The World Trade Center Remembered

Rising dramatically above all other skyscrapers at the tip of Manhattan, the World Trade Center symbolized New York. From any direction, the Towers were lodestars, Manhattan's local mountains. As New Yorkers desperately seek a path toward healing, following the dark events of September 11th, they have been reminiscing about the view of the Towers they once had from their homes and offices. Visitors too are remembering how the WTC looked as they approached Manhattan by car or by plane or from the water. The WTC was a compass. As we mourn for the terrible loss of life, we also want to remember. The 72 images of the World Trade Center presented in this book depict a New York we once knew, one we are now working to rebuild. For more than two decades, practically since the Twin Towers were erected, Sonja Bullaty and Angelo Lomeo have been photographing these awesome buildings. The pictures featured portray the WTC from all directions, starting with views from the east at dawn, and ending with evening views from the west. There are panoramas from Brooklyn, Lower Manhattan, New Jersey, and uptown, taken in all seasons, as well as a section showing the grand Plaza at the centre of the buildings. Together, they create a portrait of the Twin Towers. Paul Goldberger's text evokes the Towers and the city they came to symbolize. He recalls how they evolved in the public mind, targets of criticism to beloved American icons. He explains their architectural significance and explores their visceral meaning to New Yorkers. In contrast to books depicting the disaster and the days following it, this photographic memoir should be welcomed by all of us - New Yorkers and visitors alike - who yearn to remember the way life was.