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maria7300's review against another edition
5.0
Incomparable
Wow - I just finished the book, and was blown away at every turn. The author writes with a deep empathy for everyone involved in the massacre, and with unapologetic honesty about the killers’ motives. I would have loved a more in-depth explanation of the effects Michael Moore’s Bowling for Columbine had on the world’s perception of the event, but the author touched on myriad other examples of how the media twisted the killers into sympathetic characters; at this point, I’m just nitpicking.
This book is thoughtfully written at every turn, treating the most difficult moments with great respect and writing individuals as they truly were at the time. I recommend this to anybody interested in true crime, history, politics, anything really. It’s a fascinating and factual account of an important event in American history that set the stage for countless other massacres in the years to follow, and it’s written so skillfully that you can’t bring yourself to put it down, forgetting that it’s been over 20 years since the tragedy.
Wow - I just finished the book, and was blown away at every turn. The author writes with a deep empathy for everyone involved in the massacre, and with unapologetic honesty about the killers’ motives. I would have loved a more in-depth explanation of the effects Michael Moore’s Bowling for Columbine had on the world’s perception of the event, but the author touched on myriad other examples of how the media twisted the killers into sympathetic characters; at this point, I’m just nitpicking.
This book is thoughtfully written at every turn, treating the most difficult moments with great respect and writing individuals as they truly were at the time. I recommend this to anybody interested in true crime, history, politics, anything really. It’s a fascinating and factual account of an important event in American history that set the stage for countless other massacres in the years to follow, and it’s written so skillfully that you can’t bring yourself to put it down, forgetting that it’s been over 20 years since the tragedy.
jillyfaz's review against another edition
5.0
This was a frightening and fascinating read. Dave Cullen spent 9 years researching this event: reading all killers' journals, interviewing everyone connected to the case, etc. The book is an all encompassing examination of what happened and why, how it effected the people of Littleton, and what we have learned to try to ensure this doesn't happen again. While some parts were difficult to read it was well worth it.
stells08's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
tense
slow-paced
5.0
canttalknow_reading's review against another edition
5.0
This is outstanding work. Meticulous, gripping, authoritative, and well-written. Really gets to the emotions of the tragedy and into the minds of the killers. Covers the events leading up to, during and after the attack. I was impressed with how Dave Cullen handled the emotional fallout from all parties involved. We could peer into the raw emotions without judgment by the author. We are left to examine the reactions of participants and wonder how we would respond to these events. I was also fascinated by the up close look into the mind of a young psychopath and the detailed analysis given. Highly recommended.
deedeethebumblebee's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
acschaffer's review against another edition
4.0
I would almost call this one a must read. The content was excellent and is great for conversation. Everybody remembers the incident and most people are interested in learning more. This book gives a lot of insight into the shooters and what might have motivated them. It also includes long passages about a few victims and school officials. It seems to be very well researched and is well written. I especially liked how the author tried to report and understand the situation of the shooters' parents. The only reason I gave 4 stars instead of 5 is because I'm not crazy about the organization - it jumped around too much and didn't flow. But other than that, I loved it.
duncaroo12's review against another edition
4.0
I essentially read this in one day because I was terrified of having nightmares about it. Although the disjointed narrative can at times make the chronology confusing and the author seems to depict more favorably the people he had the most access to in terms of interviews, it is a comprehensive and horrifying look at this tragedy which overturned many of my previously held assumptions about the event.
lanidacey's review against another edition
4.0
I was moved to read this after reading Sue Klebold's book. It's an engaging, sensitive and thoroughly written piece of journalism that does a great job telling the truth from all the myths of Columbine.