"Let the Great World Spin" by Colum McCann

349 pages

In August 1974, a mysterious young man walked a tightrope between the two towers of the World Trade Center. That really happened, and in "Let the Great World Spin" Colum McCann creates up a collection of stories surrounding that event. Characters include a radical Irish monk who struggles with his own demons among prostitutes in New York City; a funky young artist who drives away from a hit-and-run; a group of mothers who meet to mourn their sons who died in Vietnam; and a 36-year-old grandmother who turns tricks alongside her teenage daughter. Each of these characters, as well as several others, tells part of their story as the perspective shifts back and forth among them.

If had to describe this book in only two words, they would be "beautiful and "heartbreaking." Cheesy as that sounds, it's the best way I can come up with. I found myself reading certain parts out loud to my husband. I loved having the perspective of all the different people and trying to guess how their stories came together at the end. I thought the characters were vivid and totally relatable, and I was satisfied with the conclusion. My only complaint is that there were a few loose ends--random characters we read about in the middle and then ever hear from again. All in all, though, a fantastic book that should be a great book discussion title.