I still carry you around: A moment-by-moment account of the week that changed New York City and me forever

(Paperback)

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In this compelling autobiography, the author shares her account of 9/11 and the days that followed. Before going to sleep each evening, she furiously documented the chaos and humanity that surrounded her and New York City. Not wanting to forget anything, she detailed the long days wandering the island, volunteering at the Armory, and circumnavigating Ground Zero. Then she stuffed the story away for 20 years, too raw to read it. In 2021, she finally unearthed the manuscript and shared her story. What follows is a personal documentary of a city in crisis after the September 11, 2001, attack on the World Trade Center.

Written by a born and bred New Yorker, "I still carry you around" is raw, powerful, and unforgettable. She breaks down her account of 9/11 and the days that followed by offering an in-depth exploration of life during one of America's most painful weeks.

Here's how she spent her week:

9/11: Making my way downtown
9/12: Gotham in limbo
9/13: Mobilization at the Armory
9/14: Armory, second shift
9/15: Armory, final day
9/16: Suburban refugees
9/17: Business, not as usual
9/18: Approaching Ground Zero

A true American tragedy and a moment like no other, the healing process continues. Within these pages, the author opens her heart to share a real and honest account of a time that we will never forget.

Author Bio

JE Thompson is a born-and-bred New Yorker. She grew up in northern New York just 12 miles from the Quebec border. A week after college graduation, she bolted to New York City for a career in journalism (with just $500 to her name). She put in a few good years in the publishing industry before transitioning to advertising, where she has worked at top advertising agencies with Fortune 100 clients like UPS, USPS, SAP, IBM, and many other acronym-adjacent companies.

She's been a barmaid in London, a Corn Dog Factory manager, nursing home aide, legal proofreader, associate editor, freelance tech reporter, copywriter, content strategist and creative director -- to name just a few of her roles.

JE Thompson left New York in 2016, but is still in the ad business. She also runs writing workshops (www.wordswillflow.com). She's an Amherst Writers & Artists affiliate, certified to lead workshops in the AWA method, as described in Writing Alone & With Others by Pat Schneider, Oxford University Press.

To this day she keeps a close eye on the NYC real estate market. New York has not seen the last of her.