September, 2011: Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann

(Book #17) Marcia hosted this gathering and served the pot pies that were put in the oven in the book but never eaten! Well, not the same ones, you get the reference. The pot pies were served with a salad, bread, and a cake with cherries on top — just like the one that the hookers gave Corrigan.

Sharon commented that she particularly liked the chapters about the man on the wire and we discussed Phillipe Petit, his book and movie and the accuracy of McCann’s description of his walk.  We talked about the people below who couldn’t believe their eyes — and compared that to a more recent time when we looked at the towers and couldn’t believe what we saw. We mentioned other characters we enjoyed, Grace and Gloria, as well as the characters who lost our interest — the guy who sought out the subway tagging and the hackers. One of the girls asked if we thought that Corrigan was mentally ill which led to a discussion of the fine line between religious zeal and insanity. It’s a novel that provides a great many parts to piece together.