Gauthier’s 9/11 Fiction, Empathy, and the Problem of Otherness makes a strong case for the cultural relevance of fiction within contemporary culture by examining an array of novels that address the 9/11 terrorist attacks—including texts that have not been discussed much by literary critics—and focusing on the ways in which they explore and reveal both the potential of empathy as a pathway toward reaching a cosmopolitan ideal, and all the obstructions that limit such possibilities. The book is timely in that it actively participates in and contributes to current scholarly critical debates surrounding both empathy and cosmopolitanism.

Magali Cornier Michael, Duquesne University

Tim Gauthier’s brilliant exploration of the possibilities and pitfalls of empathy illuminates both 9/11 fiction’s encounter with otherness and the terrorist attacks’ polarizing but also unifying potential. Combining theoretical sophistication with fresh and thoughtful analysis, 9/11 Fiction, Empathy, and the Problem of Otherness is a must read for anyone who wants to understand the role of empathy and cosmopolitan engagement in the fiction that emerged after those traumatic events.

Sonia Baelo-Allué, University of Zaragoza

None of the currently available critical literature on 9/11 fiction can match Tim Gauthier’s combination of theoretical sophistication and analytical rigor. His exciting new study furnishes new readings of the established canon of 9/11 texts, as well as provides ingenious encounters with less familiar texts, such as graphic novels and fiction from France. Gauthier’s study is now the place to begin for students and others interested in getting to grips with this body of work.

Robert Spencer, The University of Manchester