City in the Sky: The Rise and Fall of the World Trade Center - Brief Article - Book Review

Science News, Nov 22, 2003

When the scale model of the twin towers first arrived in architect Minoru Yamasaki's office, it was too tall for the ceiling. At that point, even the buildings' designers stood in awe of how massive the 1,350-foot towers would be when constructed in 1970. Most people's emotions about the buildings are quite different today.

Two reporters for The Now York Times reflect on the World Trade Center by detailing the history of the towers' construction and collapse. They begin with David Rockefeller and William Zeckendorf's zeal for the project, which overcame stiff opposition from storekeepers around the site as well as design and construction hurdles. Glanz's background in physics serves this writing team well as the authors dissect the engineering intricacies of the buildings and explain why the structures crumbled on Sept. 11, 2001. Glanz and Lipton remind readers that the Empire State Building withstood the impact of a B-25 bomber--loaded with fuel--that crashed into the building and burned in 1945. The authors reveal that from the twin towers' inception, several people questioned the buildings' capacity to sustain such a hit. This heavily researched book carefully dissects the events and aftermath of 9/11 and looks toward the future, as new structures for the site are contemplated. Times, 2003, 428 p.,. b&w plates, hardcover, $26.00.