St. Andrew’s Book Group

In memory of September 11th, the Book Club will read Jim DeFede’s book The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland as its September selection.

When 38 jetliners en route to the United States were grounded in Gander due to the closing of the United States airspace as a result of the 9/11 tragedy, Gander, Newfoundland abruptly almost doubled in size. The citizens of Gander welcomed the stranded passengers with an overwhelming display of friendship and goodwill. Over the course of almost a week, many of the passengers developed friendships with Gander residents that they expect to last a lifetime. This book recounts the inspiring story of the residents of Gander, Canada, whose acts of kindness have touched the lives of thousands of people exemplifying humanity and goodwill.