Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann

Exquisite. A novel that is intricately plotted, but those intricate ways serve to illuminate the central tale by exploring its many facets. The parade of characters are wonderfully written. Sometimes it is not clear what role they play but McCann plays the role of both writer and director, shuffling folks on and off stage. This was the first novel of McCann's that I have read and I am eager to read more of him.

McCann is writing about the lives of New Yorkers on and around the day in August 1974 when Philippe Petit snuck a tightrope between the two World Trade Center towers and then walked between them. It is a moment of joy in the early days of the two buildings that go on to represent disaster, attack and horrible death in the world (9/11 plays no part in the novel). "Let the Great World Spin" does not glorify New York of 1974, instead it goes to the mean streets of The Bronx. Heroin and prostitution might as well be characters too considering the large parts they play.

If we understand the history of the World Trade Centre is one of hopeful to hopeless, this novel builds around people who largely have tales that go in the opposite direction. Of course the ones who fall from that arc will break your heart.

One quibble - it seemed as if too many pop culture references have been scrubbed from the story. Aside from two children watching Sesame Street and one character loving to attend the Metropolitan Opera, it seems a sterile environment. No Yankee scores, pretzels, bagels, pop music or fashion. 

On my still to be fully hashed out rating system, I give this novel quadruple rejoices (with half a rant).

Terrorist by John Updike (2006) purchased in 2013

I don't know what inspired me to purchase this novel. I had read a few Updike titles over the years and enjoyed them. He died in 2009 and I think I am guilty of neglecting him in recent years. Perhaps that should be recent decades. There was a recent review in The Globe and Mail of a new Updike biography that caught my eye. Sometimes I put obstacles between the impulse to buy a new book and reality. The reality in this case was that I had a few unread John Updike books gathering dust around the house, so read them first became my task. I am very glad that I did.

I was amazed that Updike was, if not "hip", very aware of modern life in post 9/11 America. He writes of Islam in the US, of the tension that the holy (of many faiths) feel when faced with the freedoms of the modern world. Updike explores tensions throughout the story. Urban renewal and decline is a current than runs through "Terrorist" as is the impact that patterns of immigration have had on modern USA.
So it is a believable plot thanks to Updike's willingness to make The Koran an important part of the tale. The characters were smartly written (with one exception, Beth Levy the librarian wife of the school teacher Jack). I would be interested to hear what the younger generations say about the teen aged characters. They appealed to me, but was that an old writer to an old reader bias?
I would not recommend the book to a fan of action titles, but it had a fair amount of tension and curiosity as the events built.


Updike loved America.  You detect it in his careful observations and detailed descriptions of old schools, decaying cityscapes and even steeples in this novel. I am inspired to read more. I figure two more titles and then I get to buy the biography.

I have yet to fully work out my rating system, but I am giving Terrorist a double rejoice.

Introduction

For a ranting rebel, my writing seems to seek routine.

I have been writing book reviews in a few places on the digital landscape. It seems like a good time to use the blog format to bring them together under one roof.

Stay tuned.