Esther Gottesfeld is the last living survivor of the notorious 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist fire and has told her story countless times in the span of her lifetime. Even so, her death at the age of 106 leaves unanswered many questions about what happened that fateful day. How did she manage to survive the fire when at least 146 workers, most of them women, her sister and fiance among them, burned or jumped to their deaths from the sweatshop inferno? Are the discrepancies in her various accounts over the years just ordinary human fallacy, or is there a hidden story in Esther’s recollections of that terrible day? Esther’s granddaughter Rebecca Gottesfeld, with her partner George Botkin, an ingenious composer, seek to unravel the facts of the matter while Ruth Zion, a zealous feminist historian of the fire, bores in on them with her own mole-like agenda. A brilliant, haunting novel about one of the most terrible tragedies in early-twentieth-century America, “Triangle “forces us to consider how we tell our stories, how we hear them, and how history is forged from unverifiable truths.
Not a quick start, but well worth the wait as the plot picked up. Triangle serves as a double (triple) meaning throughout this deeply moving novel of fact and fiction. The mix of science and music was woven throughout the book but I found myself skimming some of those parts. I was much more interested in Esther’s story than in the DNA of music. As the worst tragedy NYC had seen before 9/11, there were many frighteningly similar images portrayed in this book. It’s always good to read a book and learn something about American history at the same time.
Review:The Measure by Nikki Erlick was a book I waited far too long to read. I just couldn’t stomach the idea that everyone in the world would find out their relative life span. The whole idea of this scared me but when my book club chose to read it, I dug in with enthusiasm.I’m so glad I did. This book is more about life and how we live it, rather than about dying. It’s told by a cast of eight characters who are deeply affected by the strings they received. The length of the string parallels the length of your life. All the characters are struggling with their results because even if he or she gets a long string, there will still be people they know will be gone soon.How the world at large handles the strings was so well done. People are switching boxes hoping it could change their destiny. Support groups are offered. Protests occur. The world is in a very different place. Much of this book made me think about the differences between fate and destiny. This story offers many intertwined connections between the characters that makes for a powerful and meaningful ending. I’m so looking forward to what’s next from this author. @nikkierlick @williammorrowbooks William Morrow 📘 Would you open a box that told you how long your lifespan is?#themeasure #scifilight#bookreader #bookclubpick #goodbookfairy... See MoreSee Less
goodbookfairy Happy PUB DAY!!! Here are a fewhighlights:📚 Real Americans by @rrrrrrrachelkhong @aaknopf 📚 The Funeral Cryer by @wenyanwritesHanover Square Press 📚 The Demon of Unrest by @erikxlarson #crownbooks📚 Happy Medium by @sarahadlerwrites@berkleyromance📚 The Swans of Harlem by @kvalby @pantheonbooks 📚 Miss Morgan's Book Brigade by @jskesliencharles@berkleypub📚 Within Arms Reach by @annnapolitano@thedialpress📚 Effie Olsen's Summer Special by @rochBerkley Romanceey Romance 📘: What book would you bring If you were stuck deserted #pubday#pubweeky#happybpubdayp#newbooks#goodbookfairydbookfairy ... See MoreSee Less