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A bit of a slog. But still a thorough look at how the myth of Rudy came to be. Mostly due to Rudy's tireless efforts to make it so.
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Grand Illusion: The Untold Story of Rudy Giuliani and 9/11
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Rudy Giuliani emerged from the smoke of 9/11 as the unquestioned hero of the America's Mayor, the father figure we could all rely on to be tough, to be wise, to do the right thing. In that uncertain time, it was a comfort to know that he was on the scene and in control, making the best of a dire situation. But was he really? Grand Illusion is the definitive report on Rudy Giuliani's role in 9/11—the true story of what happened that day and the first clear-eyed evaluation of Giuliani's role before, during, and after the disaster. While the pictures of a soot-covered Giuliani making his way through the streets became very much a part of his personal mythology, they were also a symbol of one of his greatest failures. The mayor's performance, though marked by personal courage and grace under fire, followed two terms in office pursuing an utterly wrongheaded approach to the city's security against terrorism. Turning the mythology on its head, Grand Illusion reveals how Giuliani has revised his own history, casting himself as prescient terror hawk when in fact he ran his administration as if terrorist threats simply did not exist, too distracted by pet projects and turf wars to attend to vital precautions. Authors Wayne Barrett and Dan Collins also provide the first authoritative view of the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, recounting the triumphs and missteps of the city's efforts to heal itself. With surprising new reporting about the victims, the villains, and the heroes, this is an eye-opening reassessment of one of the pivotal events—and politicians—of our time.
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Genres
politicsnonfictionhistory
400 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1,2006
This edition
- Format
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400 pages, Hardcover
- Published
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August 22, 2006 by Harper
- ISBN
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9780060536602
- ASIN
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0060536608
- Language
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English
Characters More characters
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Rudy Giuliani
An American lawyer, businessman, former politician, and public speaker from New York. He served as Mayor of New York City from 1994 to 2001. Giuliani gained international attention for his leadership during and after the September 11, 2001 attacks on the ...
About the author
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Wayne Barrett was an American journalist. He worked as an investigative reporter and senior editor for The Village Voice for 37 years, and was known as a leading investigative journalist focused on power and politics in the United States. He is known as New York City's "foremost muckraker."
“Our credo must be the exposure of the plunderers, the steerers, the wirepullers, the bosses, the brokers, the campaign givers and takers,” Barrett once said to journalism students at his alma mater, Columbia University. “So I say: Stew, percolate, pester, track, burrow, besiege, confront, damage, level, care.”
“Our credo must be the exposure of the plunderers, the steerers, the wirepullers, the bosses, the brokers, the campaign givers and takers,” Barrett once said to journalism students at his alma mater, Columbia University. “So I say: Stew, percolate, pester, track, burrow, besiege, confront, damage, level, care.”
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Giuliani as a mayor was concerned with huge gap in the
City’s budget. Concerned with getting elected mayor he refused to accept Dinkin’s proposals to shore up building codes at the World Trade Center after the 1993 building. Giuliani was obsessed with getting ahold of the airports which were under the Port Authority and selling them to private companies. When he was thwarted and took it out on them by withholding funding and scaring away people who used to buy bonds or pay fees at the Trade Center. Giuliani never tried to get the police and fire to work together better and make sure they had good equipment. He many not have been able to. He was heavily involved in big Pharma and promoted OxyContin. Many in government were shocked when he tried to get them to change the laws so he could serve a third term. No one knows where he was at all times during 9/11. He has told different stories. He’s not a great person. Now we know he is worse.
City’s budget. Concerned with getting elected mayor he refused to accept Dinkin’s proposals to shore up building codes at the World Trade Center after the 1993 building. Giuliani was obsessed with getting ahold of the airports which were under the Port Authority and selling them to private companies. When he was thwarted and took it out on them by withholding funding and scaring away people who used to buy bonds or pay fees at the Trade Center. Giuliani never tried to get the police and fire to work together better and make sure they had good equipment. He many not have been able to. He was heavily involved in big Pharma and promoted OxyContin. Many in government were shocked when he tried to get them to change the laws so he could serve a third term. No one knows where he was at all times during 9/11. He has told different stories. He’s not a great person. Now we know he is worse.
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I loved the man but then this book came around. Read it to find out.
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This book really revealed much about Giuliani that I did not know. Basically, I didn't know anything about him - just went by his actions on Sept 11 and the few days after, when he displayed such leadership.
It was such an illuminating read about how all the things that happened before 2001 factored into the tragedies that occured that day. From the location of the emergency center to the brand and types of radios the fire department used.
Got the feeling from these authors that they really know NYC, and they have a keen understanding of how politics is played there. The bottom line, Rudy Giuliani's pretty good, but not the hottest sh!t.
It was such an illuminating read about how all the things that happened before 2001 factored into the tragedies that occured that day. From the location of the emergency center to the brand and types of radios the fire department used.
Got the feeling from these authors that they really know NYC, and they have a keen understanding of how politics is played there. The bottom line, Rudy Giuliani's pretty good, but not the hottest sh!t.
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Every New Yorker should read this book. A really detailed account of how Guiliani did nothing on 9/11 except for his previous inactions that ended up in the death of so many firefighters. Giuliani was just as useful on 9/11 as I was sitting in my house in Queens at the ripe old age of 1.
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Can Gullian's Response Sustain A Whole Book?
First of all, I have to say I didnt read the promo close enough, and mistakenly thought this was a full bio. Having read about 20 % of the book so far, it's been interesting, but a little repetitive. And , quite frankly, I'm wondering if Gulliani's accomplishments and failures can sustain a full book. Guess I'll continue reading & find out.
First of all, I have to say I didnt read the promo close enough, and mistakenly thought this was a full bio. Having read about 20 % of the book so far, it's been interesting, but a little repetitive. And , quite frankly, I'm wondering if Gulliani's accomplishments and failures can sustain a full book. Guess I'll continue reading & find out.
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Found this book very hard to get into. Feels like a lot of needless repetition. Seems informative but too drawn out.
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Alternate subtitle: Giuliani has always been awful.
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