Wednesday, July 13, 2011

That Day in September - Artie Van Why

Publisher:  Lulu.com
Pages: 108
Source:  I received a review copy from the author
Genre:   memoir, 9/11

My Review:

Artie Van Why’s novel  “That Day In September” is one of those books that will stay with you for a long time after you read it.  I know there will be many who won’t read a book like this because they just want to forget the events of that day.  I don’t and I can’t.  To me forgetting the events is like forgetting all of those who perished that day. 
Artie gives us a first hand, eyewitness look at that day.  In many ways his story is the same as others we may have heard or read about.  In many ways it is different.  Everyone was affected  differently that day.  For many who lived in New York and witnessed first hand the terror,  the events are permanently etched in their minds.  Some of them may have been able to move on with their lives,  and many of them have been so affected by that day that it was necessary to move away.  Artie gives us a look into his life before and after 9/11.  I cried throughout this book.  I brought back so many emotions and thoughts.  We carried our emotions on our sleeves for months.   On pages 53- 54 of his book he is talking about finding out that two young men in his apartment building had been victims of this day and how doing simple things such as buy flowers to be placed on the table at the memorial set up in the lobby of their building was a way to grieve those he did not personally know yet felt a connection to.  Many of us grieved for those we did not know that lost their life that day.  It was and is a part of the healing process.  This book brought back all of those raw feelings and emotions in me.  That is not a bad thing.  The healing process takes years.  It doesn’t mean we are stuck in a situation it means we still care deeply about those things.  Reading books like Artie’s makes us realize that we were all there that day even if we were not standing on a corner across from the Towers or Pentagon.  Emotionally we were all there and it changed all of us.  Artie gives us a look into his own life and how it changed him.  I challenge you to read this book and see the connections with your own life.  I will tell you right now.  If you are like me you need to make sure you have a box of tissues handy.  I will recommend this book to all of my friends.  It is one of the better stories of 9/11 I have read.  It gives us a glimpse into the effect emotionally, socially, and professionally that these events had on people like you and I.  If I awarded stars on my blog this would definitely be a 5 star book.

Check out his Book Trailer  http://youtu.be/7KYI1qU5Hoo

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