September 11

The September 11 Collection is a curated selection of titles examining the events, impacts, and aftermath of September 11, 2001. Through the lenses of historical fiction, poetry, and nonfiction written by a diverse range of authors, these texts explore themes that include fear, grief and loss, and racism.

Publication year 2016Genre Novel, FictionThemes Relationships: FamilyTags Historical Fiction, September 11 Attacks, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Romance, Arts / Culture

All We Have Left is a historical novel written by Wendy Mills. The book was published in 2016, and was included on Best Book of the Year lists by Kirkus, Amazon and Bank Street. The work is based upon the impact of the terrorist bombings of the World Trade Center in New York City on September 11, 2001, and is directed at a young-adult audience. The story is told from the perspective of two teenaged... Read All We Have Left Summary


Publication year 2001Genre Essay / Speech, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Nation, Society: CommunityTags Race / Racism, Social Justice, September 11 Attacks

Publication year 2018Genre Novel, FictionThemes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Relationships: FriendshipTags Auto/Biographical Fiction, Race / Racism, September 11 Attacks, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance

A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi is a 2018 semi-autobiographical young adult novel set in America one year after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Sixteen-year-old Shirin, a Muslim girl born in America to Persian immigrant parents from Iran, experiences intolerance and hatred in her school and the outside world. Shirin tries to maintain emotional distance from peers to protect herself, but the hesitant romance that develops between Shirin and Ocean... Read A Very Large Expanse of Sea Summary


Publication year 2003Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: BeautyTags September 11 Attacks, British Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Indian Literature

The chief protagonist of Brick Lane was born in an East Pakistan village in 1967, prior to Bangladesh Liberation War. In 1971, the nation won its independence only to suffer through a devastating famine and political turmoil marked by a succession of military coups. The narrative mostly takes place in 2001, concerning events in a Muslim immigrant community in London before and after the World Trade Center tragedy. In this span of a woman’s life... Read Brick Lane Summary


Publication year 2005Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Relationships: Family, Society: WarTags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Drama / Tragedy, Grief / Death, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, September 11 Attacks, Modern Classic Fiction

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is a realistic fiction novel written by Jonathan Safran Foer and based on the September 11 terrorist attacks that occurred in New York City in 2001. The novel was originally published in 2005. Its characters grapple with Fear of Death and Loss as an Obstacle to Living, The Complex Nature of Relationships, The Importance of Little Things, and The Influence of the Past on the Present. This guide uses the... Read Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close Summary


Publication year 2007Genre Novel, FictionThemes Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Safety & DangerTags Historical Fiction, American Literature, September 11 Attacks, History: U.S., Modern Classic Fiction, History: World

Falling Man is a 2007 novel by American author Don DeLillo. The novel explores the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City. This guide uses an eBook version of the 2011 Picador edition of Falling Man.Plot SummaryOn September 11, 2001, a group of 19 Al-Qaeda terrorists hijacks commercial passenger planes and attempt to crash them into American landmarks. In addition to one plane that crashed... Read Falling Man Summary


Publication year 2019Genre Graphic Memoir , NonfictionThemes Relationships: Family, Identity: Race, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Fathers, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: The Future, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: LonelinessTags Race / Racism, Politics / Government, September 11 Attacks, Relationships, LGBTQ, Grief / Death, Parenting, Social Justice, Immigration / Refugee, Biography

Publication year 2021Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Relationships: Teams, Society: WarTags September 11 Attacks, Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Military / War, Realistic Fiction, History: World, Action / Adventure

Publication year 2020Genre Novel, FictionThemes Society: Immigration, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: ConflictTags Historical Fiction, Politics / Government, Immigration / Refugee, Social Justice, September 11 Attacks, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Race / Racism, History: U.S., Class, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World

Publication year 2011Genre Novel, FictionThemes Identity: Race, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Colonialism, Society: ImmigrationTags American Literature, Psychological Fiction, Immigration / Refugee, Race / Racism, September 11 Attacks, Modern Classic Fiction

Teju Cole’s first full-length novel, Open City was published in 2011 to widespread acclaim, winning the PEN/Hemingway Award, The New York City Book Award, and the Rosenthal Foundation Award. Open City made many lists of the best books of the year, including at the New York Times Book Review, the Los Angeles Times, and NPR. Cole was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan to Nigerian parents and spent most of his childhood in Lagos, Nigeria before returning... Read Open City Summary


Publication year 2001Genre Poem, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Equality, Emotions/Behavior: MemoryTags September 11 Attacks, Grief / Death, History: U.S.

Publication year 2003Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & BetrayalTags Historical Fiction, September 11 Attacks, Middle Eastern Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World

Khaled Hosseini’s debut novel, The Kite Runner, was published in 2003, two years after the events of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the US invasion of Afghanistan. Hosseini, the son of a diplomat for the Afghan Foreign Ministry, was born in Kabul, Afghanistan, and relocated to France as a child. When Afghanistan was thrown into turmoil by the Soviet occupation at the height of the Cold... Read The Kite Runner Summary


Publication year 2016Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Mortality & DeathTags Realistic Fiction, Romance, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, September 11 Attacks, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction

Publication year 2019Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Society: Globalization, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & DangerTags History: U.S., Crime / Legal, September 11 Attacks, History: World, Biography, Politics / Government

Publication year 2011Genre Novel, FictionTags Psychological Fiction, September 11 Attacks, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Religion / Spirituality

The Submission is a novel written by Amy Waldman and published in 2011. The novel takes place in the wake of the 9/11 tragedy. A jury has been tasked with judging the blind entries for a 9/11 memorial. When it’s revealed that the designer of the winning submission is Muslim, it sparks a public controversy.The memorial jury is composed of Paul Rubin, the chair; Ariana Montagu, an artist; Claire Burwell, a representative of the families... Read The Submission Summary


Publication year 2016Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Race, Society: Community, Relationships: FamilyTags Historical Fiction, Race / Racism, Relationships, Grief / Death, Diversity, American Literature, September 11 Attacks, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Realistic Fiction, History: World

Publication year 2009Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: GenderTags Gender / Feminism, Natural Disaster, September 11 Attacks, Creative Nonfiction, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Biography, Politics / Government

Zeitoun is a nonfiction narrative recounting the trials and ordeals of the Zeitoun family during Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath. Abdulrahman Zeitoun is a Syrian American who has built a successful business in New Orleans. With his wife, Kathy, an American who converted to Islam as an adult, and their children, Zeitoun feels a strong connection to his adopted city and country. He’s proud to be a builder and to help restore New Orleans in... Read Zeitoun Summary