Peter Caty/The Mirror Irish author Colum McCann spoke Tuesday at the University about his 2009 National Book Award novel.
On the morning of Aug. 7, 1974, Philippe Petit strung a wire between the new Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City. He went on to step out on the wire, a quarter of a mile above the pavement, and walk across eight times in a span of 45 minutes, while New York’s everyday citizens looked above in wonder and admiration.
Author Colum McCann spoke at the University on Tuesday night, and discussed his most recent book titled Let the Great World Spin, which won the 2009 National Book Award for fiction.
McCann begins his story with the aerial crime, but he enriches the novel with stories that submerge the reader in several varied, intense, and emotional lives of ordinary citizens who were witnesses to the history made by Petit.
As McCann stated, “It starts out with this angel almost in the sky, and it goes down into the depths of the city.”
The intimate accounts of these fictional characters, which extend from a Bronx drug-addicted hooker to an Irish priest, are eventually interconnected to the point that their experiences describe the vibe of the entire city.
During the presentation, McCann read a few passages from the novel, and spoke about the amount of research it took to get in touch with the characters was made apparent to the audience.
“I was impressed with the way he wrote it and recited it because it seems very creative in terms of point of view and it seemed less like a novel and more like short snippets into the minds of the obscure characters,” said Jon Lisi, a sophomore at Fairfield.
Although McCann’s novel is mainly a depiction of 1970s New York and concentrates on the emotions of the lives being lived in its pages, it is hard to ignore its comparison to the events of present time.
McCann introduces a variety of social and historical issues, the most reevant being 9/11.The newly constructed Twin Towers represent a beginning in the novel, rather than the destruction and terror we associate them with today.
“It was a perfect way for me to look at what is happening now while writing about the past. Vietnam somewhat substituted Iraq, and there are also comparisons between technology, art, and faith,” McCann said.
McCann is able to adopt unique voices, tones, and narrative styles between different character story lines, creating vivid pictures while commenting on powerful and relevant themes. He brings out the soul and spirit of his numerous characters, and successfully connects them by showing how they endure as well as displaying their humanity.
“The real world interests me much more when it is blended with the imaginary. I tried to create portraits that I could inhabit and own. Even though I wrote this in my office, I journeyed and met with these characters,” he said.
McCann’s message is that whether you are walking on a high-wire or merely trying to live a simple life, “There is still an invisible tight-rope wire that we all walk, with equally high stakes, only it’s hidden to most, and only one inch off the ground.”
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