American Gun; The True Story of the AR-15 by Cameron McWhirter; Zusha Elinson had so much information I had never heard of before about these fucking killing machines. I was truly thankful to have gotten to read this before most people! I would like to purchase this one for my physical library!

"American Gun" offers valuable insights into the complex relationship between firearms and American identity, exploring the ways in which the AR-15 has become intertwined with notions of patriotism, individualism, and the Second Amendment. The authors examine the role of gun manufacturers, lobbyists, and activists in shaping public perceptions of the AR-15 and influencing gun policy debates. Overall, "American Gun: The True Story of the AR-15" is a compelling and thought-provoking read that offers readers a nuanced and insightful exploration of one of America's most contentious firearms.

This is the book you dread to read, not because you think it will not be interesting (it is) or because you don't agree with the object its centered on (I'm not a gun owner), but because the subject matter is too real, too terrifying, too... unavoidable. I saw this book and I said to myself, "I have to read this. I don't really want to, but I have to. I have to."

I did. I read it. I felt disturbed by its contents. I cried uncontrollably through one of its chapters (on Sandy Hook), and I thought, "This is the history book of our present moment. I am glad I'm reading this." And I am. I am glad I read it, but it felt like hell to do it.

I'm getting a copy of this book for my personal library. I have to.

Elinson and McWhirter have produced a very well-researched, deeply nuanced, and straightforward history of the AR-15, the ArmaLite semi-automatic rifle designed by Eugene Stoner in the 1950s, as the Cold War threatened to heat up. The first half of this monograph lays out the very mechanical, step-by-step process of politics and engineering that lead to the creation of this weapon and its eventual adoption by the American military. After the chapters on its use in the Vietnam War, the book turns to the political life of the weapon: its feature in the anti-gun legislation and Americans' varied responses to it and those proposed bans. Here the writers also highlight the life of the gun as it was used in civilian situations, in mass shootings, which began far earlier than most people know in the 1970s and 1980s. It is here that the AR-15 becomes much larger than it is, becomes a symbol larger than itself. The monograph ends with the current debates around the use, ban, manufacture, and cultural life of the weapon.

This is a brilliant cultural history of the semi-automatic gun, from its inception, manufacture, to its bloom as a totemic idea, a fulcrum upon which other ideological debates flux and see-saw as society and its values fluctuate. Readers on any (every?) side of the aisle on the issue of gun control should read this.

This book is not an easy read. As a non-gun owner, I wasn't sure what to think about this going in - I am wholly unfamiliar with the mechanics and nuances of guns. But this book left me so sad, and so conflicted about the place that we are in as a society. It's hard not to root for Eugene Stoner, and his powers of invention - he is certainly a complicated, interesting figure who didn't intend for his invention to cause harm. But it did, and it does, and there is no going back now. I'm sure that gun advocates would not enjoy this book, because reading about the grim realities of their favorite weapon would be too off-putting for them. But more people should read this book, and grapple with the world that the popularity of the AR-15 has wrought. It's about so much more just guns, and your right to posses and use them - It's about unfettered capitalism, and the contrarian nature of Americans. I also really appreciated all the bits about the difficulties of trying to create sensible gun laws - I never really grasped before how difficult it is to regulate a product that is so popular, and makes so much money for so many different, connected people. All in all, a very engrossing read, on a very timely topic.

I liked this book mostly and learned a lot. The first half was really good, the second half lost its way as the authors didn't really have a POV. I think that was a choice, but I'm not sure who or what that serves in a book about guns in America. It was easy to read and written with a clean journalistic style. Overall very good but too long and repetitive toward the end.

If you want to know how the United States became a land of mass shootings, read this book.

It is an excellent, gripping non-fiction account of the history of the world's most (in)famous rifle, the AR-15. I am sure it will cause some controversy, but it is written in a very balanced and nuanced way, without providing easy answers or demonizing either side of the conflict that this rifle embodies.

The first part of the book is the story of how the AR-15 was born and then transformed into the military M-16. I have to admit that I have no interest whatsoever in gun design or technology, but this book is so well written that I found this part surprisingly engaging. But even better is the second part, which describes how this invention was popularized in the U.S. and became a symbol of the deep political divide that haunts this country. There are very moving testimonies from victims of high-profile cases, as well as arguments from people who believe that no one has the right to take away their guns. The authors also provide a detailed and excellently sourced examination of the workings of Washington politics.

It is a grim paradox that the more people are killed in mass shootings, and the more politicians and civil society try to limit access to this deadly weapon, the more ubiquitous it becomes. In fact, it could be argued that gun manufacturers benefit from mass shootings, as their sales skyrocket after each one. And this paradox leads to the grim realization that there is no solution in sight - even though the authors show how other countries with similar gun cultures, Australia and New Zealand, dealt with this problem after tragedies happened in their communities. But the United States is a different story, unfortunately.

Thanks to the publisher, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

American Gun: The True Story of the AR-15 is precisely what it is titled - the history of the AR-15. The book is in two parts. The first follows the creation of the AR-15 by Eugene Stoner, and his attempt to get it used by American soldiers in Vietnam. This section is a fairly standard nonfiction book, and while it is interesting, it got a bit dry at times. The second, however, is where this book truly shines.

The second section of this book follows the usage of AR-15s by civilians, and the laws made (or not made) to restrict its use. This is the section where content warnings are absolutely needed, as it discusses mass shootings in great detail (though I would argue without being overly grotesque). McWhirter and Elinson do a great job of tackling such a difficult topic - both emotionally and politically. The book is written in a way that lays out the facts involved, without feeling like you're being pandered to in either direction.

This book is very powerful, and will stick with me for a long time. The chapter about the massacre at Sandy Hook absolutely wrecked me - particularly as the authors write about the horrific damage that was done and the absolute lack of inaction that followed. I will recommend this book, but I will not recommend it lightly.

This is a well written and well researched non-fiction book. Eugene Stoner invented the AR-15 for the armed forces. MCWhirter and Elinson do a great job laying down the complete history of this weapon. How it's used in the military and how it became a symbol of gun culture in America. They talk about the assault weapons ban in the mid '90s, to the explosion of non-stop mass shootings, how the gun lobbies make millions from this weapon ever year, and how the NRA bribes lawmakers from never passing comprehensive gun reform. I think the saddest part of this book was hearing from the survivors of gun violence. We hear from the survivors of the San Bernadino and Las Vegas mass shootings. We learn how those individuals struggle with PTSD, (flashbacks, nightmares, aversion to loud noises) and with chronic pain on a daily basis. No matter what your political beliefs are, this book was eye-opening and had me tear up many times. Important read!

Thank you, Netgalley and FSG for the digital ARC.

American Gun is the comprehensive history of the creation, impact and legacy of a weapon that has been looked at in very different lights: the AR-15. I feel that both authors craft a superb breakdown of the weapon’s history as well as the impact it has made both positive and negative.

This book is definitely on the side of the left. I realize that there has been shootings using a AR 15 but other weapons have been used also. The left is always demonizing the gun instead of blaming the person behind the gun.