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A review by tkiley
Bloodbath Nation by Paul Auster
4.0
This part-memoir, part-history book, part-essay was a short, heart-breaking read. Paul Auster connects his own history with guns to America's storied past with guns to our modern crisis of mass shootings. Spencer Ostrander's photographs that separate the sections of Auster's essay are chilling reminders of what is left over after a tragedy, after the country moves onto the next pressing crisis. Auster's book is a fantastic summary of guns in America and an overview of recent mass shootings.
The essay was written in the summer of 2021, so some parts definitely felt out of date (we now know how little the protests last summer moved the political needle towards change, New York no longer has a specific gun law mentioned in the essay due to the Supreme Court, countless more mass shootings that would be included in Auster's lists and discussions have occurred). However, Auster presents a clear view of how we got to the current world and the numerous obstacles that will have to be overcome to create change. This book serves as a great refresher and reminder of the current state of guns in America.
Thank you to Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The essay was written in the summer of 2021, so some parts definitely felt out of date (we now know how little the protests last summer moved the political needle towards change, New York no longer has a specific gun law mentioned in the essay due to the Supreme Court, countless more mass shootings that would be included in Auster's lists and discussions have occurred). However, Auster presents a clear view of how we got to the current world and the numerous obstacles that will have to be overcome to create change. This book serves as a great refresher and reminder of the current state of guns in America.
Thank you to Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.