Thank you Netgalley for letting me read and review this book. "In The Second, historian and award-winning, bestselling author of White Rage Carol Anderson powerfully illuminates the history and impact of the Second Amendment, how it was designed, and how it has consistently been constructed to keep African Americans powerless and vulnerable. The Second is neither a “pro-gun” nor an “anti-gun” book; the lens is the citizenship rights and human rights of African Americans."

Anderson is a great author and I learned a lot in this book. I do wish the book was longer though. I think the full meaning of what the Second Amendment was intended for and how it has evolved through the years could have been explored more fully. There were some long sentences and repetitive sentences that could have been cut. I think this book needed a few more drafts and more written. I want to read another book or just do more research on the impact of the second amendment.

The amount of research she did for this book is really incredible. This book makes clear the ways system racism have been perpetuated through the second amendment and America's gun culture.

Note: I voluntarily requested, read, and reviewed this book. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sending me a temporary digital advance reading copy/advance review (ARC) galley of this book in exchange for an honest review. As always, my opinions are my own and do not represent my co-host or the podcast. I request, read, and review many books prior to publication to explore possible future guests for the podcast. I wish we could interview the author of every one of these books because I'm so impressed by the creativity, thoughtfulness, and wisdom shared through the temporary books I get through NetGalley.

THE SECOND by Carol Anderson (One Person, No Vote and We Are Not Yet Equal) is all about "Race and Guns in a Fatally Unequal America." While her earlier work has been almost universally acclaimed, THE SECOND has had a somewhat more mixed reception; its text contains an introduction, four chapters and an epilogue which explore the relationship between gun ownership, slavery, and racism. Anderson explores the history of gun rights from the Revolutionary War and Constitutional Convention, the Haitian Revolution and other uprisings, and more modern day events linked to the Black Panthers and the 2016 shooting of Philando Castile, a Black man with a license to carry a gun. The founders' thinking in regards to the Second Amendment is clearly an emotional and much debated topic. Overall, Anderson provides a fascinating and well-researched (more than a fourth of the book is devoted to Notes) look at America's gun culture through the lens of social injustice. Additional background is available in Anderson's interview on NPR's Fresh Air program or from an shorter piece written by Anderson and recently published in The Guardian. THE SECOND received starred reviews from Kirkus and Library Journal.

Please note that Carol Anderson spoke June 7 at a Family Action Network (FAN) event. Preregistration was available on the FAN web site. ADDED: a recording of the event is now available:
https://youtu.be/pztTUlbLmH8

Some other live links in the post:
https://www.npr.org/2021/06/02/1002107670/historian-uncovers-the-racist-roots-of-the-2nd-amendment https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/jun/04/america-gun-obsession-slavery

An exploration of the Second Amendment to the US Constitution and the ways this right has been manipulated to exclude and target Black people. Like Anderson’s previous books, the history is detailed and the argument is airtight. This book is a powerful reminder the system was designed to limit Black freedom. We are more closely connected to the legacy of slavery than not, THE SECOND explains why.
•
•
What’s so impressive about Carol Anderson’s books is that they’re short and still packed with details and examples that illuminate her arguments. THE SECOND is only 165 pages (plus notes). I learned so much while reading this book. Anderson’s skill at whittling down American history to find the nuggets that drive home her point is unmatched.
•
•
With so much talk about gun control and the Second Amendment, this book, with its focus on Black Americans, is a great example of intersectionality in history and policy. When we talk about the right to bear arms, who are we taking about? Anderson takes the reader through time to connect America’s Founding Fathers and Trayvon Martin. She draws a straight line between the public lynchings of Black folks, The Black Panther Party, The NRA’s politicization, and ultimately gun control. She threads the needle perfectly.
•
•
The book was too short, we skip large swaths of time and I wanted to understand more the cultural shifts through history that led to changes of opinion. There’s also a heavy focus on The South and I’d have loved more on other regions in the country. I love dense nonfiction and this book, like her other books, reads very academic. She has great style and she’s a historian dealing in dense texts. It didn’t bother me, but I know some of you only like narrative nonfiction, so you’ve been warned.

Anderson's book is a great entry point for people looking to make sense of the intersection between violence, rights, and race. Her larger argument is about how the 2nd Amendment has been used to push racism and discrimination. It builds on her previous books, especially White Rage.

The well-read historian may not find anything substantially new here, but again, it provides a starting point for someone who may not know the complexities. The first story and putting the NRA perspective into context will be enough to pull many readers in.

This is a "long history" that is starting to be written more and more about, and Anderson does a great job of putting it together in a readable fashion

This is the book I have been waiting for. This is the book on guns that every American needs to read. This is the book that has the potential to create actual change if more people pick it up. Read this!!!!