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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.
pennyluvs2read's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
jason1749's review against another edition
5.0
This is a great and tough book. Dave Cullen does exhaustive work trying to get to the heart of the madness that happened in April of 1999. In the end, it's pretty easy to say, everything you knew is wrong, or t least the story that the major media tried to sell is wrong. Mostly, it's not their fault, statements made early in the crisis caught on, and despite the truth getting its day in the light, but sadly, much like the idea that Iraq was behind 9/11, once the public's mind is convinced of a thing, it's tough for it to let go.
This is a very well written and researched book and at the very least it is simply devastating. If you have any interest in what happened that day, or why, I'd highly suggest you read it.
The only real thing I can find wrong with the book is that it assumes you know the basics and that you were around when it happened, which, for most of the current audience is true, however, I wonder how this book will read in 10 or 20 years when a new audience is reading it, not having been in front of a TV the day it happened.
This is a very well written and researched book and at the very least it is simply devastating. If you have any interest in what happened that day, or why, I'd highly suggest you read it.
The only real thing I can find wrong with the book is that it assumes you know the basics and that you were around when it happened, which, for most of the current audience is true, however, I wonder how this book will read in 10 or 20 years when a new audience is reading it, not having been in front of a TV the day it happened.
leisurelyreading's review against another edition
5.0
I put off writing this review for longer than usual because it’s so much harder to explain why I like something than why I don't. And I don’t think there is a single thing I didn’t like about this book.
Dave Cullen was very smart about his writing and research. This has been called a definitive account of Columbine for a reason. I originally read this as one of my picks for summer reading in high school around 2012. I loved it then as well. I will probably reread again in 2027 when the parent's depositions become public. Now, coming back with a more adult and nuanced eye I have even more appreciation for the writing. Cullen could have easily told the events which make up this story in chronological order and called it a day. It would have been very safe and easy, but hindered the storytelling. Instead, he splits the book into parts that reveal and explain the story in a way that keeps the readers attention and highlights different themes or lessons that came about because of this horrible event. You not only learn about what exactly happened that day, but the community impact, how the police reacted, the misconstructions in the press, and a look into Dylan and Eric's lead up into that fateful tragedy.
The writing was very detailed without coming across as a regurgitation of facts. A lot of this is due to Cullen focusing on the human stories. He portrays the complexities of the people effected and involved. Even the larger 'characters' of the community, religious organizations, media, and police were given that same attention to human complexity. There is pervasive confusion, anger, forgiveness, and sadness woven throughout. As much as we would like this to be a black and white closed book story it's not, and Cullen portrays that very well. Not everyone handled the situation perfectly. This was a first of its kind; I'm not sure there could be a perfect handling.
I highly recommend this book.
A few recommendations that might compliment this well (some more tangentially that others) include: [b:A Mother's Reckoning: Living in the Aftermath of Tragedy|25937671|A Mother's Reckoning Living in the Aftermath of Tragedy|Sue Klebold|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1453261078l/25937671._SY75_.jpg|45835034] by Sue Klebold (Dylan's mother), [b:The Psychopath Test: A Journey Through the Madness Industry|12391521|The Psychopath Test A Journey Through the Madness Industry|Jon Ronson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1364166270l/12391521._SX50_.jpg|14262366] by Jon Ronson, [b:The Science of Evil: On Empathy and the Origins of Cruelty|11044200|The Science of Evil On Empathy and the Origins of Cruelty|Simon Baron-Cohen|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1429875639l/11044200._SY75_.jpg|15964825] by Simon Baron-Cohen, We Are Columbine (2019) directed by Laura Farber, Bowling for Columbine (2002) directed by Michael Moore, Oklahoma City (2017) directed Barak Goodman.
Dave Cullen was very smart about his writing and research. This has been called a definitive account of Columbine for a reason. I originally read this as one of my picks for summer reading in high school around 2012. I loved it then as well. I will probably reread again in 2027 when the parent's depositions become public. Now, coming back with a more adult and nuanced eye I have even more appreciation for the writing. Cullen could have easily told the events which make up this story in chronological order and called it a day. It would have been very safe and easy, but hindered the storytelling. Instead, he splits the book into parts that reveal and explain the story in a way that keeps the readers attention and highlights different themes or lessons that came about because of this horrible event. You not only learn about what exactly happened that day, but the community impact, how the police reacted, the misconstructions in the press, and a look into Dylan and Eric's lead up into that fateful tragedy.
The writing was very detailed without coming across as a regurgitation of facts. A lot of this is due to Cullen focusing on the human stories. He portrays the complexities of the people effected and involved. Even the larger 'characters' of the community, religious organizations, media, and police were given that same attention to human complexity. There is pervasive confusion, anger, forgiveness, and sadness woven throughout. As much as we would like this to be a black and white closed book story it's not, and Cullen portrays that very well. Not everyone handled the situation perfectly. This was a first of its kind; I'm not sure there could be a perfect handling.
I highly recommend this book.
A few recommendations that might compliment this well (some more tangentially that others) include: [b:A Mother's Reckoning: Living in the Aftermath of Tragedy|25937671|A Mother's Reckoning Living in the Aftermath of Tragedy|Sue Klebold|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1453261078l/25937671._SY75_.jpg|45835034] by Sue Klebold (Dylan's mother), [b:The Psychopath Test: A Journey Through the Madness Industry|12391521|The Psychopath Test A Journey Through the Madness Industry|Jon Ronson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1364166270l/12391521._SX50_.jpg|14262366] by Jon Ronson, [b:The Science of Evil: On Empathy and the Origins of Cruelty|11044200|The Science of Evil On Empathy and the Origins of Cruelty|Simon Baron-Cohen|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1429875639l/11044200._SY75_.jpg|15964825] by Simon Baron-Cohen, We Are Columbine (2019) directed by Laura Farber, Bowling for Columbine (2002) directed by Michael Moore, Oklahoma City (2017) directed Barak Goodman.
nicolereadsb00ks's review against another edition
5.0
I have been wanting to read this book for years, and as I begin my journey through student teaching, I decided that there was no time more paramount than now. Although I hadn’t been alive on April 20, 1999, it bothered me that I knew little about this moment in history. I knew this book was going to be difficult, and it most certainly was, however, I truly believe that every educator should read this book. Cullen has such a way of explaining the events leading up to April 20, expressing how the victims and parents felt, and the aftermath of the shooting all the while holding the reader’s attention the entire time. This book, as difficult as it was, is captivating. The research and detail that went into this book shows, and it is clear that Cullen genuinely cares about the travesties that occurred that spring day. I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone, especially those of you that are educators, or truthfully anyone that works with youth.
mnkgrl's review against another edition
5.0
This book is thoroughly researched and well written. A very haunting, chilling account of who Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris were, what actually happened at Columbine, and the mistakes made by both police and the media in responding to the crisis. This is one of the best non-fiction books I have ever read and I highly recommend it to everyone.