New York, New York

I know what you're thinking, "good grief, how long does it take her to read one book?" Answer: a long time.
I just finished the "Here is New York" essay in my E.B. White book and I know I'm not the first to point this out, if you google "Here is New York," E.B.White, and September 11, about 1,000 hits come up.
Nevertheless, it was new to me; keep in mind E.B.White wrote this in 1949.
"The city, for the first time in its long history, is destructible. A single flight of planes no bigger than a wedge of geese can quickly end this island fantasy, burn the towers, crumble the bridges, turn the underground passages into lethal chambers, cremate the millions. The intimation of mortality is part of New York now; in the sounds of jets overhead, in the black headlines of the latest editions. . . . All dwellers in cities must live with the stubborn fact of annihilation; in New York the fact is somewhat more concentrated because of the concentration of the city itself, and because, of all targets, New York has a certain clear priority. In the mind of whatever perverted dreamer might loose the lightning, New York must hold a steady, irresistible charm."
The paragraphs were underlined in my copy of the book so I couldn't miss them, no doubt by Marshall.

song: New York, New York • artist: Frank Sinatra