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A review by rebeccagratson
Columbine by Dave Cullen
3.0
Born in 1994, I grew up knowing the name Columbine but never fully grasped the details. With nothing but snippets, rumors, and Tumblr fan pages to go off of, I picked up Dave Cullen's book to get a better sense of the picture, 25 years later.
Cullen really takes his time, providing a very expansive look at not only the actual events of April 20th, 1999, but also; the days, months, and years leading up to it; the lives of the victims and inner workings of the perpetrators; and all that was left in the wake of such disaster. There's also the effect that the media played during and after the event, the corruption and inaction of police (which we continue to see today with school shootings), and the attempts to explain and understand the motives even all these years later.
There's a lot of information presented that seems very well researched and thought out, and it's apparent that Cullen feels very passionately about the whole subject of Columbine. Again, this is my first time ever reading a full account, so I can't speak to how accurate or biased his portrayal might be. After reading the epilogue, where Cullen puts himself squarely in the middle of the event as a journalist who was reporting that day, I do find myself a little skeptical. The way he takes the trauma and devastation of the surviving community and makes it his was a bit off-putting and definitely soured my impressions.
But before all that, I think Cullen does a good job of laying out the timeline of events, while also introducing and giving background of those involved, while ALSO addressing and dispelling the various rumors and theories that have gained and held traction. I don't think the novel was as streamlined as it could have been, as there's a lot of jumping back and forth in the chapters. Whether it's between past and present, or what was happening outside the building vs. inside the building, or the investigation vs. the recovery - there's just a lot to remember and bounce between. Often, ground gets covered more than once, which in some cases helps clarify but in others just causes more confusion.
So, while not always the easiest to digest, Cullen's Columbine is an incredibly informative read that sheds light on not just the event itself, but on everyone involved and affected, and even the town itself.
Cullen really takes his time, providing a very expansive look at not only the actual events of April 20th, 1999, but also; the days, months, and years leading up to it; the lives of the victims and inner workings of the perpetrators; and all that was left in the wake of such disaster. There's also the effect that the media played during and after the event, the corruption and inaction of police (which we continue to see today with school shootings), and the attempts to explain and understand the motives even all these years later.
There's a lot of information presented that seems very well researched and thought out, and it's apparent that Cullen feels very passionately about the whole subject of Columbine. Again, this is my first time ever reading a full account, so I can't speak to how accurate or biased his portrayal might be. After reading the epilogue, where Cullen puts himself squarely in the middle of the event as a journalist who was reporting that day, I do find myself a little skeptical. The way he takes the trauma and devastation of the surviving community and makes it his was a bit off-putting and definitely soured my impressions.
But before all that, I think Cullen does a good job of laying out the timeline of events, while also introducing and giving background of those involved, while ALSO addressing and dispelling the various rumors and theories that have gained and held traction. I don't think the novel was as streamlined as it could have been, as there's a lot of jumping back and forth in the chapters. Whether it's between past and present, or what was happening outside the building vs. inside the building, or the investigation vs. the recovery - there's just a lot to remember and bounce between. Often, ground gets covered more than once, which in some cases helps clarify but in others just causes more confusion.
So, while not always the easiest to digest, Cullen's Columbine is an incredibly informative read that sheds light on not just the event itself, but on everyone involved and affected, and even the town itself.