Publication: The New York Review of Books March 9, 2017
Reviewed Books: "Power at Ground Zero: Politics, Money, and the Remaking of Lower Manhattan" by Lynne B. Sagalyn; "One World Trade Center: Biography of the Building" by Judith Dupré; "Who Owns the Dead? The Science and Politics of Death at Ground Zero" by Jay D. Aronson

The tragedy of 9/11 defined the beginning of the 21 century. Passing through airport (which I do a lot) is a reminder of the loss of the innocent times. As is the war on terrorism that seems to be everywhere and all the terrorist attacks from the last decade. But for New York, the reminder is there every day - at the site where the Twin Towers stood. And where a new project is getting built.

Filler is looking at this site and what happened there in the last years - from the financial abuses and the politics to the architecture and the books. In theory the essay is a review of 3 books but it is also an essay on the issue plaguing the new towers. Dupré's book is mentioned just once (and in a comparison with a better book on the same topic at that) - I am not sure why it is even listed as reviewed (except maybe because the author had to read it after all).

On the other hand, the other two books are covered beautifully - Sagalyn's as the definitive account of the story of Ground Zero and Aronson's as the story of the dead and the story of just when someone needs to give up in the search of the people they lost. I am not sure I had realized that there are still people that had never been identified - that are presumed dead but no trace of them had been found. And Sagalyn's book is telling a story of greed and politics - in a place where it should have been all about the people that died. And more importantly - the ones that survived.

A highly recommended review - even if you do not plan to read any books on the topic. Although especially at the beginning of it, it is very heavy with architecture talk (which I usually do not understand).