List of cultural references to the September 11 attacks

This list of cultural references to the September 11 attacks and to the post-9/11 socio political climate, includes works of art, music, books, poetry, comics, theater, film, and television.

Art and design

*''A Garden Stepping into the Sky'' (2002–03) by Ron Drummond is a design for a World Trade Center Memorial built out of the "clay" of functional interior space suitable for commercial, cultural, or residential uses. Praised by New York novelist and critic Samuel R. Delany and architecture critic Herbert Muschamp, Drummond's design was the focus of a documentary by the award-winning independent filmmaker Gregg Lachow and was featured on CNN and KOMO-TV News.
*''9/11 Flipbook'' (2005–present) by Scott Blake allows viewers to watch a continuous reenactment of United Airlines Flight 175 crashing into the South Tower of the World Trade Center. Accompanying the images are essays written by a wide range of participants, each expressing their personal experience of the September 11 attacks. In addition, the essays' authors posted their responses to the request that they reflect on, and respond to, the flipbook itself.
*''Golden Angels Over Lower Manhattan'' (2011), a painting by the New-York based Polish artist, Leokadia Makarska-Cermak, who was in Lower Manhattan during the attacks. She presented the painting at the Sanctuary Still remembrance event held at the St. Ann and the Holy Trinity Church on September 11, 2011.
*''Save Manhattan'', a series of works by the Moroccan artist Mounir Fatmi. Three Installations show Manhattan as if the attacks did not take place, and a light is projected to create a sharply defined shadow of the pre-9/11 skyline of the city. Save Manhattan 1 is made with books, Save Manhattan with videotapes and Save Manhattan 3 is a sound installation with speakers. In the ''Save Manhattan Video'', the skyline progressively dissolves and becomes the memory and the ghost of something that was but that is not anymore.
*''September'' (2005), a painting by Gerhard Richter

Biology

* Osama bin Laden (elephant) – an elephant in India nicknamed after the attacks’ mastermind due to its tendencies of reckless mass murder

Classical music

*John Adams – ''On the Transmigration of Souls'' (2002) for chorus and orchestra
*James Adler – ''Reflections upon a September morn'' (2002) for mezzo-soprano, oboe and piano
*Lera Auerbach – Violin Sonata no.2 "September 11" (2001)
* Leonardo Balada – Symphony No. 5 "American" (2003)
*Richard Blackford – ''Not in Our Time'' (2011)
*Gloria Coates – String Quartet No. 8 (2001-2)
*John Corigliano – ''One Sweet Morning'' (2011)
*Anthony Davis – ''Restless Mourning'' (2002), oratorio for mixed chorus, chamber ensemble and live electronics, with texts by Quincy Troupe and Allan Havis.
* David Del Tredici – 'Missing Towers (Perpetual Canon)', 3rd movement of ''Gotham Glory'' (2004) for solo piano
*Bechara El-Khoury – ''New York, Tears and Hope'' (2001-5), for orchestra
* Eric Ewazen - ''A Hymn for the Lost and the Living'' (2002) for wind ensemble
*Mohammed Fairouz – Symphony No. 4 "In the Shadow of No Towers" (2012) for wind ensemble
*Howard Goodall – ''Spared'' (2008), for chorus and piano, based on a poem by Wendy Cope.
* Michael Gordon – ''The Sad Park'' (2006), written for the Kronos Quartet
*Robert Gulya – Guitar Concerto (2001), written for Johanna Beisteiner
*Stephen Hartke – Symphony No. 3 (2003)
*Adolphus Hailstork – ''Armageddon'' (2012) for organ and percussion, and ''As Falling Leaves'' (2002) for viola, piccolo, flute and harp
* William Lewarne Harris – ''Rescoria Variations'' (2001), opera by a Cornish composer commemorating the Cornish national hero Rick Rescorla, who died saving lives at the Twin Towers
*Aivars Kalējs – ''Musica dolente'' (2001-3) for orchestra, ''dedicated to the innocent victims of the tragic events of September 11, 2001''. The world premiere conducted by Andris Nelsons.
*Aaron Jay Kernis – ''Sarabanda in memoriam'', an arrangement for string orchestra of a movement from his Second String Quartet (1998)
*Wojciech Kilar – ''September Symphony'' (2003)
*Phil Kline – ''September 22 Vigil'', a walking vigil performed in Manhattan on the evening of 22 September 2001, between Union Square and Washington Square.
* Elodie Lauten – ''S.O.S.W.T.C.'' (2001), electronic
*Arkady Luxemburg – ''Suite No. 2 for strings 'In Memory of the Victims of September 11, 2001
* Ingram Marshall – ''September Canons'' (2002)
*Cindy McTee – ''Adagio from Symphony No. 1 'Ballet' for Orchestra'' (2002)
*Robert Moran – ''Trinity Requiem'' (2011) for children's choir
*Stephen Paulus – ''Prayers and Remembrances'' (2011) for mixed chorus and orchestra
*Krzysztof Penderecki – Piano Concerto ''Resurrection'' (2001–02, revised 2007)
* George Quincy – ''Voices from Ground Zero'' (2003), chamber ensemble
*Steve Reich – ''WTC 9/11'' (2009-10), written for the Kronos Quartet
*Terry Riley – ''Sun Rings'' (2002), written for the Kronos Quartet
*Ned Rorem – ''Aftermath'' (2001-2), song cycle for medium voice, violin, cello, and piano
*Gary Schocker – ''A Fond Farewell: Meditations on September 11'' (2002), for flute and piano
*Christopher Theofanidis – ''Heart of a Soldier'' (2011), opera, for San Francisco Opera
* Joan Tower – ''In Memory'' (2001), written for the Tokyo String Quartet
*Charles Wuorinen – ''September 11, 2001'' (2001), premiered by William Ferguson, tenor and Phillip Bush, piano
* Chen Yi – ''Burning'' (2004) for string quartet
*Ellen Taaffe Zwilich – Clarinet Concerto (2002)

Film

International

*''11'09"01 September 11'' (2002), an international anthology film composed of contributions from Bosnia-Herzegovina, Burkina Faso, Egypt, France, India, Iran, Israel, Japan, Mexico, United Kingdom, and the US, each exploring reactions to 9/11.
*'' Copilot'' (2021), a German-French film by Anne Zohra Berrached, based on United Airlines Flight 93's hijacker pilot Ziad Jarrah and his relationship with Aysel Sengün, prior to the events of the 9/11 attacks.

North America

Video, television, and theatrical release: documentaries

*''102 Minutes That Changed America'', a 2008 American made-for-television History Channel documentary which follows the events of 9/11 through raw footage.
*''9/11'', a 2002 Franco-American made-for-television CBS documentary which includes the only footage shot inside the World Trade Center that day.
*'' 9/11: One Day in America'', a 2021 6-part documentary miniseries for National Geographic.
*'' 911: In Plane Site'', a 2004 American documentary film which advocates 9/11 conspiracy theories.
*'' 9/11: Inside the President's War Room'', a 2021 American documentary film for Apple TV+.
*'' 9/11 Kids'', a 2020 Canadian documentary film about the now young adults who were in the classroom where president George W. Bush was reading "The Pet Goat" when he was interrupted and informed of the attacks.
*'' 9/11: Press for Truth'', a 2006 American independent film which investigates the events of 9/11.
*'' 9/11: The Twin Towers'', a 2006 American made-for-television Discovery Channel documentary about the events of 9/11.
*'' Answering the Call: Ground Zero's Volunteers'', a 2005 American documentary film.
*'' Beyond Belief'', a 2007 American independent film about the post-9/11 experiences of two women who lost their husbands on 9/11 and who set up a humanitarian program for war widows in Afghanistan.
*''Bowling for Columbine'', a 2002 American documentary film by Michael Moore that refers to the events of 9/11 in its "Wonderful World" montage.
*''The Cats of Mirikitani,'' a 2006 American documentary about the painter Jimmy Mirikitani who lived in New York at the time of 9/11.
*'' Children of 9/11: Our Story'', a 2021 American documentary about the children born to fathers who died during the September 11 attacks.
*''The Concert for New York City'', documentary of the five-hour benefit concert at Madison Square Garden.
*'' Countdown to Ground Zero'', a 2006 American made-for-television History Channel documentary which covers a 9/11 timeline.
*''United States of Banana'', 2011 series of art films by photographer Michael Somoroff, based on the 9/11 novel ''United States of Banana'' by Hispanic-American author Giannina Braschi.
*'' Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing'', a 2006 American independent film about the backlash experienced by the country music band, Dixie Chicks during the Post-9/11 climate.
*'' Dust to Dust: The Health Effects of 9/11,'' a 2006 American documentary broadcast on the Sundance Channel.
*''Fahrenheit 9/11'', a 2004 American documentary film by Michael Moore.
**'' FahrenHYPE 9/11'', reaction to the above film
*'' Firefighters: Heroes of Ground Zero'', a 2002 American made-for-television WNET documentary film following firemen from two firehouses in the days and weeks following 9/11.
*'' Flight 175: As the World Watched'', a 2006 American made-for-television The Learning Channel documentary about United Airlines Flight 175.
*'' The Flight That Fought Back'', a 2005 American made-for-television Discovery Channel documentary about United Airlines Flight 93, one of four planes that was hijacked on 9/11.
*'' Grounded on 9/11, '' a 2005 American made-for-television History Channel documentary.
*'' Hijacking Catastrophe: 9/11, Fear & the Selling of American Empire'' a 2004 documentary
*'' The Heart of Steel,'' a 2006 American independent film about the post 9/11 experiences of a group of volunteers.
*''Hotel Ground Zero,'' a 2009 American made-for-television History Channel documentary.
*'' I Missed Flight 93'', a 2006 American made-for-television History Channel documentary about people who missed United Airlines Flight 93.
*'' Inside 9/11'', a 2005 American made-for-television National Geographic Channel documentary about the events before, during, and after 9/11.
*''The Love We Make'', a 2011 American documentary about Paul McCartney's experiences in New York City after the September 11, 2001 attacks, following him as he prepared The Concert for New York City October 2001 benefit event.
*'' The Man Who Predicted 9/11,'' a 2002 American made-for-television History Channel documentary.
*'' Metal of Honor: The Ironworkers of 9/11'', a 2006 American documentary.
*'' Native New Yorker,'' a 2005 American documentary.
*'' No Responders Left Behind,'' a 2021 American documentary.
*'' NYC Epicenters 9/11-2021½,'' a 2021 4-part American documentary by Spike Lee.
*'' On Native Soil: the Documentary of the 9/11 Commission Report'', a 2005 American documentary.
*''Rebirth'', a 2011 American documentary about five individuals impacted by 9/11.
*'' The Outsider'' (2021), about the making of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York City
*'' The Secret History of 9/11'', a 2006 American documentary.
*''The Tillman Story'', a 2010 American independent film about the death of football star and Army Ranger Pat Tillman during the Post-9/11 climate.
*'' Toxic Clouds of 9/11,'' a 2006 American documentary.
*'' Toxic Legacy'', a 2006 Canadian documentary.
*'' Twin Towers'', a 2003 American documentary.
*'' Where in the World Is Osama Bin Laden?'', a 2008 American documentary directed by Morgan Spurlock
*'' Zero Hour: The Last Hour of Flight 11'', a 2004 Canadian/British television documentary.

Video, television, and theatrical release: feature films

Middle East, South Asia, and diasporas

Video, television, and theatrical release: documentaries

*''Arabs and Terrorism'' (2007), an American documentary in six languages, filmed in 11 countries, comprising 120 interviews with "experts/politicians and hundreds of street interviews in the United States, Europe, and the Arab world."
*''Being Osama'' (2004), a Canadian documentary that explores the Post-9/11 lives of six Montreal Arab men, all with the first name Osama.
*''Divided We Fall: Americans in the Aftermath'' (2006), an American documentary made in response to the murder of a Sikh man as a result of the post-9/11 atmosphere.
*'' It's My Country Too: Muslim Americans'' (2005), a documentary that follows the journey of the South Asian rock music band Junoon during their tours to post-9/11 America.
*''Stand Up: Muslim-American Comics Come of Age'' (2009), an American documentary about five stand-up comedians who respond to the post-9/11 atmosphere.

Video, television, and theatrical release: feature films

Internet

*'' Ill Bethisad'' (1997–present), a collaborative alternate history project. Like in real life, September 11, 2001, was marked by a tragedy where two twin towers in New York City were attacked by terrorists although there are also several differences between the attacks in reality and the fictional alternate universe where Ill Bethisad takes place. The first difference is that "New York City" was never called by that name, instead using its original name of "New Amsterdam". The second difference is that two airships were used for the attack as airplanes never caught on in Ill Bethisad. Others include the face that the buildings themselves, the "World Trade Towers" are built in a style that resembling the Chrysler Building instead of the World Trade Center as well as that due the different structures between airships and airplanes, the towers did not completely collapse (although the top 20 floors of both do fall off thanks to an explosion caused by the airships using hydrogen instead of helium to fly). Another was that unlike real life, the attack on the towers was the ''only'' attack on that day. The final and most important differences to reality was that the attacks were done by a cult called "The Janus Fellowship" (named after "Janus" the Roman god of duality) who did it in an attempt to recreate a similar attack in a twin parallel world (implied to be the 9/11 attacks of real life) to allow the attackers to achieve enlightenment by a meaningful death. For four years, it was a mystery who caused the attacks as no organization claimed responsibility for the attacks while investigations stalled and conspiracy theories circulated. In fact, the collaborators of the Ill Bethisad project moved on to other parts of the storyline not related to the attacks and came up with the cult after realizing that they forgot to add a perpetrator.

*''The Best Page in the Universe'' (1997–present), a satirical website run by George Ouzounian (better known as " Maddox"). One part of the site spoofs the 9/11 conspiracy theory film series ''Loose Change'' with a set of pages (and a corresponding YouTube video) titled "Unfastened Coins". Both parody ''Loose Change'' by applying the same methods that the series uses for 9/11 to another disaster, the Sinking of the Titanic in 1912. In "Unfastened Coins", Maddox joking purports the Titanic sinking was not an accident (which is indeed the case) but instead, the ship was deliberately sunk as part of a government conspiracy. As a result of this spoof, Maddox shows that the logic used by ''Loose Change'' is actually outlandish. On another page, with the title "There is no 9/11 conspiracy you morons", Maddox once again spoofs ''Loose Change'' by noting various inconsistencies with the series. For example, Maddox noted that Dylan Avery, the creator of ''Loose Change'' was still alive while noting that it 9/11 really ''is'' a government conspiracy then Avery would be dead by now because the US government would have assassinated him to stop the secret from leaking. Maddox noted how many people would need to be involved in such a large-scale conspiracy that Avery claims 9/11 was and showing that if that was true than one of those people would have revealed it by now. Maddox also claims that if one folds the backs of certain U.S. dollar notes depicting the White House, The note turns into two depictions of 9/11 though Maddox goes out of his way to show that it's a coincidence and that the notes had that design ''years'' before 9/11 even happened.

Literature and poetry

Fiction and non-fiction

Australia

*"The Caribou Herd" (2003) by Miles Hitchcock won The Age Short Story Award in 2003. The narrator is an elderly English man with dementia, flying to New York on the day of the attacks and reminiscing about the 20th Century.

Europe

*'' A Manhã do Mundo'' (''The Morning of the World'') (2001) by Pedro Guilherme-Moreira.
*''Brick Lane'' (2003) by Monica Ali. The novel tells the story of Nazneen, a Bangladeshi woman who moves to England and her life before and after 9/11.
*''Burnt Shadows'' (2009) by Kamila Shamsie
*''Dead Air'' (2002) by Iain Banks. An early chapter is set in London on September 11, 2001. The main protagonist is a left-wing radio "shock jock" attending a wedding when news of the attacks filters through (Tuesday afternoon British time).
*'' Eleven'' (2006) by David Llewellyn. The novel takes place in Cardiff and London on September 11 and deals with the impact the terrorist attacks have on the lives of people in the UK.
*''False Impression'' (2005) by Jeffrey Archer. The novel is a thriller that takes place during and immediately after 9/11.
*'' Netherland'' (2008) by Joseph O'Neill. The novel tells the story of a Dutch businessman who lives in New York and is traumatized by the events of 9/11.
*''Saturday'' (2005) by Ian McEwan. The novel is set in London after the September 11 attacks but before the 7 July 2005 London bombings. The novel shows how much the world has changed since the attacks in America.
*''When God Was a Rabbit'' (2011) by Sarah Winman. The protagonist and her brother are living in America at the time of the 9/11 attacks, and the main character believes her brother and his best friend have died in the crash.
*'' Windows on the World'' (2003) by Frédéric Beigbeder. The novel is set in the restaurant at the top of the North Tower on September 11. It tells the story of Carthew Yorston and his two sons as they try to escape or somehow survive the attack. Each chapter of the book represents one minute in time between 8:30 and 10:30 on 9/11. It also features a parallel narrative wherein the author, a French writer sympathetic to America, discusses the process of writing the book and his motivations for doing so.

North America

*'' American Widow'' (2008) by Alissa Torres. A graphic novel by Alissa Torres, who was eight months pregnant when her husband Eddie Torres perished in the WTC on 9/11.
*'' Between Two Rivers'' (2004) by Nicholas Rinaldi
*'' Bleeding Edge'' (2013) by Thomas Pynchon. The novel is a detective story which takes place between the burst of the dot-com bubble and the aftermath of the September 11 attacks.
*'' Brooklyn Follies'' (2005) by Paul Auster
*'' The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah'' (2004) by Stephen King. Two characters place an artifact known as Black Thirteen in a coin-op storage unit in the World Trade Center in 1999, intending to leave it there forever. After leaving, they half-jokingly discuss what would happen if the towers were to collapse on the object.
*''A Disorder Peculiar to the Country'' (2006), by Ken Kalfus. The novel follows the lives of New Yorkers Joyce and Marshall Harriman who are in the middle of a nasty divorce. In the early morning hours of September 11, Marshall leaves for the World Trade Center and Joyce for the airport.
*'' The Emperor's Children'' (2006), by Claire Messud. The novel traces the lives of three NYC friends before and after the events of 9/11.
*''Everyman'' (2006), by Philip Roth. The protagonist of the novel moves to the New Jersey shore as a result of the fear he feels in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.
*''Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close'' (2005) by Jonathan Safran Foer. The novel follows the narrator, 9-year-old Oskar Schell, whose father was on the upper floors of the World Trade Center when the jets crashed into the Twin Towers. To fight his grief and quell his imagination, Oskar embarks on a quest to find what he hopes is his father's most illuminating secret. In service of this quest, Oskar conquers many of his irrational fears and comforts other damaged souls.
*'' Falling Man'' (2007), by Don DeLillo. The novel features a protagonist who survives the attacks on the World Trade Center.
*''Forever'' (2003) by Pete Hamill. The novel tells the story of an Irish immigrant who is granted immortality, provided that he never leaves the island of Manhattan. Hamill completed his manuscript at 11:20 pm on the evening of September 10, 2001; he was about to deliver it to his editor when the attacks occurred. He spent another year revising the book. As a result, the 9/11 attacks form the culmination of 250 years of New York history described in the novel.
*'' The Good Life'' (2006) by Jay McInerney. The novel takes place immediately before, during, and after the events of 9/11.
*'' Home Boy'' (2009) by H. M. Naqvi. The novel tells the story of three Pakistani college students, AC, Jimbo and Chuck, before and after 9/11.
"In Spirit"
a science fiction novella by Pat Forde, published in ''Analog'' in September 2002 and nominated for a Hugo Award. A time travel story in which a form of "spiritual" time travel is perfected in the middle of the 21st century and the aged children of 9/11 victims are given the opportunity to go back in time and be with their loved ones "in spirit" in their final moments.
*''Last Night in Twisted River'' (2009) by John Irving. Portions of the end of the novel take place on September 10 and 11, 2001, and deal with several characters' reactions to learning about the attacks.
*''The Last Illusion'' (2014) by Porochista Khakpour
*"Let the Great World Spin" (2009) by Colum McCann. The novel focuses on Philippe Petit's 1974 tightrope crossing of the Twin Towers, and the effects it has on New Yorkers in 1974. At the end, the novel jumps to 2005, in which one of the character's daughters deals with living in a post-9/11 world, connecting the destruction of the towers to Petit's 1974 walk.
*''The Man Who Wouldn't Stand Up