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What Members Thought
These are richly composed characters, but the book still felt a bit like a creative writing exercise. Remember the movie Crash? Me neither, but I remember generally that the premise was that there was a car accident that brought random people's lives into intersection. That's this book.
Loosely structured around a tightrope walk between the Twin Towers in 1974, the book tells the individual story of a large handful of semi-related New York characters--the prostitutes, including a mother/daughter ...more
Loosely structured around a tightrope walk between the Twin Towers in 1974, the book tells the individual story of a large handful of semi-related New York characters--the prostitutes, including a mother/daughter ...more
The most amazing books I've read this year. The weaving together of stories just blew me away. The story begins with a beautiful description of New Yorkers catching sight of Phillipe Petit as he walks on a wire between the Twin Towers. Gorgeous writing. I remember a friend, Peter, saying that this book reminded him of why he loved literature. It felt that way to me as well. Also, how glibly we assume we know who someone is, what their story is. This is done so perfectly. Not an easy read but an
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This book tells the stories of ordinary people in a way that celebrates the extraordinary of everyday life. McCann weaves together with beautiful descriptions at an unhurried pace the lives of several 1970s New Yorkers (women 'on the stroll', upper east side mother, Irish monk...), who tangentially, yet irreversibly and critically brush up against one another on one day - the day Philippe Petit walked (played upon, ran across, irreverently laid down upon) a wire between the twin towers. This boo
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Did not live up to all the hype. The first few stories/characters were really kind of a drag. The writing was . . . too detailed. You know, where you can skip over the description of how the plastic bag slowly wafted down from the sky, and find that you didn't miss a thing and that the story is still in the same place as before you skipped and that the plastic bag was absolutely inessential to the story.
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Let the Great World Spin is, by far, one of the best books I have ever read. Personally, I love pretty much everything about NYC; especially its 'real' side that is portrayed in this book. This book sucked me in, plucked my heartstrings, and tickled my brain. I look forward to reading more by Colum McCann.
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Mar 30, 2010
Collin
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Sep 22, 2010
Laura
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Sep 29, 2010
Beth
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Jan 03, 2011
Bradley
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Jan 24, 2011
Kris Springer
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Jul 11, 2011
Amanda
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Aug 14, 2012
Gina
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Jul 18, 2013
Katie
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Dec 09, 2016
Molly
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Feb 13, 2020
Lauren
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