Gina Leola Woolsey’s Fifteen Thousand Pieces tells the heart-wrenching story of the Swissair 111 crash (September 2nd, 1998) and the challenging task of cleaning up the crash site and identifying all 229 passengers who perished. As Woolsey tells the story of the crash, she also tells the incredible life story of Dr. John Butt, the chief medical examiner who oversaw the recovery and identification of the deceased.
Dr. Butt’s story is impressive, complicated, and fascinating, full of ups and downs from the very beginning. From Lieutenant in the Navy to family physician, to medical examiner and everything in between, Butt’s life is revealed as he rose to the top, becoming highly respected in his career. Although professionally successful, Dr. Butt’s personal life was full of many struggles and secrets. This novel explains the impact that Swissair 111 had on Dr. Butt and how, after many years of being labelled a cantankerous, difficult man, he was able to shed his stony exterior to allow his caring, compassionate side to shine through.
“This novel has taught me a great deal not only about Swissair 111 but also about the toll it took on everyone involved with the recovery.”
I went into this novel completely unaware of what takes place during medical examinations and investigations, especially in disaster situations and I am amazed at the amount of work required by such a diverse array of professionals. This novel has taught me a great deal not only about Swissair 111 but also about the toll it took on everyone involved with the recovery. I cannot imagine seeing that kind of devastation. The weight that must have been on Dr. Butt’s shoulders as he stood up in front of all those families to inform them of the terrible consequences of the crash must have been incredibly overwhelming. His dedication to doing things the right way in honour of the victims and their families was highly commendable.
Fifteen Thousand Pieces was an amazing read. Woolsey’s writing was thoughtful, and creative, and easily transmits her admiration for Dr. Butt as she shows us the hard-working, compassionate man behind the mask, who was so often misunderstood.
Laura Patterson is a Registered Acupuncturist and a QA Lab Technician from rural New Brunswick where she lives with her husband and twin boys. She has a BSc in Biology and a Diploma in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture. When she's not working in the lab or in her clinic, she enjoys camping and adventuring with her family, reading many books, and writing book reviews.
- Laura Pattersonhttps://miramichireader.ca/author/laurap/
- Laura Pattersonhttps://miramichireader.ca/author/laurap/
- Laura Pattersonhttps://miramichireader.ca/author/laurap/
- Laura Pattersonhttps://miramichireader.ca/author/laurap/
- Laura Pattersonhttps://miramichireader.ca/author/laurap/
- Laura Pattersonhttps://miramichireader.ca/author/laurap/
CBC Award-winning author Gina Leola Woolsey left her corporate career mid-life to pursue an education in creative writing, earning a BFA from the University of British Columbia and an MFA from the University of King’s College. She lives wherever the narrative takes her. Currently, her time is split between small-town Alberta, downtown Montreal, and her hometown of Vancouver.
- Publisher : Guernica Editions (Sept. 1 2023)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 300 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1771838116
- ISBN-13 : 978-1771838115
