Widows Walk is one of almost a dozen specific widow grief memoirs that have been written by people who lost partners or spouses in the 9/11 attacks. Marian Fontane is the widow of a fireperson who technically shouldn't have even been at the World Trade Center. He was actually off duty and they were supposed to be meeting for their anniversary on the morning of the attack. However, when her husband stopped back to the Park Slope based firehouse and heard about the situation, he volunteered to help out with his engine. Almost their entire company was killed; parts of his body were found in a stair well in one of the towers.

Widows Walk is exceptional not just for a 9/11 tome, but as a memoir in general. So many books came so quickly after the attacks within six months you'd walk into a bookstore there would inevitably be a huge display of memoirs, biographies, and huge photo books. It was like a post traumatic stress disorder trigger party on a shelf.

Widow's Walk; however, goes way beyond just describing the events of the day and talks very plainly and succinctly about the aftermath of the attacks on a very personal level. For example Fontane has a young son, an only child, who develops mild behavioral difficulties after he loses his father, but his young teacher, clearly traumatized herself, isn't able to deal with it on even the most superficial level. She also describes interpersonal difficulties with the fire squad and her inlaws with a charming eye of fairness and a well honed sense of humor. Fontane isn't interested in being the hero, just describing her journey, and it makes for a poignant, interesting read and an interesting discussion of how grief progresses, especially when it's in the public eye.