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New York September 11
"The date, September 11, 2001, now has a certain permanence, graven on ourcollective memory, like a very few others December 7, 1941, and November 22, 1963, dates which seem to separate yesterday from today, and then from now. They become the rarest of moments; ordinary people will forever be able to tell you where they were and what they were doing when they first heard the news, as if the terrible deed had happened to them, which in some ways it did."
— from the introduction by David Halberstam
By now, the story of September 11 has been burned into our collective memory, but few have seen New York from the perspective of Magnum photographers. Eleven members of the legendary photo agency immediately dispersed from their monthly meeting in New York as the events unfolded to document the incomprehensible. Their photographs, by turns haunting, surreal, and breathtaking, are collected together in 'New York September 11, by Magnum Photographers', compellingly presented in this high-quality edition from powerHouse Books. From their various vantage points we are transported to Ground Zero to witness the destruction of the World Trade Centre, the buildings’ implosion which sent thousands fleeing through the streets from debris, only to return to the scene in quiet observation and respect for the rescue workers whose jobs had only begun—and of the mourners who had been gathering struck with grief.
— from the introduction by David Halberstam
By now, the story of September 11 has been burned into our collective memory, but few have seen New York from the perspective of Magnum photographers. Eleven members of the legendary photo agency immediately dispersed from their monthly meeting in New York as the events unfolded to document the incomprehensible. Their photographs, by turns haunting, surreal, and breathtaking, are collected together in 'New York September 11, by Magnum Photographers', compellingly presented in this high-quality edition from powerHouse Books. From their various vantage points we are transported to Ground Zero to witness the destruction of the World Trade Centre, the buildings’ implosion which sent thousands fleeing through the streets from debris, only to return to the scene in quiet observation and respect for the rescue workers whose jobs had only begun—and of the mourners who had been gathering struck with grief.
144 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 2001
3 people are currently reading
147 people want to read
About the author
David Halberstam
98 books863 followersDavid Halberstam was an American journalist and historian, known for his work on the Vietnam War, politics, history, the Civil Rights Movement, business, media, American culture, and later, sports journalism. He was awarded a Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting in 1964.
Halberstam graduated from Harvard University with a degree in journalism in 1955 and started his career writing for the Daily Times Leader in West Point, Mississippi. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, writing for The Tennessean in Nashville, Tennessee, he covered the beginnings of the American Civil Rights Movement.
In the mid 1960s, Halberstam covered the Vietnam War for The New York Times. While there, he gathered material for his book The Making of a Quagmire: America and Vietnam during the Kennedy Era. In 1963, he received a George Polk Award for his reporting at the New York Times. At the age of 30, he won a Pulitzer Prize for his reporting on the war. He is interviewed in the 1968 documentary film on the Vietnam War entitled In the Year of the Pig.
Halberstam's most well known work is The Best and the Brightest. Halberstam focused on the paradox that those who shaped the U.S. war effort in Vietnam were some of the most intelligent, well-connected and self-confident men in America—"the best and the brightest"—and yet those same individuals were responsible for the failure of the United States Vientnam policy.
After publication of The Best and the Brightest in 1972, Halberstam plunged right into another book and in 1979 published The Powers That Be. The book provided profiles of men like William Paley of CBS, Henry Luce of Time magazine, Phil Graham of The Washington Post—and many others.
Later in his career, Halberstam turned to the subjects of sports, publishing The Breaks of the Game, an inside look at the Bill Walton and the 1978 Portland Trailblazers basketball team; an ambitious book on Michael Jordan in 1999 called Playing for Keeps; and on the pennant race battle between the Yankees and Red Sox called Summer of '49.
Halberstam published two books in the 1960s, three books in the 1970s, four books in the 1980s, and six books in the 1990s. He published four books in the 2000s and was on a pace to publish six or more books in that decade before his death.
David Halberstam was killed in a car crash on April 23, 2007 in Menlo Park, California.
Halberstam graduated from Harvard University with a degree in journalism in 1955 and started his career writing for the Daily Times Leader in West Point, Mississippi. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, writing for The Tennessean in Nashville, Tennessee, he covered the beginnings of the American Civil Rights Movement.
In the mid 1960s, Halberstam covered the Vietnam War for The New York Times. While there, he gathered material for his book The Making of a Quagmire: America and Vietnam during the Kennedy Era. In 1963, he received a George Polk Award for his reporting at the New York Times. At the age of 30, he won a Pulitzer Prize for his reporting on the war. He is interviewed in the 1968 documentary film on the Vietnam War entitled In the Year of the Pig.
Halberstam's most well known work is The Best and the Brightest. Halberstam focused on the paradox that those who shaped the U.S. war effort in Vietnam were some of the most intelligent, well-connected and self-confident men in America—"the best and the brightest"—and yet those same individuals were responsible for the failure of the United States Vientnam policy.
After publication of The Best and the Brightest in 1972, Halberstam plunged right into another book and in 1979 published The Powers That Be. The book provided profiles of men like William Paley of CBS, Henry Luce of Time magazine, Phil Graham of The Washington Post—and many others.
Later in his career, Halberstam turned to the subjects of sports, publishing The Breaks of the Game, an inside look at the Bill Walton and the 1978 Portland Trailblazers basketball team; an ambitious book on Michael Jordan in 1999 called Playing for Keeps; and on the pennant race battle between the Yankees and Red Sox called Summer of '49.
Halberstam published two books in the 1960s, three books in the 1970s, four books in the 1980s, and six books in the 1990s. He published four books in the 2000s and was on a pace to publish six or more books in that decade before his death.
David Halberstam was killed in a car crash on April 23, 2007 in Menlo Park, California.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
October 4, 2019
The 21 photographers whose work feature in this poignant book have produced some astonishing photographs and have put their lives at risk in capturing them. The result is an amazing book that captures much of the activity and the sadness that was experienced on 11 September 2001.
In his introduction David Halberstam sets the twin towers in their geographic location, states what they mean to New Yorkers and the people of America and explains that over 87 years from World War I 'America had been spared the ravages of the last century of modern warfare'. But he adds that all that ended with the bombing of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, ending his view with 'We had come to believe as a people, protected as we were for so long by our two great oceans, that we were immune to the awful damages and cruelties and viruses of the rest of the world.'
As for the photographs, they are awful in their intensity but somehow they make for compulsive viewing as they do capture the devastation and horror of the situation. And many of the photographs have been taken very soon after disaster struck. Photographers, hearing the explosions or seeing the carnage on television, all dashed to the scene, taking their lives in their hands to capture the action.
Ewan Fairbanks was working in downtown Manhattan when the first aircraft crashed into the first tower. When he heard the commotion he ran out of his office with his video camera and began filming, capturing the moment the second aircraft crashed into the second tower and he ended up with some extraordinary footage.
Steve McCurry could not believe that one tower had collapsed and then the second went the same way - he captured it all on camera. And he was later to discover that his best friend had died in the disaster. Meanwhile Susan Meiselas had gone out from her apartment early to breakfast with a friend when she heard a radio report about a plane hitting one of the World Trade Center towers. She returned to her apartment, got out her bicycle and headed to the disaster area where she encountered messengers still delivering packages and crowds of people heading uptown. She eventually managed to get into Ground Zero to witness, and capture on camera, the devastation at close quarters.
Alex Webb captures one remarkable photograph from the rooftops of Brooklyn Heights; in the foreground a mother feeds her infant son while in the distant background is dominated by the smoke, dust and fire of the towers. Paul Fusco could not get into Ground Zero and he ended up photographing people's reactions to what had happened, 'I think people were in a state of shock,' he said, adding, 'You could almost hear them thinking, "What does this mean? What do I do now?"'
All the photographers have something personal to say about what they were photographing and their testimonies add to the horror of what was before them. It is a remarkable book, which ends with some historic shots of the Twin Towers in happier times.
In his introduction David Halberstam sets the twin towers in their geographic location, states what they mean to New Yorkers and the people of America and explains that over 87 years from World War I 'America had been spared the ravages of the last century of modern warfare'. But he adds that all that ended with the bombing of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, ending his view with 'We had come to believe as a people, protected as we were for so long by our two great oceans, that we were immune to the awful damages and cruelties and viruses of the rest of the world.'
As for the photographs, they are awful in their intensity but somehow they make for compulsive viewing as they do capture the devastation and horror of the situation. And many of the photographs have been taken very soon after disaster struck. Photographers, hearing the explosions or seeing the carnage on television, all dashed to the scene, taking their lives in their hands to capture the action.
Ewan Fairbanks was working in downtown Manhattan when the first aircraft crashed into the first tower. When he heard the commotion he ran out of his office with his video camera and began filming, capturing the moment the second aircraft crashed into the second tower and he ended up with some extraordinary footage.
Steve McCurry could not believe that one tower had collapsed and then the second went the same way - he captured it all on camera. And he was later to discover that his best friend had died in the disaster. Meanwhile Susan Meiselas had gone out from her apartment early to breakfast with a friend when she heard a radio report about a plane hitting one of the World Trade Center towers. She returned to her apartment, got out her bicycle and headed to the disaster area where she encountered messengers still delivering packages and crowds of people heading uptown. She eventually managed to get into Ground Zero to witness, and capture on camera, the devastation at close quarters.
Alex Webb captures one remarkable photograph from the rooftops of Brooklyn Heights; in the foreground a mother feeds her infant son while in the distant background is dominated by the smoke, dust and fire of the towers. Paul Fusco could not get into Ground Zero and he ended up photographing people's reactions to what had happened, 'I think people were in a state of shock,' he said, adding, 'You could almost hear them thinking, "What does this mean? What do I do now?"'
All the photographers have something personal to say about what they were photographing and their testimonies add to the horror of what was before them. It is a remarkable book, which ends with some historic shots of the Twin Towers in happier times.
December 9, 2020
“After all the words we’ve heard, all the images we’ve seen, we’re still struggling to understand what happened in the world that day.”
This is quite a powerful and impressive selection of photos taken by Magnum photographers on 9/11. There are many that will be familiar to most, but there are also a number which are not as well known, and needless to say many strike a harrowing and plangent chord with what they capture.
This intentionally excludes some of the more gruesome and graphic scenes that happened that day, which almost makes this more sinister as you are left to fill in the gaps, but nevertheless this is still a poignant and memorable collection.
September 11, 2019
I had never seen many of these photos before. Necessary documentation of an extraordinary day.
April 10, 2011
Got this book at a box sale. It sat on a shelf and collected dust. Why did I keep it? I have no idea.
I decided that I didn't need it clutteringup my life anymore and I decided that I'm going to give it to my library.
Someone might appreciate it better. I was only 9, when it happened. I had no idea and I had no connection.
I have never been to New York, and I have a different nationality, but I did feel just as vunerable.
The pictures are powerful and wrenching, it would probably mean so much more to someone who was actually there, maybe someone who lost a loved one.
September 11, a day forever changed.
I decided that I didn't need it clutteringup my life anymore and I decided that I'm going to give it to my library.
Someone might appreciate it better. I was only 9, when it happened. I had no idea and I had no connection.
I have never been to New York, and I have a different nationality, but I did feel just as vunerable.
The pictures are powerful and wrenching, it would probably mean so much more to someone who was actually there, maybe someone who lost a loved one.
September 11, a day forever changed.
June 28, 2012
"I don't trust words, I trust pictures."
-Gilles Peress
When you read this, remove all those 9/11 conspiracy theories in your head, remove all prejudices, this is one date that practically changed the whole world.
If I have to choose, the strongest picture in this collection would be the one by Susan Meiselas: an eerie photograph of a lone sculpture covered in ashes and dust, accompanied by hundreds of papers around him.
Made you understand what 'frozen in time' really means.
December 14, 2015
Photographies tend to express lots of things about real deep human emotions( i.e you can see them clearly in their facial expressions ) , it was an amusement to read this documentary book to some extent . It contained mainly photos, witnesses , and some versions of how people lived these moments ..I was 04 when it happened , I was in my grandma's house , and I still do remember this day, I have clear visions and images of The tours , the planes, thr collapse, maybe it was the first time in my life I realised America existed XD :D I have clear rootY souvenirs of that day :3 !
September 11, 2015
The pictures really do an awesome job of telling the awful story of what happened that day. My students weren't even born on this terrible day, and I believe they need books that capture the pain and memories in an appropriate way. I'm taking this to school tomorrow to share with them.
October 25, 2018
A well presented photographic journey through the momentous historical day showing all the tragedy and the resilience in a way that only photos can. Real and terrible and yet with that glimpse of jope shining through the dark.
July 21, 2018
The photographs say everything. The book and the pictures move you to immediately and it felt like September 11 was just yesterday. Just seeing the pictures can get me into teary eyes.
June 30, 2022
Outstanding photographs and writing documents one of the worst days in our history.
April 2, 2023
The pictures are very powerful very sad day in America but the history about how they went through it.
September 24, 2007
Beautifully documented, stark and respectful compilation of images--probably the most ingrained, collectively.
There was also a small but powerful exhibition of select photographs from this book at the Smithsonian Institution's Arts & Industries building in 2002. I was working next door at the Freer/Sackler Gallery at the time, and used to visit it every day when I went for coffee. Like the book, the exhibition was stark and understated; few visitors even seemed to notice it. Nor did they seem to notice the singed American flag, unceremoniously hanging within reach on the far wall. It was actually recovered from the World Trade Center site. So many people passed beneath it, rarely bothering to look up.
This book reminds me as much of that experience as it does of 9/11 itself. And while it's certainly not a pleasant memory, it's an important one; and the book does an exceptional job of bringing that day and that event vividly to life.
There was also a small but powerful exhibition of select photographs from this book at the Smithsonian Institution's Arts & Industries building in 2002. I was working next door at the Freer/Sackler Gallery at the time, and used to visit it every day when I went for coffee. Like the book, the exhibition was stark and understated; few visitors even seemed to notice it. Nor did they seem to notice the singed American flag, unceremoniously hanging within reach on the far wall. It was actually recovered from the World Trade Center site. So many people passed beneath it, rarely bothering to look up.
This book reminds me as much of that experience as it does of 9/11 itself. And while it's certainly not a pleasant memory, it's an important one; and the book does an exceptional job of bringing that day and that event vividly to life.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews