The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland

How does the way DeFede tells the story of Gander reflect his journalism training? Draw on at least three different passengers’ stories, and discuss the effect of his journalism background in telling them.

School officials at Lakewood Academy put up a map of the world, inviting passengers to pin the places they were from. Ultimately, 40 countries had pins. In what other ways does the book reinforce the idea in the title that “the world came to town”?

On the fourth day, Beatles tribute band members Paul Moroney and Peter Ferris sang four songs at the Trailways Pub. What was the significance of each song, and how did the performance capture the experiences of passengers stranded throughout Newfoundland in the aftermath of 9/11? Use specific examples of passenger experiences.