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American Carnage: Shattering the Myths That Fuel Gun Violence
"Don't tell me there's no such thing as gun violence. It happened in Parkland." ― Fred Guttenberg #1 Best Seller in School Safety, Education Policy, and Law Enforcement Politics
Fred Guttenberg, who lost his beloved daughter Jaime in the 2018 Parkland school shooting, and International gun policy consultant Thomas Gabor team up in American Carnage to dismantle some of the most common myths about guns and gun violence. A national disgrace. In America, over 40,000 die each year as a result of gun violence. Relative to other advanced countries, the U.S. has a dismal gun violence record. Gun law reforms could reduce the number of gun deaths, but many political challenges stand in the way. A widespread multi-year misinformation assault on truth by the gun lobby and gun-extremists sows doubt about the dangers of pervasive gun ownership, gun carrying, and potential effectiveness of gun laws. Debunking popular gun myths. Countering with strong evidence-based research the many slogans and myths repeated incessantly by spokespersons for the gun lobby and its surrogates is essential if we are to have a society where kids can attend school safely and people can work and enjoy life without fear of being shot. Over the last 30 years, the NRA’s campaign to achieve an armed society has succeeded in persuading many Americans that having a gun in the home or carrying a gun makes them safer. The evidence is overwhelming this is not the case. Guns in the home are far more likely to be used against a family member or in a suicide attempt than against an intruder. Tackling this and other myths is critical. Myths and slogans exposed as false in American Carnage If you have read Trigger Points , The Violence Project , Warning Signs , or Fred Guttenberg’s Find the Helpers , American Carnage is a must read.
Fred Guttenberg, who lost his beloved daughter Jaime in the 2018 Parkland school shooting, and International gun policy consultant Thomas Gabor team up in American Carnage to dismantle some of the most common myths about guns and gun violence. A national disgrace. In America, over 40,000 die each year as a result of gun violence. Relative to other advanced countries, the U.S. has a dismal gun violence record. Gun law reforms could reduce the number of gun deaths, but many political challenges stand in the way. A widespread multi-year misinformation assault on truth by the gun lobby and gun-extremists sows doubt about the dangers of pervasive gun ownership, gun carrying, and potential effectiveness of gun laws. Debunking popular gun myths. Countering with strong evidence-based research the many slogans and myths repeated incessantly by spokespersons for the gun lobby and its surrogates is essential if we are to have a society where kids can attend school safely and people can work and enjoy life without fear of being shot. Over the last 30 years, the NRA’s campaign to achieve an armed society has succeeded in persuading many Americans that having a gun in the home or carrying a gun makes them safer. The evidence is overwhelming this is not the case. Guns in the home are far more likely to be used against a family member or in a suicide attempt than against an intruder. Tackling this and other myths is critical. Myths and slogans exposed as false in American Carnage If you have read Trigger Points , The Violence Project , Warning Signs , or Fred Guttenberg’s Find the Helpers , American Carnage is a must read.
7 pages, Audiobook
Published June 20, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
May 6, 2023
Although the authors are coming from a position of advocating for gun control (*not* elimination), I found this book to be credible. Tom Gabor has a PhD and has been an expert in gun violence for many years, testifying in court as an expert witness. Fred Guttenberg’s daughter, Jaime, was killed during the Marjory Stoneman Douglas (aka Parkland) mass shooting in 2018. In this book, the authors look at different arguments that are made regarding gun ownership and rebut those arguments with thoroughly documented responses. The endnotes take up 20 pages of the book (for 203 pages of text). My biggest issue with the book is its repetitiveness; I read some of the statements in it twice and sometimes maybe even a third time, oftentimes using the same wording. Still, I think it’s a valuable resource in the ongoing discussion about reducing the number of gun deaths in the United States today.
July 8, 2023
A great reference tool about the relationship between gun ownership and the plague of violence in our society.
There's no emotion here. No political or emotional pleas. Just facts and studies and the cold hard truth.
There's no emotion here. No political or emotional pleas. Just facts and studies and the cold hard truth.
July 16, 2023
Highest recommendation. Whether you are advocate for gun safety or a normal citizen who feels like there's not much hope in this fight. Organized and supported by data and research to debunk those myths about guns in America that are too often perceived as our reality.
March 6, 2024
This is a well-researched, data-driven, and myth-debunking book about the debates we Americans are having on gun control and the second amendment. I learned a lot though it's a lot to remember. Thank goodness the book is arranged in easy to find myths like the slippery slope argument to "Guns don't kill, people do." In fact, there are 37 myths discussed and debunked in this 199-page book, with about 20 pages of research endnotes. Even though I'm a gun owner, I agree that we need common-sense gun legislation in this country. I especially enjoyed learning about the history of gun control and how there have been laws on guns since the Revolutionary War period. Despite this 250-year history of gun laws, we are nowhere near that fear of wholesale disarmament (the slippery slope). In addition, the Supreme Court Heller ruling of 2008 argues that individual guns in the home for protection are fine, but that gun ownership is not without limits. More limits are indeed necessary, for example, comprehensive gun classes for conceal-carry permits, full background checks for anyone who buys a gun, and reduction or total banning of military-style weapons like was done in Australia--proving it can be done--perhaps slowly...but surely!
This book is easy to read and though sometimes repetitive it is worth an open-minded reading. Some arguments probably will not get through, and I did wonder why there was no real mention of hunting, something we do in these parts, and we do eat the meat (of course, the book does not at all argue that guns are to ever be made illegal for the law-abiding.) At least we know where our meat supply is coming from, and it helps to take care of a large deer population, getting larger by the day because hunting is now on the downhill slide. Now, there is a slippery slope I'm not happy with! Our crops are being consumed by these too-healthy populations. But yes, I highly recommend this book.
This book is easy to read and though sometimes repetitive it is worth an open-minded reading. Some arguments probably will not get through, and I did wonder why there was no real mention of hunting, something we do in these parts, and we do eat the meat (of course, the book does not at all argue that guns are to ever be made illegal for the law-abiding.) At least we know where our meat supply is coming from, and it helps to take care of a large deer population, getting larger by the day because hunting is now on the downhill slide. Now, there is a slippery slope I'm not happy with! Our crops are being consumed by these too-healthy populations. But yes, I highly recommend this book.
July 11, 2023
5: on the information
4: a little dry but understandable based on the topic
A must read for all!
4: a little dry but understandable based on the topic
A must read for all!
June 21, 2023
I loveeeee when scientific research is able to debunk every argument that people have against stricter gun laws. This is an essential read. I’m ready to argue with a conservative. 😇
“Living with the constant fear of gun violence hanging over our heads is not freedom.”
“Living with the constant fear of gun violence hanging over our heads is not freedom.”
March 4, 2024
Feels wrong to be giving 3 stars to a book full of points and arguments I 100% agree with. I just didn’t love the presentation. I understand that’s it’s almost more of a debate reference guide than a book, but there is a lot of repetitive info and I think the overall structure of the book could have been better.
August 15, 2023
This book is packed with information. It itemized 37 myths and then refuted them with scientific data and real life stories. The format made it clear and easy to read and reference. But the grim content regarding gun violence made it difficult to read. One of the authors, Fred Gutenberg, also shares some personal experiences. His daughter Jamie was murdered in the 2016 Parkland school massacre. So many of the parts of the book take some time to deal with emotionally. But I feel educated and better able to discuss this topic, thanks to this book.
August 29, 2023
Personally, I think this should be a must read. I've already requested the e-book version of this from the library so that I can read it again and highlight the parts that are important.
Fred Guttenberg's 14-daughter was killed during the Parkland shooting.
Fred Guttenberg's 14-daughter was killed during the Parkland shooting.
August 21, 2023
This brief book is a must-read for every person in America. Gabor, a professor in criminology and sociology, and Guttenberg, father of downed Parkland Shooting victim, Jaime, have teamed up to appeal to our better senses about gun violence and gun safety.
First, they set the historical record straight. For much of our 247-year history, this country has regulated guns. It has only been during the last two or three decades that organizational leadership (not necessarily their members) of the National Rifle Association (NRA) have sold Americans a phony bill of goods. Instead of concentrating on the formation of state militias only, certain NRA members have glommed onto the Second Amendment to push their gun-toting agenda.
Second, the NRA has failed to take the historical context into consideration (what so-called originalists claim to love to do when speaking of the Constitution), that the amendment was designed to help communities protect themselves collectively, not to promote individual gun ownership.
Third, the authors tackle, by way of eleven chapters, thirty-seven myths that the NRA et. al. have dreamed up through the years. Just a few of them. Myth 3: America Has and All-Encompassing Gun Culture. Nope. Only three in ten Americans personally own a gun. Myth 6: The Only Consequences of Gun Violence Are Murders. Nope. “Sadly, some victims experience life-altering injuries that have a profound impact on the quality of life. For example, when a person is shot and paralyzed in his twenties, his quality of life will be diminished significantly . . . [w]hen all the above financial costs are taken into account, it has been estimated that the annual cost of gun violence in the US is over $280 billion” (51). Myth 16: The Training Required of Concealed Weapons Permit Holders Prepares Them for Effective Defensive Gun Use. Nope, once again. The authors prove that the carrying of guns can lead to escalation of disputes. Gabor, in an earlier book finds “that ongoing or spontaneous disputes were the most common motives underlying mass shootings” (91). Moreover, “since May 2007, concealed carry permit holders have killed more than two thousand people and committed thirty-seven mass shootings, as well as many other crimes” (91).
Authors Gabor and Guttenberg conclude their book with suggestions for what citizens can do, for we all know it will take an upswelling of such citizenry to join the rest of what the civilized world has already done, and that is to reduce and limit the amount of gun violence. From requiring gun owners to secure guns in their homes to leveraging the corporate world to quitting doing business with the gun industry to voting, the eighty to ninety percent of citizens who want change can achieve it.
First, they set the historical record straight. For much of our 247-year history, this country has regulated guns. It has only been during the last two or three decades that organizational leadership (not necessarily their members) of the National Rifle Association (NRA) have sold Americans a phony bill of goods. Instead of concentrating on the formation of state militias only, certain NRA members have glommed onto the Second Amendment to push their gun-toting agenda.
Second, the NRA has failed to take the historical context into consideration (what so-called originalists claim to love to do when speaking of the Constitution), that the amendment was designed to help communities protect themselves collectively, not to promote individual gun ownership.
Third, the authors tackle, by way of eleven chapters, thirty-seven myths that the NRA et. al. have dreamed up through the years. Just a few of them. Myth 3: America Has and All-Encompassing Gun Culture. Nope. Only three in ten Americans personally own a gun. Myth 6: The Only Consequences of Gun Violence Are Murders. Nope. “Sadly, some victims experience life-altering injuries that have a profound impact on the quality of life. For example, when a person is shot and paralyzed in his twenties, his quality of life will be diminished significantly . . . [w]hen all the above financial costs are taken into account, it has been estimated that the annual cost of gun violence in the US is over $280 billion” (51). Myth 16: The Training Required of Concealed Weapons Permit Holders Prepares Them for Effective Defensive Gun Use. Nope, once again. The authors prove that the carrying of guns can lead to escalation of disputes. Gabor, in an earlier book finds “that ongoing or spontaneous disputes were the most common motives underlying mass shootings” (91). Moreover, “since May 2007, concealed carry permit holders have killed more than two thousand people and committed thirty-seven mass shootings, as well as many other crimes” (91).
Authors Gabor and Guttenberg conclude their book with suggestions for what citizens can do, for we all know it will take an upswelling of such citizenry to join the rest of what the civilized world has already done, and that is to reduce and limit the amount of gun violence. From requiring gun owners to secure guns in their homes to leveraging the corporate world to quitting doing business with the gun industry to voting, the eighty to ninety percent of citizens who want change can achieve it.
July 9, 2023
The USA has an odd relationship with guns. You could call it a fetish. People over there use all sorts of often spurious arguments to justify the 2nd Amendment which until 2008 was only about having the availability of a well regulated militia. The Amendment was created at the time when the newly formed USA had a pet aversion to having a standing army. It was also at a time when they had to deal with an extensive "frontier". Today neither condition is either relevant or exists. The USA has an enormous standing army, air force and navy. They don't need a militia to defend themselves least of all against the depredations of a "frontier" that no longer exists. If you strip away the guns then the USA has comparable rates of criminality to other well developed nations. It is in fact in the middle of the pack. If you add the guns back in then it is an outlier for all the wrong reasons. Gun owners talk about the right to possess a gun. What they don't talk about so much though is the inalienable right to life. The right to own a gun is not inalienable. This book punctures a lot of myths about guns & their ownership. It is a book that should be read very widely & then discussed at length.
May 27, 2023
Two brilliant, sensible and thoughtful authors!
Thank you Thomas Gabor and Fred Guttenberg for a well-researched and easy read. One takeaway for me is that "American Carnage" provides a powerful academic and systematic review of the evidence confirming that there is no need for members of civil society to amass high-powered lethal firearms to be safe.
As I read an NBC News report on the Parkland high school shooting, I am impressed to find that, following the murder of his beautiful daughter Jaime, co-author Fred Guttenberg manages his profound grief into positive action. Along with many, my heart goes out to the Guttenberg family following this terrible tragedy and the loss of their beloved daughter, Jaime.
Ref.: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/...
Others have reported on deniers who spread lies about the occurrence of school shootings. Whether inspired by a tribal ideology and/or fear of losing their rights to own and carry firearms, these fact-deniers should be brought before the courts for spreading such hurtful lies.
Ref.: https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation...
Finally, callous and often uninformed comments by individuals who maintain these murders did not happen and that the victims deserved to die provide evidence that they are not able to grasp other people’s perspectives, and probably have not read this important book.
Thank you Thomas Gabor and Fred Guttenberg for a well-researched and easy read. One takeaway for me is that "American Carnage" provides a powerful academic and systematic review of the evidence confirming that there is no need for members of civil society to amass high-powered lethal firearms to be safe.
As I read an NBC News report on the Parkland high school shooting, I am impressed to find that, following the murder of his beautiful daughter Jaime, co-author Fred Guttenberg manages his profound grief into positive action. Along with many, my heart goes out to the Guttenberg family following this terrible tragedy and the loss of their beloved daughter, Jaime.
Ref.: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/...
Others have reported on deniers who spread lies about the occurrence of school shootings. Whether inspired by a tribal ideology and/or fear of losing their rights to own and carry firearms, these fact-deniers should be brought before the courts for spreading such hurtful lies.
Ref.: https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation...
Finally, callous and often uninformed comments by individuals who maintain these murders did not happen and that the victims deserved to die provide evidence that they are not able to grasp other people’s perspectives, and probably have not read this important book.
June 8, 2023
Gabor is an academic, and Gutenberg is passionate about gun safety, after losing his daughter to the Parkland killer. Together they set out to 'arm' us with facts about what they think are the strongest 37 myths about guns, gun violence, and gun ownership. They clearly and without hyperbole refute the myths with facts and research. Each chapter concludes with a summary of their points. And they end with a Declaration of the Right to Live Free from Gun Violence.
They trace the changes in the interpretation of the Second Amendment , which too often takes precedence over the First...It was not written to give individual owners free access to any gun they choose. It was to protect communities collectively against foreign wars. Not until 2008, did the focus change to one that gives license (my word) to individuals to own guns for protection.
I feel better informed with facts and research to have intelligent conversations about common-sense gun safety. Research on which measures both gun owners and non-owners can agree does not restrict the 2A right to have a gun...they discuss the Stand Your Ground laws, and the horrible inequity baked in...
Their declaration reminds us that before the First or the Second Amendments, came the Declaration of Independence and that pesky phrase about inalienable rights...life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness...Life comes before guns.
What I wish someone would do is to distill the arguments to each myth with bullet-points from the research...like a cheat sheet, a gun-safety-for-dummies.
IMPORTANT, and given the authors' background, not enflaming at all. Professional and straightforward.
They trace the changes in the interpretation of the Second Amendment , which too often takes precedence over the First...It was not written to give individual owners free access to any gun they choose. It was to protect communities collectively against foreign wars. Not until 2008, did the focus change to one that gives license (my word) to individuals to own guns for protection.
I feel better informed with facts and research to have intelligent conversations about common-sense gun safety. Research on which measures both gun owners and non-owners can agree does not restrict the 2A right to have a gun...they discuss the Stand Your Ground laws, and the horrible inequity baked in...
Their declaration reminds us that before the First or the Second Amendments, came the Declaration of Independence and that pesky phrase about inalienable rights...life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness...Life comes before guns.
What I wish someone would do is to distill the arguments to each myth with bullet-points from the research...like a cheat sheet, a gun-safety-for-dummies.
IMPORTANT, and given the authors' background, not enflaming at all. Professional and straightforward.
January 24, 2024
50% of marriages end in divorce... of the 50% who stay married, 40% are unhappy and either disempowered to leave, lazy to leave or afraid to leave. Of those who stay married and report some level of happiness, 50% reoriented their idea of happiness to mirror their life now over their dreams before marriage...
Therefore, dont get married is your best bet...
This book takes pro-gun arguments/ sentiments, then argues against them with stats and "logic"... Well anti-gun stats and logic... But soundly, makes a lot of sense. If you're anti-gun, you'll soon be spewing the same stats and logic vitriolically on twitter or the next family holiday gathering w/ Boomers.
The basic logic being... look out the window right now, spot any random mf... THAT is a human!! you as a fellow human should care more about that stranger (or even Jerry who owes you a C-note, and is suspiciously too chummy with your gf) than anything as dangerous as a gun... ignore any realities to the contrary, per soda, Escalade vs Cannondale, McDonald's value meals or slaving in an Amazon warehouse. Therefore, YOU human should understand how guns lead to the death of (google :48,000 died in 2021, PEW; 332M Americans total) .0014% fellow humans in America. Listen to my logic and stats, join the cause against gun violence.
But if u personally know there are both sensibly compelling and irrationally emotional reasons to STILL get married... these gun stats and logic are as naively flaccid to those walking past the church wishing the choir would stfu
Therefore, dont get married is your best bet...
This book takes pro-gun arguments/ sentiments, then argues against them with stats and "logic"... Well anti-gun stats and logic... But soundly, makes a lot of sense. If you're anti-gun, you'll soon be spewing the same stats and logic vitriolically on twitter or the next family holiday gathering w/ Boomers.
The basic logic being... look out the window right now, spot any random mf... THAT is a human!! you as a fellow human should care more about that stranger (or even Jerry who owes you a C-note, and is suspiciously too chummy with your gf) than anything as dangerous as a gun... ignore any realities to the contrary, per soda, Escalade vs Cannondale, McDonald's value meals or slaving in an Amazon warehouse. Therefore, YOU human should understand how guns lead to the death of (google :48,000 died in 2021, PEW; 332M Americans total) .0014% fellow humans in America. Listen to my logic and stats, join the cause against gun violence.
But if u personally know there are both sensibly compelling and irrationally emotional reasons to STILL get married... these gun stats and logic are as naively flaccid to those walking past the church wishing the choir would stfu
September 17, 2023
An extremely important but ultimately somewhat poorly executed book. I saw three main issues:
First, it is extremely repetitive, using exact phrases and stats over and over again. It should have been a short hand-book of 100 pages, serving as a quick, easily accessible resource to counter basic arguments against gun regulation.
Second, the authors do not deal engage at all with the political and ideological nature of gun violence - specifically neglecting the correlation between the far (and not so far) right and the fight against gun regulation.
Finally, related to the second point, I felt they hedged too much. Much of the book was spent describing how ‘most’ gun owners are not the bad guys, and how there was tons of common ground to be found between gun ownership and people’s safety. I do understand that some middle ground does exist, but it felt misplaced in this book to expend so much effort into essentially pre-placating critics by suggesting that gun violence in America is enabled by only a small minority of very vocal parties.
First, it is extremely repetitive, using exact phrases and stats over and over again. It should have been a short hand-book of 100 pages, serving as a quick, easily accessible resource to counter basic arguments against gun regulation.
Second, the authors do not deal engage at all with the political and ideological nature of gun violence - specifically neglecting the correlation between the far (and not so far) right and the fight against gun regulation.
Finally, related to the second point, I felt they hedged too much. Much of the book was spent describing how ‘most’ gun owners are not the bad guys, and how there was tons of common ground to be found between gun ownership and people’s safety. I do understand that some middle ground does exist, but it felt misplaced in this book to expend so much effort into essentially pre-placating critics by suggesting that gun violence in America is enabled by only a small minority of very vocal parties.
October 16, 2023
This book was not an easy read for me, nor will it be an easy book for others. One of the co-authors, Fred Guttenberg, lost his teenage daughter to gun violence…and, he is devoting his energies to educating and advocating for common sense gun safety measures. This book is extremely well researched and it organizes all the facts and figures in counter arguments against the dozens of “myths” that currently exist in our country’s gun culture. I started reading the paperback version of the book, but switched by the 4th chapter to the audio version because it was easier for me to absorb all the information. This book stays with you and I find myself thinking about these issues and looking for ways to keep gun safety measures in the fore-front of my political awareness. The book also helps you understand the “myths” that other people hold and provides facts and counter-arguments that you can use when confronted with these discussions in real time. This is a really important and timely book.
February 20, 2024
'American Carnage:Shattering the MYths That Fuel Gun Violence' is written by Fred Guttenberg who lost her 14 year old daughter in the Parkland high school shooting in 2018 and Thomas Gabor who was a professor of criminology at the University of Ottawa for 30 years. The authors dissected or refuted 37 myths with scientific data and real life references. The book debunks the facts and instructs what people should know.
I attended AFT Book Club: A Conversation with Fred Guttenberg on February, 18th, 2024. Fred said that NRA turned Sandy Hook accident into sales for gun. We are mislead by too many lies, misinformation and disinformation. This is New America which we should not accept as it is. America is only country with more civilian-owned firearms than people. Not many accidents are caused by mentally ill people. We do not have higher number of mentally suffered people than other countries but higher number of gun accidents, homocides, and suicides in the U.S. because of easy access to guns.
80% Americans want gun problems be solved. We need new laws. We have to vote for the right thing.
I attended AFT Book Club: A Conversation with Fred Guttenberg on February, 18th, 2024. Fred said that NRA turned Sandy Hook accident into sales for gun. We are mislead by too many lies, misinformation and disinformation. This is New America which we should not accept as it is. America is only country with more civilian-owned firearms than people. Not many accidents are caused by mentally ill people. We do not have higher number of mentally suffered people than other countries but higher number of gun accidents, homocides, and suicides in the U.S. because of easy access to guns.
80% Americans want gun problems be solved. We need new laws. We have to vote for the right thing.
June 19, 2024
This book has lots of information from study after study that counter the myths perpetuated by the NRA and gun lovers. My only complaint is that it is written like a draft of a senior thesis. Rather than integrating studies to form conclusions, it cites one study, then the next, then the next. Perhaps it was written this way so the authors would not be criticized for overreaching with the data. It was frustrating, though, because it was tough to reach any quantitative conclusions.
Because of the Dickey amendment, the CDC was prevented from studying gun violence for more than 20 years. What is needed is a meta-analysis of the work that has already been done and much, much more research.
This book is an excellent start, but it won't convince anyone who is determined not to do anything about gun violence in this country. What it may do is help mobilize those who do want to do something and are not sure where to start.
Because of the Dickey amendment, the CDC was prevented from studying gun violence for more than 20 years. What is needed is a meta-analysis of the work that has already been done and much, much more research.
This book is an excellent start, but it won't convince anyone who is determined not to do anything about gun violence in this country. What it may do is help mobilize those who do want to do something and are not sure where to start.
December 3, 2023
Couldn't finish. This book does not shatter myths that fuel gun violence. This book simply responds to NRA slogans in a "debate me bro" style. If that's the type of person you're arguing against, then this is a great resource.
Appears to be written by centrists for centrists who have no conception of why someone would want or need a gun because the police are protecting them just fine. There is no analysis here of any socioeconomic factors, no historical analysis of laws or justfications for those laws other than to say "even dodge city had gun violence laws!", and no meat after you scratch the surface. Even the not-very-good books American Whitelash and Dying of Whiteness do a better job examining the root causes of gun violence.
As one of the most galling points, the authors even accuse gun owners as being the reason that cops murder people.
Appears to be written by centrists for centrists who have no conception of why someone would want or need a gun because the police are protecting them just fine. There is no analysis here of any socioeconomic factors, no historical analysis of laws or justfications for those laws other than to say "even dodge city had gun violence laws!", and no meat after you scratch the surface. Even the not-very-good books American Whitelash and Dying of Whiteness do a better job examining the root causes of gun violence.
As one of the most galling points, the authors even accuse gun owners as being the reason that cops murder people.
November 6, 2023
Essential reading for every American. This book coauthored by a parent of a child who was murdered in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. The book quotes research, statistics, and facts about gun violence and policy that are useful to anyone hoping to increase their own longevity in a society that has skewed its version of truth and rights to keep and bear arms. The book is a call to action stating ways that citizens and organizations can combat misinformation surrounding second amendment freedoms and gun rights. I am moved by this book and urge everyone to pick it up and share it with as wide an audience as possible. Our children deserve better combatting the gun lobby and the well-funding NRA takes all of us. Don't delay-- read this book as soon as possible.
December 22, 2023
I liked this book. The first half is a lot of statistics and percentages (usually hovering around 49%, showing how equally divided a lot of the country is). I'm glad I have all of the information here, but I feel like the people who SHOULD read this never will. But it is still good for others to have the information in order to have rational debates. I just doubt any of the logic that is presented in this book will do any good against the pro-gun side in these times when facts and statistics don't matter. It's just who shouts louder that walks away thinking they are the victor.
August 11, 2024
Not a gripping presentation, especially for an audiobook, but important information debunking many common myths about guns. Some of the points revolve around crticially reading research studies, but many are just about history or common sense. The most interesting part for me was the background about how the gun manufacturers needed new markets as the population moved to citites and stopped hunting, so they transformed the NRA and otherwise bought spokespeople to rewrite history and create a whole new narrative about guns as essential elements of personal freedom/safety. Just the same old corporate greed story about a few people getting rich and not caring how many thousands die as a result.
January 6, 2024
I think this book was fine.
I’m gonna give it a review I think some of my professors would give my first drafts- this was far too repetitive. There were multiple times where I was reading through this where I was confused about if I had already read a page because the wording was *the exact same* as statements before.
Overall, I think it was a fine introduction to statistics and information about the topic.
I’m gonna give it a review I think some of my professors would give my first drafts- this was far too repetitive. There were multiple times where I was reading through this where I was confused about if I had already read a page because the wording was *the exact same* as statements before.
Overall, I think it was a fine introduction to statistics and information about the topic.
February 8, 2024
I rated this book a 4 because the message is one that has difficulty penetrating the "book reading" public. The set-up of Myth vs Fact was both logical and easy to absorb the content. The book is a bit repetitive but was perhaps a writing technique to help the reader assimilate/internalize the information presented. This is fact-based book and is a bit dry but certainly a worthwhile read.
Mailed to Bill.
Mailed to Bill.
June 18, 2023
A great collection of statistics, research and historical context related to the Second Amendment and gun rights in the US. Well-documented and fact-based. The writing style is dry, focusing on studies and statistics, but conveys a lot of information on the topic. For people concerned with the level of gun violence in the US.
June 25, 2023
This was a very informative book with a lot of good information in regard to gun safety and gun safely laws. It gives a lot to think about, especially if you are in favor of safe gun legislation or are on the fence about it. The authors are very well informed and knowledgable on the subject.
August 6, 2023
A must-read book by Tom Gabor & Fred Guttenberg that shatters the myths surrounding the gun debate in America. Meticulously researched and easy to understand, a compelling read for everyone who wants to reduce the non-stop carnage of gun violence in this country.
August 30, 2023
I feel bad only giving this a three. I liked it and it's so full of information.
It just didn't work for me, because I didn't believe any of the myths before and the huge amount of evidence that they are myths is dry.
It just didn't work for me, because I didn't believe any of the myths before and the huge amount of evidence that they are myths is dry.
September 11, 2023
I thought the way the book was laid was very good. It gave the myth (belief by many) and then they gave facts many with statistics. It also gave ideas of what could be done to combat gun violence. There was a little history of gun regulations in our past.
December 13, 2023
A helpful, but somewhat dry and repetitive, rebuttal to the arguments many people have against gun control. It's all well intentioned and well researched, but it's a bit dry and I can't help but think it could have been half the size or just released online. But still, much needed.
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