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11 September 2011

A 9/11 reader

Ten of the best articles on the tenth anniversary of the attack.

By Helen Lewis

In the morning of September 11, 2001, 19 hijackers took control of four commercial airliners, piloting two in to the World Trade Center in Manhattan, and another into the Pentagon in Washington. The final plane, United 93, was brought down by passengers in Pennsylvania.

Some 2,977 people died as a result, as well as the 19 hijackers. To commemorate the tenth anniversary of the attacks, here are ten articles – old and new – giving a range of perspectives on those events.

1. Where were you on 9/11?

For its 9/11 special issue, the NS asked politicians, writers and other leading figures for their memories of the day. From Rory Stewart in Nepal to Stephen Evans in the World Trade Center, they provide a fascinating insight into the day that defined a generation.

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2. Ten Years On: Your Memories

In recent days, The Guardian has tried a unique crowd-sourcing project, inviting readers to submit their own remembrances of the day. The result is a far more international perspective on the attacks than many other media outlets have managed.

3. Simply Evil

Christopher Hitchens’s thinking was profoundly affected by the events of September 11 (more here). This is his response to the anniversary.

4. How the fear of being criminalised has forced Muslims into silence

Mehdi Hasan on the demonisation of Muslims. . .

5. “You no longer have rights

. . . and three incredible stories of discrimination, collected by McSweeneys.

6. The Falling Man

One of the most acclaimed pieces of journalism to follow the attacks, this piece tried to trace the identity of the man pictured falling from the burning Towers.

7. Perpetual warfare

John Gray puts the attacks in a wider historical conflict, exploring the decade of conflict which began in 2001.

8. How to write a horror film and How did Hollywood handle the tragedy?

Two film critics assess the cinematic response.

9. The Twins of the Twin Towers

Of the 3,000 who died in the towers, 46 were twins. In the Daily Mail, the survivors tell their story.

10. The day that changed my city

In a moving piece, the Independent‘s David Usborne relives the day in Manhattan, and explores why he dreads its anniversary so much.

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