ManOfLaBook.com rated it 4 of 5 stars

f I started reading a book about 9/11 and a few pages into it found that an American General, a CEO of an international clothing conglomerate, several members of the board of a wealthy charity, an NYPD detective and parents of a firefighter who is lost in the World Trade Center were stuck in a small Canadian town in the middle of Newfoundland (not to mention a long-lost native son) I would have put the book away with a chuckle and started a new one.

Nevertheless, this is not fiction and the even...more f I started reading a book about 9/11 and a few pages into it found that an American General, a CEO of an international clothing conglomerate, several members of the board of a wealthy charity, an NYPD detective and parents of a firefighter who is lost in the World Trade Center were stuck in a small Canadian town in the middle of Newfoundland (not to mention a long-lost native son) I would have put the book away with a chuckle and started a new one.

Nevertheless, this is not fiction and the events really happen.

Even though I really liked the book, and even recommended it to my beloved wife, there are several glaring omissions.

First and foremost for me: there is no map.
The author goes to great length to describe the geographical region as well as the Gander's street layout (which is supposed to be shaped like the head of a moose) - yet...no map?
I find this to be unbelievable.

Second, the writing seems more like a collection of articles than a finished book. That's fine and it didn't bother me that much but I thought I should mention it.

Third, it would be nice to have appendices with a chart of the flights, departure, landings at Gander International Airport, etc.

Fourth, I would have liked to see more pictures. Again, this does not take away from the book but would have been a nice addition. There are several pictures in the book but they are small and grainy (much like...a newspaper article).

Fifth, where is the tourist info for Newfoundland? Come on guys, capitalize on this book. I've been to your area (but not Gander), it is a beautiful, gorgeous part of the world and true to the book - some of the nicest people in the world live there.

However, I still this book high marks because I did thoroughly enjoyed it since it is about the people of Newfoundland and not about the big events happening around them. The only part which took away my personal enjoyment was the first bullet point I mentioned (and yes, I did google the town and found the map but I still can't "see" the moose head layout). (less)

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May 04, 2010 Barb rated it 4 of 5 stars

everyone should read this true story to add some uplifting memories to our tragic recollections of 9/11. don't bother remembering the names, not at all important. just countless, amazing acts of kindness from the "newfies" people in the gander, canada area. wow! thanks, mary jane, for finding this book and allowing me to read it. loved it.

here is a review from amazon: The events of September 11 have seemingly been covered, analyzed, and discussed from every angle imaginable. So the subject matt...more

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Mar 04, 2011 dee rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everybody who can read

Recommended to dee by: Jasbir

Shelves: non-fiction

An amazing story. I couldn't put it down. I want to move to Newfoundland now. When 38 jetliners bound for the US were forcd to land in Gander, Newfoundland, on September 11th the citizens of this communinity rallied together to care for thousands of stranded and very disturbed travelers. There was no stone unturned as they showed compassion and caring like nothing I have ever read about. I have never read a book about 9-11 because even ten years later I just didn't want to. I thought I had heard...more

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Jul 26, 2010 Cris rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history, non-fiction, u-s-history

Until now I had never considered what kind of risk Canada took in accepting all those diverted flights. The US government was afraid there might be terrorists aboard other flights, right? So they shut down US airspace. But if there had been additional terrorists, they might very well have acted even after their flight was diverted. So Canada took a very real risk when they accepted so many orphaned flights.

The day the world came to town is very readable as Defede concentrates of relating individ...more

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Nov 30, 2012 Beth rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: bookcrossing, memoir-non-fiction, travel

Being an employee of American Airlines, and therefore forever tied to the events of 9/11/01 on a personal level, I can't believe I'd never heard of this book until recently. What a fantastic book it was. The writing itself is nothing fabulous, but the story is, as well as the way the author weaves the personal accounts of so many different people together to paint the overall picture. Imagine that 38 planes carrying more than 6,500 people from all around the world converged on the town of Gander...more

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Oct 23, 2012 Barbara rated it 5 of 5 stars

On 9/11/2001 thousands of flights were diverted after the attacks when the United States closed down it's airspace. This is the story of the small town of Gander, Newfoundland and the small surrounding communities population about 10,000 who welcomed 6,595 stranded passengers from all over the world and treated them like family for several days while they waited for flights to take them home. I am so glad that I read this book because the horror and tragedy from 9/11 is never far from the though...more

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Apr 08, 2012 Pam rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: biography

One of the best books I have read this year. When the U.S. shut down all the airports on 9/11, overseas flights crossing the Atlantic from Germany, Holland, England, Ireland, Russia, etc. had to either turn back or fly to Newfoundland, Canada. The airport at Gander was large enough to accommodate a good many airplanes. Bult in the mid-thirties, the airport was initially a military base shared by the U.S., England and Canada. It was the largest airport in the world at that time. Its runways were...more One of the best books I have read this year. When the U.S. shut down all the airports on 9/11, overseas flights crossing the Atlantic from Germany, Holland, England, Ireland, Russia, etc. had to either turn back or fly to Newfoundland, Canada. The airport at Gander was large enough to accommodate a good many airplanes. Bult in the mid-thirties, the airport was initially a military base shared by the U.S., England and Canada. It was the largest airport in the world at that time. Its runways were designed to accommodate the heaviest planes of the day. During the Cold War in the sixties and seventies, hundreds of people defected from Eastern Europe and Cuba to Newfoundland. Some stayed on in Gander. This was the logical place to direct the overseas flights to land while the U.S. airports were closed. Two hundred fifty-two planes were directed to Gander, meaning thousands would have to be cared for. The incredible part of the story is about how the people of Gander, Lewisporte, Gambo and all the surrounding small towns opened their hearts and homes to help and care for the thousands of passengers who arrived on these airplanes. The flight crews were directed to hotels, but the passengers were deplaned one plane at a time, and put through the strictest security. The airport officials, even the flight crews, were afraid that another terrorist who had not accomplished his crash mission, might be aboard one of the planes. Fortunately, no terrorists were found. The passengers were taken by school buses to the Lions Club, the local high schools, the community centers, the Legion. Cots were set up, and people donated blankets, sheets and pillows. Many in Gander even invited groups of passengers into their homes to shower and rest. All the restaurants in town donated food, stores donated clothing and necessities. Many life-long friends were made in the five or six days the passengers stayed in Canada. Finally on the sixteenth, the last of the people were able to return to their homes. I recommend this book to everyone to enjoy, and even shed a tear or two for those who lost friends and family in the 9/11 trajedy.(less)

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Feb 06, 2009 Liralen rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is the account of when a large number of Jumbo Jets headed for the US on 9/11 had to land in Gander, Newfoundland, landing tens of thousands of overseas fliers in the town on nearly no notice at all. The number of people that came in outnumbered the population of the town, but the town gathered all its resources and welcomed them in.

This was written by a reporter after the fact, and he went around gathering the stories, so it's all second-hand accounts. I occasionally found the degree of re...more

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Dec 12, 2011 Clytee rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really liked this book and read it in a couple of days (which is fast for me). It relives 9/11 in an upbeat way. When the US airspace closed on 9/11, incoming flights from Europe had to land in Canada. This town of Gander, Newfoundland had a large airport because is was historically where many military and commercial flights would re-fuel between the US and Europe. Thirty- eight flights ended up landing there with 6,595 passengers and crews, in a town of 10,000 people. This journalist intervie...more

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Mar 08, 2011 Keri-Lynn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Fascinating book and logistical wonder. I am truly impressed with all the research and interviews that went into telling the multiple stories that blended to create this book. With so much tragedy and pain coming out of 9/11 it was very nice to read about positive things and how individuals rose to the occasion when presented with a challenge. The author chose to concentrate most of the book on stories we can all relate to but he also included some unique individuals and their exploits. Very wel...more

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Jul 26, 2009 Lis rated it 3 of 5 stars

An enjoyable read about what happened to those in the air on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001. Maybe because I lived in Utah at the time - or maybe because it was really never discussed (crazy to think there was a detail like this overlooked in a 24-hour news cycle!) - I had no idea that Gander, Newfoundland, took on 7,000 people and 500 members of flight crews for three days afterward. I had a difficult time keeping track of what details when with whom; there were folks who were mentioned once, ne...more

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Feb 19, 2009 Cathy Campbell rated it 5 of 5 stars

When thirty-eight jetliners bound for the US were forced to land in Gander, Newfoundland on Sept. 11, 2001, due to the closing of US airspace the citizens of this small community and surrounding towns immediately began to care for the thousands of distraught travelers. Gander's response to this challenge was truly extraordinary. They found temporary housing for the passengers, cared for the animals that were on the flights by crawling into the cargo areas of the planes, one elementary teacher fa...more

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Oct 14, 2009 James rated it 5 of 5 stars

I wish I could capture the conversation that results when you try to recommend this book. Here's a try:

Reader: I found this great book, you'd really like it.
Friend: Oh, what is it about?
Reader: It's about 9/11 ...
Friend: (Face contorts into uncomfortable cringe)
Reader: ... when all these international flights to the United
States were diverted to Gander, Newfoundland and how accomodating the natives were to the strandees.
Friend: Let's talk about something else.

While I count myself among the crow...more

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Jul 06, 2012 Stitchywoman rated it 3 of 5 stars

Recommended to Stitchywoman by: Assigned reading for work

Shelves: nonfiction

The book has a great premise, another side of 9/11. However, I found the book redundant. I get it, I get it already. The town of Gander is filled with saints. I also found the story hard to follow at times. There were people that walked in and out of the story and it was difficult to keep them all straight. The story itself was difficult to follow. The book kept jumping from story to story to the point that I was loosing track of what day in the drama we were in.

My review might be a little hars...more

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Jul 24, 2011 Jean rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction

On September 11, 2001, 38 airliners were forced to land in Gander, Newfoundland, because US airspace was closed after the terrorist attacks. This is the story of what happened during the time the travelers were in town. DeFede follows several groups of passengers and Canadians as they cope with the tragedy and live during the days before they could leave. Good people, stupid people, no really bad people although the captain of one airplane told passengers they were going on to the US, to get the...more

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Mar 06, 2013 Nola rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: general-nonfiction

When United States air space was closed following 9/11, hundreds of international planes were in the air and could no longer land at their original destinations. In this award-winning book, journalist Jim DeFede tells the fascinating story of what happened when 38 of those international flights were diverted to the small town of Gander in Newfoundland, Canada. With a population of about 10 000 people, Gander and surrounding communities suddenly found themselves hosting more than 6000 passengers...more When United States air space was closed following 9/11, hundreds of international planes were in the air and could no longer land at their original destinations. In this award-winning book, journalist Jim DeFede tells the fascinating story of what happened when 38 of those international flights were diverted to the small town of Gander in Newfoundland, Canada. With a population of about 10 000 people, Gander and surrounding communities suddenly found themselves hosting more than 6000 passengers and crew for the best part of a week. In the midst of the tragedy unfolding in New York, the goodwill of the Newfie hosts showed that there is another side to humanity and that kindness and generosity can make a profound difference in the lives of others.

Defede gives a day by day account of the events, but brings his story to life by tracking the experiences of some of the people involved. We hear about the Texan couple who’d been returning to the United States with the little girl they’d just adopted from Kazakhstan, the Chairman of the Hugo Boss fashion label who had to buy underwear at Walmart, the older couple whose fire fighter son was among the missing in New York, the Vice President of the Rockefeller Foundation who ran her business from a school in one of the neighbouring towns, and the rare Bonobo monkeys who were on their way to a zoo.

But it’s the people of Gander and the surrounding towns who are the real stars of this book. They put their lives on hold to help those in need and often went out of their way to help. When they found out there were some Orthodox Jews among the passengers, they cooked Kosher meals. If someone needed a break from the schools and halls where most of the passengers were staying, they’d invite people back to their homes to have a meal and a shower. When they realised how many animals were in the cargo holds of the planes, they organised for their care. The generosity went both ways as firm friendships were formed and passengers and crew in turn blessed the townsfolk.

I did get a little bogged down about two-thirds of the way through the book as some of the stories started to sound a little repetitive, but the stories were still fascinating and made me think about how my own community might respond in a similar situation. This is a feel-good book that leaves you with the resolve to add a little kindness to your own world. Strongly recommended.
(less)

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Mar 09, 2012 Sandra rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A wonderfully touching story of how a small town took people from around the world under their wing when they got stranded in Gander by 9/11. Restores your faith in the goodness of the average person.

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Oct 08, 2009 Karen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: family, government, historical, non-fiction

Thank you Jim DeFede for letting people know about the kind and selfless people of Gander, Newfoundland and the surrounding towns. This should have been covered in the media after the 9/11 attacks to show the world that the majority of people are willing to help their fellow humans.
This book talks about how the people in Gander put their lives on hold to help the more than 6,000 people stranded on their island when the airplanes they were aboard on 9/11/2001 were told to land in Newfoundland bec...more

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Oct 22, 2012 Patrice rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: october-challenge, 2012-books-read, favorites

Wow. This was an awesome book. The author did an amazing job in gathering the information about the events that took place leading up to the closed air space over the United States on 9/11 and through the subsequent days until air space was reopened and re-telling it in an easy to read manner. When you read this book you are brought into the lives of a number of passengers and crew from the numerous planes that were forced to land in Gander, Newfoundland as well as the lives of the tireless and...more

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May 21, 2011 Lynda rated it 3 of 5 stars

Probably due to the fact that I married a Newfoundlander and so have met a ton of those wonderful people, I had a soft spot for this book even before reading it. Still, it was sweet and told some of the many stories of the 6,595 world travelers who landed in Gander, Newfoundland -- a town of about 10,000. The people sprang to action, opening up their homes, showers and hearts to the stranded and shaken passengers on the 38 planes force to land by the closing of US airspace on Sept. 11, 2001. I w...more

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Dec 29, 2012 Ingrid rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult-books, adult-non-fiction

On 9/11 the United States closed its airspace and many flights bound for the US wound up in Canada. This book details what happened in the small town of Gander when many international flights were diverted there. The people of Gander were really amazing and did everything possible to make their unexpected guests comfortable while they were in Canada. This is really a feel good story. It also made me appreciate what Canada did for the United States on that terrible day. There was really no way fo...more

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Feb 28, 2010 Michelle Moses rated it 4 of 5 stars

"The Day the World Came to Town" is more than just a feel good story. It gives you a glimpse into the Newfie way of life. They know how to put "unity" into community. A lesson we can all learn from and strive to put into practice in our own lives and neighborhoods.

There are two people's stories that left a lasting impression on me. The first is when the old Jewish man went to visit the Rabbi. I just wonder why some people do the things they do.

Number two: I must go out and invest in a pair of Hu...more

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Sep 11, 2012 Kelli Stephenson rated it 2 of 5 stars

Great topic and the people of Gander were AMAZING, but I did not care for the way this book was written. It was choppy and just never seemed pulled together. i would have rather read a few stories all the way through. It just seemed a bit superficial (not profound or thorough, really just grazed the surface). But I have never really heard much about what happened to all of the diverted planes so that was interesting to me.

Seriously, though, how can no one have thought of the animals? Were they n...more

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Feb 01, 2011 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction

This is a very readable book, quick and easy. Its approach is a little journalistic, which makes sense considering that the author's background and writing career is in journalism. The story is heartwarming. It is so incredible to read about good things happening on 9/11 in other parts of the world. The story is written about several specific people who's flights get diverted to Gander, Newfoundland, after United States airspace closed down on 9/11. The stories are unbelievable, heartwarming, he...more

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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/148775.The_Day_the_World_Came_to_Town?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1349061052l/148775.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/148775.The_Day_the_World_Came_to_Town?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland by Jim DeFede[/url]

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

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

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