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4.32 AVERAGE
4.32 AVERAGE
This book definitely provided an interesting outlook to the event that would set the stage for future high school shootings. It provided information on the hows, whats, and whys of not only the event itself, but of the ramifications of the event (i.e., subsequent reporting, book deals, injuries sustained). I would definitely recommend this book.
Helluva a well-told story.
The more I look into this however the more in question are some of the authors characterizations and conclusions about the victims and gunmen. Most questions seem to be on the fringe but there’s a good amount of support for question the deep accuracy of this telling. Which normally wouldn’t matter all that much given how hard it is to really be able to tell the true truth about a large and significant historical event like this with all the spurious and circumstantial noice these events stir up, but the author is fervently assertive that his telling is the right now over and over throughout the book.
And I’m sure it is for the most part. But there were some clear inconsistencies in some of his characterizations that could be substantially impactful on the author’s truth narrative if they were to be truly inaccurate.
But anyhow, I knock this a star for its questionable assertion of supreme truth of what really happened, and some of the laziness and irreverence of the writing. But I also can’t ignore the fact that this was a gripping a historical nonfiction book can be. I never once was bored and never wanted to put it down.
So despite its potential accuracy issues, it’s so well told I’d recommend to just about anyone interested.
The more I look into this however the more in question are some of the authors characterizations and conclusions about the victims and gunmen. Most questions seem to be on the fringe but there’s a good amount of support for question the deep accuracy of this telling. Which normally wouldn’t matter all that much given how hard it is to really be able to tell the true truth about a large and significant historical event like this with all the spurious and circumstantial noice these events stir up, but the author is fervently assertive that his telling is the right now over and over throughout the book.
And I’m sure it is for the most part. But there were some clear inconsistencies in some of his characterizations that could be substantially impactful on the author’s truth narrative if they were to be truly inaccurate.
But anyhow, I knock this a star for its questionable assertion of supreme truth of what really happened, and some of the laziness and irreverence of the writing. But I also can’t ignore the fact that this was a gripping a historical nonfiction book can be. I never once was bored and never wanted to put it down.
So despite its potential accuracy issues, it’s so well told I’d recommend to just about anyone interested.
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
challenging
medium-paced
challenging
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
Fascinating and detailed look into the tragedy that none of us who were alive will forget but know so little about. This book changed how I view this attack and the aftermath. Very powerful.
About a year ago, I read Dylan Klebold's mother's memoir "A Mother's Reckoning". It blew my mind! I never knew I could feel such empathy for a mass murderer. I became extremely curious of the Columbine Masquer. This, being the most popular account, read like a documentary and was extremely informative but also like a thriller in which I couldn't put it down. It covers survivors, their families, the killers and their's. Not a single negative thing about this book... Save the morbid topic.
Maybe it is a victim of hype, but Cullen's decade-long investigation into Columbine just doesn't congeal.
I can definitely appreciate all the effort that went into trying to set the record straight. There is no disaster that has made as many myths and misconception as Columbine, and the author does an excellent job of explaining what actually happened. The most striking thing to me was that it really was no motivation for the killings, just a desire to do nastiness and evil. They were not bullied, or overtly outcasts
Unfortunately, all of the truth tends to get buried and muddled personal stories that really don't congeal and don't add anything to the narrative. The entire book really did not feel academic and instead read more like a pop history, which is not what I was looking for. Cullen's telling of the events of April 20th are also largely incoherent, and I had to actually watch a third party documentary about the event in order to understand what actually happened that day.
I also realized that I really wasn't that interested in the shooting. I just didn't need to know all of these details.
Overall, it's still probably is the definitive account of the massacre, it just isn't quite as good as I had been led to believe
I can definitely appreciate all the effort that went into trying to set the record straight. There is no disaster that has made as many myths and misconception as Columbine, and the author does an excellent job of explaining what actually happened. The most striking thing to me was that it really was no motivation for the killings, just a desire to do nastiness and evil. They were not bullied, or overtly outcasts
Unfortunately, all of the truth tends to get buried and muddled personal stories that really don't congeal and don't add anything to the narrative. The entire book really did not feel academic and instead read more like a pop history, which is not what I was looking for. Cullen's telling of the events of April 20th are also largely incoherent, and I had to actually watch a third party documentary about the event in order to understand what actually happened that day.
I also realized that I really wasn't that interested in the shooting. I just didn't need to know all of these details.
Overall, it's still probably is the definitive account of the massacre, it just isn't quite as good as I had been led to believe
One of the best "true crime" books I've read however this book goes way beyond that genre. I was brought to tears time after time. The pain and trauma an entire community had to suffer is unimaginable. Even though Dave laid it out in second by second detail, it is still somehow unimaginable. I was never overwhelmed by the details though. Nothing was included that didn't need to be there. Due to the scale, there are just so many interlinked stories from this tragedy that needed to be explored. I liked the approach of jumping forward and back in time to lay out who Eric and Dylan really were, and the aftermath of their horrific actions.
I grew up in school at a time when active shooters first became a realistic fear. I remember doing active shooter drills in middle school, around 2005, a while after Columbine. I was really young when the Columbine massacre happened so my only memories of it are from references to it in pop culture. And my impression of it is far from the horror it even was. My impression of the killers was also different than who they really were (thanks Satanic panic!). This was an eye opening read that really gave context to the fear driving those drills we did a few times a year.
This review is a little disjointed but I wanted to get my thoughts out as soon as I finished. I will definitely be reading Dave's other books.
I grew up in school at a time when active shooters first became a realistic fear. I remember doing active shooter drills in middle school, around 2005, a while after Columbine. I was really young when the Columbine massacre happened so my only memories of it are from references to it in pop culture. And my impression of it is far from the horror it even was. My impression of the killers was also different than who they really were (thanks Satanic panic!). This was an eye opening read that really gave context to the fear driving those drills we did a few times a year.
This review is a little disjointed but I wanted to get my thoughts out as soon as I finished. I will definitely be reading Dave's other books.
dark
emotional
informative
Very well written and well paced. I liked that it wasn’t completely chronological. Focusing on both the day of the shooting, the aftermath, and the planning of it at the same time really balanced the narrative and didn’t make any one part too heavy.