Everyone old enough to be aware of what was happening remembers where they were on September 11th, 2001. Here, experts discuss the causes and history of 9/11, as well as exploring the books on the consequences of that fateful day.
The key book on the run-up to 9/11 is The Looming Tower by American journalist Lawrence Wright, one of the most recommended books across our whole site. It's a detailed narrative history of the events leading to 9/11, was based on five years of research and hundreds of interviews, but reads like a thriller.
If you're looking for a book about the day of the attacks, how the events unfolded and how they were experienced by ordinary people, The Only Plane in the Sky is the first comprehensive oral history of 9/11. It comes extremely highly recommended as an audiobook, with veteran audiobook reviewer Robin Whitten describing it as "a punch to the stomach listening to it."
Below, you'll find all our interviews and book recommendations relating to 9/11, from the Saudi millionaire's son who was behind it, Osama bin Laden, to the endless wars it spawned, to the works of literature and fiction it has inspired.
The best books on 9/11, recommended by Yosri Fouda
Who was Osama bin Laden? How critical was he to the 9/11 attacks on the United States? What happened in the first 100 days at Guantanamo Bay? Who was in charge of the United States when George W Bush went into hiding? What should we make of all the conspiracy theories that have sprung up around the events of that day? Yosri Fouda, the veteran Egyptian investigative reporter, author and TV host talks us through his choice of the best books on 9/11.
The best books on Osama bin Laden, recommended by Peter Bergen
Many thought that 9/11 was the start of an Al-Qaeda assault on the West, but it turned out to be Bin Laden’s Pearl Harbor – a victory that led to strategic defeat – says Peter Bergen, one of the few reporters who met the Saudi-born militant.
The Best 9/11 Literature, recommended by Amy Waldman
Amy Waldman reported on the aftermath of 9/11 for the New York Times, but when it came to writing a book about it, she wrote a novel. The Submission was hailed as one of the best novels to come out of the tragedy, including by the Financial Times. Here, she chooses some of the best literature inspired by 9/11, including novels, a memoir and a book of poetry.
