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

On September 11, 2001 the United States grounded all planes in its airspace and locked down its borders after the Twin Towers and Pentagon were struck in a terrorist attack. This unprecedented move caused the 4,546 aircraft in US airspace to scramble for a place to land, but even more difficult was what to do with the 400 incoming international flights. Most were coming from Europe across the Atlantic. What to do with them? Those that had not yet hit the halfway point, could turn around (not an easy task in itself), but the others had to find a place to land in Canada. And Canada accepted them all, despite the suspicions of US and Canadian officials that there were more terrorists on some of those flights.

The tiny town of Gander was show more home to an international airport with a long runway, legacy of World War II and pre-747 airplanes. Thirty-eight planes carrying 6,595 crew and passengers would land in Gander and spend the next six days in this town of less than 10,000 people. This book is about who some of those "plane people" were and how they were welcomed and cared for in this tight-knit community. Some of the issues that the townspeople faced were: how to deal with nicotine-deprived passengers before they could deplane, how to get fill prescriptions for people from dozens of different countries (passengers were never allowed access to checked baggage due to security), what to do with the animals flying in the cargo hold, including two very rare bonobos monkeys, how to provide kosher food for three Orthodox Jews in a town with no Jewish community, what to do with all the children, etc., etc.

I devoured in one sitting this book about a feel-good moment amidst the horrors of 9/11 and its aftermath. The stories were heartwarming, and the logistics were fascinating. The book only mentions in the afterward some of the negative issues surrounding the people and the effects of the attention paid to Gander after the book (and subsequent musical and documentary). It's focus is definitely on the overall positives, but I was okay with that. So many books about 9/11 have focused on the heartbreak, it was nice to read something uplifting. show less

I haven't read any books that deal with 9/11. Though the events were ten years ago, they seem closer than that to me, and have shaped much of my adult life. I wanted to somehow commemorate the tenth anniversary of September 11, but I was afraid to read something that might turn dark and dismal. This story of townspeople reaching out to people whose planes were forced to land when U.S. airspace was shut down would be just the thing - true, yet uplifting. Still, especially in the beginning, when various people - pilots, air traffic controllers, the mayor of Gander - hear about or watch the planes fly into the towers, my heart starts pounding and my muscles tense. I find myself curling up tight in my chair, breathless. I didn't expect such show more a visceral response, or to feel instantly transported to the confusion and fear of that day, only my second week of college classes, the first class an English class from 9:30-11:15, our professor never breathing a word (did he not know?). And I remember how strange was the absence of the noise of airplanes, then the recurrence of them overhead.

There were 6,132 passengers, plus pilots and crews, on the flights diverted to Gander, Newfoundland. The townspeople could have put up a few shelters, called in the Red Cross, and called it a day. Instead, DeFede tells the stories of ordinary and extraordinary kindnesses - people giving their own towels to shelters, opening their homes, offering rides, and filling prescriptions free of charge. The stories of 6,000+ people could not fit in one book, but the stories of several are told here, often switching back and forth quickly between people keeping events in roughly chronological order through the several days Gander and the surrounding towns embraced their unexpected guests. Their stories made me laugh and cry in turn. I can't promise that I'll read any other books about 9/11, but I'm certainly not disappointed I read this one. show less

Yes. Another 9/11 story. Wait a minute though! For the most part, this is an uplifting telling of the thousands of passengers, basically equal to the town's entire population grounded in Gander, Newfoundland as the events of 9/11 unfolded in the United States. The residents of Gander were living examples of compassion, generosity of spirit as well as of material goods. The individual stories of incredible thoughtfulness are well told and reaffirm the qualities of humanity which seemed in doubt that day. Excellent read!

I read The Day the World Came to Town by Jim Defede for my RLBG. Even after 20 years, I still found myself emotional over 9/11 and its aftermath. Maybe it's because of all we have lived through in those 20 years. Defede tells the story of Gander, Newfoundland (pronounced Newfin-land, reminds with understand), the town at the edge of the sea where 48 jets landed when the United States air space closed.

Gander, along with its neighboring towns, stepped up to host the passengers in a way that made it seem that had been waiting for this to happen. Perhaps it is just the nature of a small town where everyone works together in different organizations and churches to be able to organize quickly and efficiently. They were generous in opening show more their homes to the strangers for showers, meals and extra beds.

Defede interviewed many of the townspeople and passengers for the book and tells it from a variety of points of views. He shows how, even in just a few days, human beings can make lifelong connections. In the 20th anniversary edition, he provides an afterword that follows the lives of the main characters.

The book is Defede's love story to Newfies. But, he points out in the afterword that the town of Gander is not some kind of perfect paradise. In fact, as the story opens, the bus drivers are on strike. That detail jarred a little from what I had heard of Gander. The drivers did abandon their strike for the few days they were needed, but went back to it after the emergency was over. Defede mentions some of the other controversies that have taken place in the past two decades and that some people in Newfoundland aren't comfortable with what they see as capitalizing on the terrible events of 9/11.

A good read and I am looking forward to talking it over with the group later today. show less

On a subject you would think would bring memories of awful events and sadness, this book brought me joy. During the past week-end of horrific events, the stories written here restored my faith in humanity. It is most definitely a 4 star read, but it gets the fifth one for these reasons.

On September 11, 2001 when U.S. airspace was closed, 38 jetliners, approaching from all over the world, were forced to either turn back or land at the nearest airport in Canada. I remember this being a part of the "breaking news", but I don't ever recall finding out what happened to those planes and passengers. This is their story and the story of the "Newfies" who threw open their doors and for 4 days put their own lives on hold to see to the wants and show more needs of the stranded passengers.

I have a lot of favorite stories from this read, but my all time favorite is the story of The Screech. Sorry no spoilers here-you will have to read it yourself. But I will leave you with my favorite quote:

Their actions were more than just taking in passengers whose flights had been delayed. The Newfoundlanders had provided a caring haven for hundreds of a people at a moment when they were scared and far from home. They were made to feel safe and secure when the world around them seemed anything but.

Gander, Newfoundland has made my bucket list. show less

This is NOT a book about the tragic events of September 11.

This IS a book about what happened that day and the days that followed those events. The book only touches briefly on 9/11, but mainly focuses on the planes diverted to and landing in Gander, Newfoundland. The stories of these people are complex, interesting and diverse. We have a family who adopted a little girl and were trying to get back home, a Hugo Boss executive who would NEVER sleep on the floor but did during his time in Gander, parents of a NYC firefighter awaiting word as to whether or not he is alive, and several animals.

It tells about how the stranded flights were not allowed to disembark right away and how some of the flight attendants gave carte blanche to the show more beverage carts on the planes while waiting days before they could leave the planes.

Most importantly, it tells the stories of all the townspeople of Gander, Newfoundland and how they embraced these newly-stranded and very scared people (dubbed the "plane people") by opening up their homes and their hearts to them, offering them the use of their shower, kitchen and homes. They donated towels and toiletries and offered to bring them to a store to buy new clothes because the luggage was still on the planes.

Definitely a MUST read. show less

Mind. Blown.
I have had this on Mt. TBR for way too long but finally sat my butt down to read it once they announced the upcoming Broadway show. While I have doubts about how this will translate to stage, I fell in love with the book.

Everyone knows the basics of how/why the world came to Gander but while Gander became synonymous with 9/11, I don't know how many people realized it was the entirety of New Foundland that stopped their lives to help the "plane people". And that's what grabbed me. From the Chairman of Hugo Boss to parents of Kevin O'Rourke, FDNY killed in the Towers to, to an Orthodox Rabbi who later met the only Jew in New Foundland to Barbara Fast, an Army Brigadier General based in Stuttgart...

Each of these people were met show more & welcomed by the everyday people of Gander, Lewisporte, Gambo, Appleton and many other towns in New Foundland who became chauffeurs, cooks, hotel operators and every other need you could think of for those stranded in the five - six days after 9/11 with US airspace closed. This book, which reads like a novel, showed the good hearts of the Newfies and how both hosts and guests' lives were changed not just by the attacks on the US, but by the good people they met.

Also "understand New Foundland" may be the best mnemonic for remembering how to pronounce the island's name. show less