Don DeLillo is an American author born on November 20, 1936 in New York City. During his childhood, DeLillo was not interested in writing, but his apathy toward literature changed when he took on a job as a parking attendant. The work was so repetitive and meaningless that he often read during his shifts, sparking a new-found love for the art of words. He went on to graduate from Cardinal Hayes High School and earn a degree in Communications at Fordham University.
One of DeLillo’s many works is entitled Falling Man, published in 2007. The novel tells the story of Keith Neudecker, a middle-aged man who has lived through the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The majority of the book deals with his life after the incident and how he copes with the violence he has witnessed firsthand.
Upon its publication, Falling Man received positive reviews for its provocative depiction of terrorist attacks and the mental impact it can have on a survivor. Frank Rich of The New York Times lauds DeLillo by stating that he “in exquisite increments lowers the reader into an inexorable rendezvous with raw terror.” It is no surprise that Falling Man lives on to be one of Don DeLillo’s most enduring pieces.
