The Detached Observer: Reflections on Reporting Disaster The recent publication of William Langewiesche's afterword to his 2002 book "American Ground: Unbuilding the World Trade Center" has reignited a debate about the role of journalists in reporting tragedy and disaster.
As someone who has spent years covering outdoor disasters, I'm drawn to the complexities of Langewiesche's approach – an approach that sought to detach himself from the emotionalism surrounding Ground Zero.
Langewiesche's decision to maintain a narrative detachment was driven by a desire to create "history in the present tense.