Bookstore feels firefighters' heat and cancels 9/11 author's reading

By David Mehegan, Globe Staff, 11/23/2002

he Harvard Square bookstore WordsWorth abruptly canceled a scheduled reading Thursday night by William Langewiesche, author of ''American Ground: Unbuilding the World Trade Center,'' after angry firefighters announced they'd picket the event. It was the store's first such cancellation, prompted by security concerns.

Protests were also expected at the author's reading last night in South Hadley - the last stop on a 16-city tour - but that bookseller was determined to go ahead. A New England authors' group, meanwhile, urged WordsWorth to reschedule the reading.

An angry storm has swirled about Langewiesche since the book was published last month. Besides other criticisms of firefighters at Ground Zero, the book suggests that some might have engaged in looting before the twin towers collapsed Sept. 11. More than 100 outraged New York firefighters picketed Langewiesche's two New York readings Monday and Tuesday, shouting ''liar, liar.''

WordsWorth manager Sanj Kharbanda said yesterday Farrar, Straus and Giroux, Langewiesche's publisher, called Wednesday after the New York incidents and warned the store to arrange security. Firefighters also called the store to complain about the book.

''We did not think we could put it together in the time we had,'' Kharbanda said. ''We wanted him to come here and feel secure. It's not that we thought something would happen, but there's always the potential. We want people working here and folks attending to feel secure. ... We may still do it later on.''

''It was their decision, not ours or the author's,'' said Jeff Seroy, director of publicity for Farrar, Straus and Giroux in New York. He said the publisher understands the store's decision, but added, ''We are committed to the events, the book, and the author.''

Cambridge police said they could've covered the event had they been asked. ''We would've been able to handle whatever came about,'' said police spokesman Frank Pasquarello. ''A picket is a picket, and most are orderly and law-abiding.''

Joan Grenier, co-owner of South Hadley's Odyssey Bookshop, said local firefighters had told her they planned to protest and asked her to cancel the event, but she refused. ''We are about bringing readers and writers together, which is an important role in the community,'' Grenier says. ''We understand the firefighters' concerns, but our right to have an author come here is guaranteed.''

In an interview yesterday, Robert McCarthy, president of Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts, the firefighters' union, called the book ''a compilation of lies and misstatements, and we want to tell the public not to buy this book. We are protesting his signings.'' A statement on the organization's Web site calls Langewiesche ''this miscreant of a human being.'' McCarthy said, ''We are not rioting or blocking anyone from going in the stores. We want to support our brothers and sisters in New York.'' McCarthy said Cambridge police had been informed of the protest.

PEN New England, the regional affiliate of the international writer's organization, expressed concern about the store's decision.

''Clearly, the author has a right to read from his book and protesters have a right to make their opinions heard,'' said Helene Atwan, director of Boston-based Beacon Press and co-chairwoman of PEN. ''WordsWorth may have felt compelled to cancel, but it is essential that bookstores and libraries remain safe places for authors to present their ideas and for those who disagree to make their criticisms heard. Since the protesters say they don't intend to block access, we urge WordsWorth to reschedule the event.''

Attempts to reach Langewiesche yesterday were unsuccessful.

-- Anonymous, November 23, 2002